§ 8-15-9.1 - Payment by credit card. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 8-15-9.1

   § 8-15-9.1  Payment by credit card. –(a) The director of the finance section of the state courts shall establishprocedures, in conjunction with the state controller and general treasurer, bywhich court imposed fines and costs may be paid by credit card presented at theoffices of the court clerks. These procedures may include the imposition of asurcharge on the credit card user for each transaction. This surcharge shallnot exceed the amount charged to the state by the credit card contractor forthe corresponding transaction. Nothing contained in this section shall requirejustices of the peace acting as bail commissioners to accept credit cardsduring the hours when the clerk's offices are closed.

   (b) No person making any payment by credit card shall berelieved from liability for the underlying obligation except to the extent thatthe state realizes final payment of the underlying obligation in cash or theequivalent. If final payment is not made by the credit card issuer or otherguarantor of payment in the credit card transaction, then the underlyingobligation shall survive and the state shall retain all remedies forenforcement which would have applied if the credit card transaction had notoccurred. No contract may modify the provisions of this subsection.

   (c) Credit card account numbers in the possession of a stateor local government are confidential and shall not be deemed public records.