CHAPTER 12 - COUNTY AND MULTI-COUNTY CHECK CLEARING HOUSES - South Carolina Statutes

Title 34 - Banking, Financial Institutions and Money

CHAPTER 12.

COUNTY AND MULTI-COUNTY CHECK CLEARING HOUSES

SECTION 34-12-10. County council authorized to establish check clearing house; check clearing house defined.

Any county council may by ordinance establish a check clearing house in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

For purposes of this chapter, a "check clearing house" is defined as an administrative, non-judicial agency or department of a county, whose purpose shall be to collect, compile, maintain and distribute information regarding the initiation and disposition of cases involving fraudulent checks.

SECTION 34-12-20. Check clearing house administration and supervision.

Any check clearing house so established shall be under the supervision of an administrator appointed by the county council who shall have general supervision of its records, reports, operations, systems and employees; provided, however, that employment of personnel and their hours of duty shall be subject to approval by the county council.

SECTION 34-12-30. Reports by magistrate to check clearing house.

In addition to all other required reports each magistrate shall report to the check clearing house:

(1) By telephone immediately upon issuance of an arrest warrant upon a fraudulent or bad check, the fact of issuance and the name and address of the person against whom such warrant was issued;

(2) By telephone immediately upon arrest of a person so charged, the fact of such arrest and the place where the person so charged is or may be confined or held. All such reports shall be confirmed by mail on or before Saturday of each calendar week.

SECTION 34-12-40. Report by check clearing house to magistrates.

The check clearing house shall report to each magistrate in the county, who has issued such an arrest warrant against the same person, by telephone immediately upon receiving the notice required by item (2) of Section 34-12-30, the fact of such arrest and the place where the person so charged is or may be confined or held. Such report shall be confirmed by mail before the end of the calendar day.

SECTION 34-12-50. Records.

The check clearing house shall maintain up-to-date records on all reports received of such warrants and on all reports concerning arrests made upon such warrants and subsequent disposition thereof. The records maintained by the check clearing house are hereby defined as public records and employees of the check clearing house shall, upon inquiry, supply information concerning such records to interested parties.

SECTION 34-12-60. Multi-county check clearing house.

Any two or more counties may agree to establish a multi-county check clearing house by ordinance of each county council of the counties participating with personnel and expenses of such clearing house shared as the various councils shall agree.