H 967

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    CS/HB 967  2026 Legislature
1
2An act relating to electronic payments made to units
3of local governments; amending s. 215.322, F.S.;
4revising legislative intent; requiring units of local
5government to accept certain forms of payments;
6providing an exception; requiring such local
7governments to accept payments online; providing an
8effective date.
9
10Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12Section 1.  Subsections (1) and (5) of section 215.322,
13Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
14215.322       Acceptance of credit cards, charge cards, debit
15cards, or electronic funds transfers by state agencies, units of
16local government, and the judicial branch; acceptance of online
17payments by units of local governments.—
18(1)(a)       It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage
19state agencies, and the judicial branch, and require units of
20local government to make their goods, services, and information
21more convenient to the public through the acceptance of payments
22by credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, or other means of
23electronic funds transfers to the maximum extent practicable
24when the benefits to the participating agency and the public
25substantiate the cost of accepting these types of payments.
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 CS/HB 967  2026 Legislature
26(b)     It is the intent of the Legislature to require units
27    of local government to accept payments online.
28(5)(a)       Each A unit of local government, including a
29    municipality, special district, or board of county commissioners
30    or other governing body of a county, a consolidated or
31    metropolitan government, and any clerk of the circuit court,
32    sheriff, property appraiser, tax collector, or supervisor of
33    elections, shall is authorized to accept payment by use of
34    credit cards, charge cards, bank debit cards, and electronic
35    funds transfers for financial obligations that are owing to such
36    unit of local government, except when another form of payment is
37    required by law, and is authorized to surcharge the person who
38    uses a credit card, charge card, bank debit card, or electronic
39    funds transfer in payment of taxes, license fees, tuition,
40    fines, civil penalties, court-ordered payments, or court costs,
41    or other statutorily prescribed revenues an amount sufficient to
42    pay the service fee charges by the financial institution,
43    vending service company, or credit card company for such
44    services. Such A unit of local government shall verify both the
45    validity of any credit card, charge card, bank debit card, or
46    electronic funds transfer used pursuant to this subsection and
47    the existence of appropriate credit with respect to the person
48    using the card or transfer. The unit of local government does
49    not incur any liability as a result of such verification or any
50    subsequent action taken.
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 ENROLLED
 CS/HB 967  2026 Legislature
51(b)     A unit of local government accepting payment under
52    paragraph (a) is required to have a method for accepting such
53    payment online.
54Section 2.  This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
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