Senate Bill 2480

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 27-41-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DISALLOW A PROCESSING FEE TO BE CHARGED ON DEBIT CARD PAYMENTS FOR AD VALOREM TAXES; TO AMEND SECTIONS 27-104-33 AND 17-25-1, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 27-41-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-41-1. (1) Except as may otherwise be provided in Section 27-41-2, all state, county, school, road, levee and other taxing districts and municipal ad valorem taxes, except ad valorem taxes levied for county or district or municipal bonds and other evidences of indebtedness for money borrowed, and interest thereon, heretofore or hereafter assessed or levied shall be due, payable and collectible by the tax collector and shall be paid on or before the first day of February next succeeding the date of the assessment and levying of such taxes. All taxes levied for county and district and municipal bonds and interest thereon, or betterment or improvement assessments, shall be paid by each person assessed therewith on or before the first day of February next succeeding the date of the assessment and levying of the same, at the time of payment of the state and county ad valorem taxes, except as otherwise hereinafter provided in this chapter. The tax collector shall begin to accept payment for such ad valorem taxes or assessments not later than December 26 of the year prior to the year in which such taxes are required to be paid.

Any county may, by an order spread upon the minutes of the board of supervisors, allow the acceptance of partial payments for ad valorem taxes. Any municipality wherein municipal taxes are not collected by the county may, by an order spread upon the minutes of the governing authority of said municipality, allow the acceptance of partial payments for ad valorem taxes. If said partial payments are allowed by the county or municipality, said partial payments shall be made as follows:

(a) One-half (1/2) of all ad valorem taxes due shall be paid on or before February 1.

(b) One-fourth (1/4) of all ad valorem taxes, interest and penalty due shall be paid on or before May 1.

If any unpaid balance exists on August 1, then the lands shall be sold at the land sale on the last Monday in August for said unpaid balance.

All ad valorem taxes, however, assessed against motor vehicles as prescribed by the Motor Vehicle Ad Valorem Tax Law of 1958, for any and all purposes and in any and all jurisdictions, shall be paid in full on the date such taxes are due and payable.

(2) Ad valorem tax payments may be made by cash, check, credit cards, charge cards, debit cards and other forms of electronic payment in accordance with policies established by the State Auditor, as well as any other payment methods as deemed appropriate by the collecting agency. If the ad valorem tax payment is made using a debit card, the party making the payment shall not be charged an electronic payment processing fee by the collecting agency.

SECTION 2. Section 27-104-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

27-104-33. The State Department of Finance and Administration shall establish policies that allow the payment of various fees and other accounts receivable to state agencies, and the payment for retail merchandise sold by state agencies, by credit cards, charge cards, debit cards and other forms of electronic payment in the discretion of the department. Any fees or charges associated with the use of such electronic payments shall be assessed to the user of the electronic payment as an additional charge for processing the electronic payment, so that the user will pay the full cost of using the electronic payment. The processing fee for the electronic payment shall not be charged to parties who are making debit card payments toward their ad valorem taxes.

Agencies, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Administration, may bear the full cost of processing such electronic payments if the agency can demonstrate to the department's satisfaction that they are able to assume these costs and provide the related service for the same or lesser cost. However, state agencies may bear the full cost of processing such electronic payments for retail merchandise sold by state agencies.

SECTION 3. Section 17-25-1, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

17-25-1. The board of supervisors of any county and the governing authorities of any municipality may allow the payment of various taxes, fees and other accounts receivable to the county or municipality, and the payment for retail merchandise sold by the county or municipality, by credit cards, charge cards, debit cards and other forms of electronic payment, in accordance with policies established by the State Auditor. Except as otherwise provided in this section, any fees or charges associated with the use of such electronic payments shall be assessed to the user of the electronic payment as an additional charge for processing the electronic payment, so that the user will pay the full cost of using the electronic payment. However, the processing fee for the electronic payment shall not be charged to parties who are making debit card payments toward their ad valorem taxes. A county or municipality shall not charge the user any additional amount above the processing fee on each transaction. For purposes of this section, the term "accounts receivable" includes, but is not limited to, judgments, fines, costs and penalties imposed upon conviction for criminal and traffic offenses. A county or municipality may bear the full cost of processing such electronic payments for retail merchandise sold by the county or municipality.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.