SB 1612 — Electronic Payments Made to Units of Local Governments

Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 1612 By Senatorthe DiCeglieCommittee 18-01232-26on 20261612__Governmental AOversight billand toAccountability; be entitled An act relating to electronic payments to local governments;

and Senator DiCeglie 585-02776-26 20261612c1 A bill to be entitled An act relating to electronic payments made to units of local governments;

requiring eachunits unit of local government to accept electroniccertain paymentforms online for payments received by and financial obligations owed to the unit of localpayments; government;

providing an exception;

requiring such local governments to accept payments online;

providing a finding and declaration of important state interest;

215.322 Acceptance of credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, or electronic funds transfers by state agencies, units of local government, and the judicial branch.—branch; (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage state agencies and, the judicial branch, and require units of local government, to make their goods, services, and information more convenient to the public through the acceptance of payments by credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, or other means of electronic funds transfers to the maximum extent practicable when the benefits to the participating agency and the public substantiate the cost of accepting these types of payments.

(5)acceptance Eachof Aonline unitpayments by units of local government,government.— including(1)(a) aIt municipality,is specialthe district,intent orof boardthe ofLegislature countyto commissionersencourage orstate otheragencies, governingand bodythe ofjudicial abranch, county,and arequire consolidatedunits orof metropolitanlocal government, to make their goods, services, and anyinformation clerkmore ofconvenient to the circuitpublic court,through sheriff,the propertyacceptance appraiser,of taxpayments collector,by credit cards, charge cards, debit cards, or supervisorother means of Pageelectronic 1funds transfers to the maximum extent practicable when the benefits to the participating agency and the public substantiate the cost of 2accepting CODING:these types of payments.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to require units of local government to accept payments online.

(5)(a) Each A unit of local government, including a Page 1 of 2 CODING:

Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 1612 18-01232-26585-02776-26 20261612__20261612c1 electionsmunicipality, andspecial eachdistrict, department,or subagency,board andof divisioncounty ofcommissioners suchor unitsother governing body of locala county, a consolidated or metropolitan government, shall,and any clerk of the circuit court, sheriff, property appraiser, tax collector, or supervisor of elections, shall is authorized to accept electronic payment online by use of credit cards, charge cards, bank debit cards, and electronic funds transfers for payments received by and financial obligations that are owing to such unit of local governmentgovernment, except when another form of payment is required by law, and is authorized to surcharge the person who uses a credit card, a charge card, a bank debit card, or an electronic funds transfer in payment of taxes, license fees, tuition, fines, civil penalties, court-ordered payments, or court costs, or other statutorily prescribed revenues an amount sufficient to pay the service fee charges by the financial institution, vending service company, or credit card company for such services.

(b) A unit of local government accepting payment under paragraph (a) is required to have a method for accepting such payment online.

ThisThe actLegislature shallfinds takeand effectdeclares Julythat 1,this 2026.act fulfills an important state interest.

Section 3.

This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.