Sec. 11. (a) This section does not apply to a county treasurer governed by IC 36-2-10-23.

(b) As used in this section, "credit card" means a:

(1) credit card;

(2) debit card;

(3) charge card; or

(4) stored value card.

(c) A payment to a political subdivision or a municipally owned utility for any purpose may be made by any of the following financial instruments that the fiscal body of the political subdivision or the board of the municipally owned utility authorizes for use:

(1) Cash.

(2) Check.

(3) Bank draft.

(4) Money order.

(5) Bank card or credit card.

(6) Electronic funds transfer.

(7) Any other financial instrument authorized by the fiscal body.

(d) If there is a charge to the political subdivision or municipally owned utility for the use of a financial instrument, the political subdivision or municipally owned utility may collect a sum equal to the amount of the charge from the person who uses the financial instrument.

(e) If authorized by the fiscal body of the political subdivision or the board of the municipally owned utility, the political subdivision or municipally owned utility may accept payments under this section with a bank card or credit card under the procedures set forth in this section. However, the procedure authorized for a particular type of payment must be uniformly applied to all payments of the same type.

(f) The political subdivision or municipally owned utility may contract with a bank card or credit card vendor for acceptance of bank cards or credit cards. However, if there is a vendor transaction charge or discount fee, whether billed to the political subdivision or municipally owned utility or charged directly to the political subdivision's or municipally owned utility's account, the political subdivision or municipally owned utility may collect from the person using the card either or both of the following:

(1) An official fee that may not exceed the transaction charge or discount fee charged to the political subdivision or municipally owned utility by bank or credit card vendors.

(2) A reasonable convenience fee:

(A) that may not exceed three dollars ($3); and

(B) that must be uniform regardless of the bank card or credit card used.

The fees described in subdivisions (1) and (2) may be collected regardless of retail merchant agreements between the bank and credit card vendors that may prohibit such fees. These fees are permitted additional charges under IC 24-4.5-3-202.

(g) The political subdivision or municipally owned utility may pay any applicable bank card or credit card service charge associated with the use of a bank card or credit card under this subsection.

(h) The authorization of the fiscal body of the political subdivision is not required by the bureau of motor vehicles or the bureau of motor vehicles commission to use electronic funds transfer or other financial instruments to transfer funds to the political subdivision.

As added by P.L.40-1996, SEC.5. Amended by P.L.18-1996, SEC.32; P.L.2-1997, SEC.78; P.L.173-2003, SEC.20; P.L.137-2012, SEC.115; P.L.105-2013, SEC.2.