WORKING DRAFT

HOUSE BILL NO.      

E-portal system.

Sponsored by:  Joint Judiciary Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to the uniform state accounting system; authorizing the government on-line commission to contract with a single credit card processor for state agencies accepting credit card payment for transactions made under the e-portal program; specifying how credit card transaction fees may be assessed and paid; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.  W.S. 9-4-217(h) is amended to read:

9-4-217.  Uniform state accounting system.

(h)  Unless specifically prohibited by statute, any legislative, judicial or executive branch agency as defined by W.S. 9-2-1002(a)(i), including the University of Wyoming, the game and fish department and the Wyoming department of transportation, may contract with a credit card processor and allow any tax, assessment, license, permit, fee, fine, or other money owing to the state or collectible by the state on behalf of another unit of government to be paid by negotiable paper, or in payment of any bail deposit or other trust deposit.  For the purpose of conducting transactions through the state's e-portal program, the Wyoming on-line government commission is authorized to contract for a single credit card processor for use by all agencies participating in the e-portal program. As used in this subsection, negotiable paper means money orders, paper arising from the use of a lender credit card as defined in W.S. 40-14-140(a)(ix), checks and drafts, including, without limitation, sales drafts and checks and drafts signed by a holder of a lender credit card issued by a bank maintaining a revolving loan account as defined in W.S. 40-14-308, for lender credit card holders.  The acceptance of negotiable paper by the state or any of its agencies under this subsection shall be in accordance with and subject to the same terms and conditions provided by W.S. 18-3-505. Any fees assessed for processing a credit card payment may be borne by the agency or person tendering payment. The costs of credit card transactions made through the state e-portal program may be paid through legislative appropriation, by assessing a fee to be paid by the person tendering payment, through entering a compensating balance arrangement with the financial institution processing the credit card transactions or charged to agencies on a fair share pro-rata basis.  For any activity provided through the e-portal program, where a fee or other charge is required as part of the transaction and the fee or other charge is established by statute or regulation, the agency is authorized to increase the fee by an amount sufficient to pay for its fair share cost of the credit card transaction fees should the Wyoming on-line government commission charge agencies on a fair share pro-rata basis for payment of the credit card transaction fees.

Section 2.  This act is effective July 1, 2002.

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