(50 ILCS 345/1)

Sec. 1.

Short title.

This Act may be cited as the Local Governmental Acceptance of Credit Cards Act.

(Source: P.A. 90‑518, eff. 8‑22‑97.)

(50 ILCS 345/10)

Sec. 10.

Definitions.

"Authorized obligation" means, in connection with a county, city, town, or other similar form of local municipal government, any fine, fee, charge, tax, or cost imposed by, owing to, or collected by or on behalf of a unit of local government. In connection with a community college district, "authorized obligation" means tuition costs, books, charges for meals, and other education or college‑related fines, fees, charges, or costs imposed upon or incurred by students or pupils.

"Credit card" means an instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, bank card, charge card, debit card, automated teller machine card, secured credit card, smart card, electronic purse, prepaid card, affinity card, or by any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the holder to obtain credit, money, goods, services, or anything else of value.

(Source: P.A. 90‑518, eff. 8‑22‑97.)

(50 ILCS 345/15)

Sec. 15.

Local government credit card acceptance program.

(a) Any unit of local government and any community college district that has the authority to accept the payment of funds for any purpose is authorized, but not required, to accept payment by credit card.

(b) This Act shall be broadly construed to authorize, but not require, acceptance of credit card payments by all units of local government and community college districts.

(c) This Act authorizes the acceptance of credit card payments for all types of authorized obligations.

(d) This Act does not limit the authority of clerks of court to accept payment by credit card pursuant to the Clerks of Court Act or the Unified Code of Corrections.

(e) A local governmental entity may not receive and retain, directly or indirectly, any convenience fee, surcharge, or other fee in excess of the amount paid in connection with the credit card transaction. In addition, a financial institution or service provider may not pay, refund, rebate, or return, directly or indirectly, to a local governmental entity for final retention any portion of a surcharge, convenience fee, or other fee paid in connection with a credit card transaction.

(Source: P.A. 90‑518, eff. 8‑22‑97.)

(50 ILCS 345/20)

Sec. 20.

Election by local governmental entities to accept credit cards.

(a) The decision whether to accept credit card payments for any particular type of obligation shall be made by the governing body of the local governmental entity that has general discretionary authority over the manner of acceptance of payments. The governing body may adopt reasonable rules governing the manner of acceptance of payments by credit card. No decision to accept credit card payments under this Act shall be made until the governing body has determined, following a public hearing held not sooner than 10 nor later than 30 days following public notice of the hearing, that the acceptance of credit card payments for the types of authorized obligations specified in the public notice is in the best interests of the citizens and governmental administration of the local governmental entity or community college and of the students and taxpayers thereof.

(b) The governing body of the entity accepting payment by credit card may enter into agreements with one or more financial institutions or other service providers to facilitate the acceptance and processing of credit card payments. Such agreements shall identify the specific services to be provided, an itemized list of the fees charged, and the means by which each such fee shall be paid. Such agreements may include a discount fee to cover the costs of interchange, assessments and authorizations, a per item processing fee for the service provider, and any other fee, including a payment of a surcharge or convenience fee, that may be applicable to specific circumstances. Any agreement for acceptance of payments by credit cards may be canceled by the governmental entity upon giving reasonable notice of intent to cancel.

(c) An entity accepting payments by credit card may pay amounts due a financial institution or other service provider by (i) paying the financial institution or other service provider upon presentation of an invoice or (ii) allowing the financial institution or other service provider to withhold the amount of the fees from the credit card payment. A discount or processing fee may be authorized whenever the governing body of the entity determines that any reduction of revenue resulting from the discount or processing fee will be in the best interest of the entity. Items that may be considered in making a determination to authorize the payment of fees or the acceptance of a discount include, but are not limited to, improved governmental cash flows, reduction of governmental overhead, improved governmental financial security, a combination of these items, and the benefit of increased public convenience. No payment to or withheld by a financial institution or other service provider may exceed the amounts authorized under subsection (b) of Section 25.

(d) Unless specifically prohibited by an ordinance or rule adopted by the governing body of the local governmental entity, a person may pay multiple tax bills in a single transaction.

(Source: P.A. 90‑518, eff. 8‑22‑97.)

(50 ILCS 345/25)

Sec. 25.

Payment of fees by cardholders.

(a) The governing body of a local governmental entity authorizing acceptance of payment by credit card may, but is not required to, impose a convenience fee or surcharge upon a cardholder making payment by credit card in an amount to wholly or partially offset, but in no event exceed, the amount of any discount or processing fee incurred by the local governmental entity. This convenience fee or surcharge may be applied only when allowed under the operating rules and regulations of the credit card involved. When a cardholder elects to make a payment by credit card to a local governmental entity and a convenience fee or surcharge is imposed, the payment of the convenience fee or surcharge shall be deemed voluntary by the person and shall not be refundable.

(b) No fee, or accumulation of fees, that exceeds the lesser of $20 or 5% of the principal amount charged may be imposed in connection with the issuance of any license, sticker, or permit, or with respect to any other similar transaction. No fee, or accumulation of fees, that exceeds the lesser of $5 or 5% of the transaction involved may be imposed in connection with the payment of any fine. No fee, or accumulation of fees, in excess of the lesser of $40 or 3% of the principal amount charged may be imposed in connection with the payment of any real estate or other tax.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b), a minimum fee of $1 may be imposed with respect to any transaction.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b), a fee in excess of the limits in subsection (b) may be imposed by a local governmental entity on a transaction if (i) the fee imposed by the local governmental entity is no greater than a fee charged by the financial institution or service provider accepting and processing credit card payments on behalf of the local governmental entity; (ii) the financial institution or service provider accepting and processing the credit card payments was selected by competitive bid and, when applicable, in accordance with the provisions of the Illinois Procurement Code; and (iii) the local governmental entity fully discloses the amount of the fee to the cardholder.

(Source: P.A. 92‑114, eff. 1‑1‑02.)

(50 ILCS 345/30)

Sec. 30.

Relief from underlying obligation.

A person who makes a payment by credit card to a local governmental entity shall not be relieved from liability for the underlying obligation except to the extent that the local governmental entity realizes final payment of the underlying obligation in cash or the equivalent. If final payment is not made by the credit card issuer or other guarantor of payment in the credit card transaction, then the underlying obligation shall survive and the local governmental entity shall retain all remedies for enforcement that would have applied if the credit card transaction had not occurred. A person making payment by credit card is not liable for any discount or fee paid to a credit card issuer or other party by a local governmental entity.

(Source: P.A. 90‑518, eff. 8‑22‑97.)

(50 ILCS 345/35)

Sec. 35.

Liability of local governmental employees.

A local governmental employee who accepts payment by credit card in accordance with this Act and any applicable rules shall not incur personal liability for the final collection of the payment.

(Source: P.A. 90‑518, eff. 8‑22‑97.)

(50 ILCS 345/95)

Sec. 95.

(Amendatory provisions; text omitted).

(Source: P.A. 90‑518, eff. 8‑22‑97; text omitted.)

(50 ILCS 345/99)

Sec. 99.

Effective date.

This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

(Source: P.A. 90‑518, eff. 8‑22‑97.)