§ 13-609. Electronic payments; acceptance; conditions; central bank digital currency; acceptance prohibited.

(1)(a) Any county treasurer, county official, or political subdivision official may accept credit cards, charge cards, or debit cards, whether presented in person or electronically, or electronic funds transfers as a method of cash payment of any tax, levy, excise, duty, custom, toll, interest, penalty, fine, license, fee, or assessment of whatever kind or nature, whether general or special, as provided by section 77-1702. (b) A county treasurer, county official, or political subdivision official shall not accept a central bank digital currency as a method of cash payment of any tax, levy, excise, duty, custom, toll, interest, penalty, fine, license, fee, or assessment of whatever kind or nature. (2) The total amount of such taxes, levies, excises, duties, customs, tolls, interest, penalties, fines, licenses, fees, or assessments of whatever kind or nature, whether general or special, paid for by credit card, charge card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer shall be collected by the county treasurer, county official, or political subdivision official. (3) Any political subdivision operating a facility in a proprietary capacity may choose to accept credit cards, charge cards, or debit cards, whether presented in person or electronically, or electronic funds transfers as a means of cash payment and may adjust the price for services to reflect the handling and payment costs. (4) The county treasurer, county official, or political subdivision official shall obtain, for each transaction, authorization for use of any credit card, charge card, or debit card used pursuant to this section from the financial institution, vending service company, credit card or charge card company, or third-party merchant bank providing such service. (5) The types of credit cards, charge cards, or debit cards accepted and the payment services provided shall be determined by the State Treasurer and the Director of Administrative Services with the advice of a committee convened by the State Treasurer and the director. The committee shall consist of the State Treasurer, the Tax Commissioner, the director, and representatives from counties, cities, and other political subdivisions as may be appropriate. The committee shall develop recommendations for the contracting of such services. The State Treasurer and the director shall contract with one or more credit card, charge card, or debit card companies or third-party merchant banks for services on behalf of the state and those counties, cities, and political subdivisions that choose to participate in the state contract for such services. The State Treasurer and the director shall consider, for purposes of this section, any negotiated discount, processing, or transaction fee imposed by a credit card, charge card, or debit card company or third-party merchant bank as an administrative expense. Counties, cities, and other political subdivisions that choose not to participate in the state contract may choose types of credit cards, charge cards, and debit cards and may negotiate and contract independently or collectively as a governmental entity with one or more financial institutions, vending service companies, credit card, charge card, or debit card companies, or third-party merchant banks for the provision of such services. All county officials within each county choosing to accept credit cards, charge cards, and debit cards shall contract for services through the same financial institutions, vending service companies, credit card, charge card, or debit card companies, or third-party merchant banks for the provision of such services. County officials who accept credit cards, charge cards, and debit cards shall notify the county board of such decision and the discount or administrative fees charged for such service. (6) A county treasurer, county official, or political subdivision official authorizing acceptance of credit card or charge card payments shall be authorized but not required to impose a surcharge or convenience fee upon the person making a payment by credit card or charge card so as to wholly or partially offset the amount of any discount or administrative fees charged to the political subdivision, but the surcharge or convenience fee shall not exceed the surcharge or convenience fee imposed by the credit card or charge card companies or third-party merchant banks which have contracted under subsection (5) of this section. The surcharge or convenience fee shall be applied only when allowed by the operating rules and regulations of the credit card or charge card involved or when authorized in writing by the credit card or charge card company involved. When a person elects to make a payment to a political subdivision by credit card or charge card and such a surcharge or convenience fee is imposed, the payment of such surcharge or convenience fee shall be deemed voluntary by such person and shall be in no case refundable. If a payment is made electronically by credit card, charge card, debit card, or electronic funds transfer as part of a system for providing or retrieving information electronically, the county treasurer, county official, or political subdivision official shall be authorized but not required to impose an additional surcharge or convenience fee upon the person making a payment. (7) For purposes of this section: (a) Central bank digital currency means a digital medium of exchange, token, or monetary unit of account issued by the United States Federal Reserve System or any analogous federal agency that is made directly available to the consumer by such federal entities. Central bank digital currency includes a digital medium of exchange, token, or monetary unit of account so issued that is processed or validated directly by such federal entities; and (b) Electronic funds transfer means the movement of funds by nonpaper means, usually through a payment system, including, but not limited to, an automated clearinghouse or the Federal Reserve's Fedwire system. History: Laws 1997, LB 70, § 2; Laws 2002, LB 994, § 1; Laws 2024, LB1074, § 60.