MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Business and Financial Institutions; Accountability, Efficiency, Transparency
By: Senator(s) Stone
AN ACT TO REQUIRE ALL STATE AGENCIES, DEPARTMENTS, BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS TO ACCEPT PERSONAL CHECKS FOR PAYMENT OF ANY LICENSE, PERMIT, FEE OR ANY OBLIGATION OWING TO THE AGENCY OR TRUST DEPOSIT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. (1) All state agencies, departments, boards or commissions shall accept personal checks drawn in their favor, or in favor of a designated official thereof, in payment for any license, permit, or fee, or in payment of any obligation owing to the public agency or trust deposit, if the person issuing the check furnishes to the person authorized to receive payment satisfactory proof of residence in this state and if the personal check is drawn on a banking institution located in this state.
(2) If any personal check offered in payment pursuant to this section is returned without payment, for any reason, a reasonable charge for the returned check, not to exceed the actual costs incurred by the public agency, may be imposed to recover the public agency's processing and collection costs. This charge may be added to, and become part of, any underlying obligation other than an obligation which constitutes a lien on real property, and a different method of payment for that payment and future payments by this person may be prescribed.
(3) The acceptance of a personal check pursuant to this section constitutes payment of the obligation owed to the payee public agency to the extent of the amount of the check as of the date of acceptance when, but not before, the check is duly paid.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.