An Act To Enable the Use of Credit Cards for Governmental Transactions
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0715
Committee Amendment CA_A_H100 (House)
Amends: 9-A MRSA §8

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to H.P. 498, L.D. 715, Bill, "An Act To 
Enable the Use of Credit Cards for Governmental Transactions" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 9-A MRSA §8-303, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A. Notwithstanding subsection 2, a governmental entity may impose a surcharge 
for payments made with a credit card or debit card for taxes, fines, charges, utility fees, 
regulatory fees, license or permit fees or the provision of a specific service provided by 
that governmental entity if the surcharge: 
A. Is disclosed clearly to the consumer prior to payment; and 
B. Does not exceed the costs associated with providing the credit card or debit card 
service that are directly incurred by the governmental entity or assessed by an 
authorized 3rd-party payment service provider for a credit card or debit card 
transaction. Ifthere is not a cost assessed by an authorized 3rd-party payment service 
provider for a debit card transaction, the governmental entity may not impose a 
surcharge associated with a debit card transaction. 
A governmental entity shall disclose to the consumer that the surcharge may be avoided if 
the consumer makes payments by cash, check or other means not a credit card or debit 
card. A governmental entity is not subject to any liability to the issuer of a credit card or 
an authorized 3rd-party payment service provider for nonpayment of credit card charges 
by the consumer. As used in this subsection, "governmental entity" means a county 
established or governed by Title 3D-A, Part 1, a municipality as defined in Title 3D-A, 
section 2001, subsection 8, a quasi-municipal corporation as defined in Title 3D-A, 
section 2604, subsection 3 or the Judicial Depal1ment as described in Title 4.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. The amendment allows a county, municipality or 
quasi-mun(cipal corporation and the Judicial Department to impose a surcharge for the 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
T\.O' S. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to H.P. 498, L.D. 715 
use of a credit card or debit card to pay for taxes, fines and services provided as long as 
the surcharge is disclosed to the consumer prior to payment and the amount does not 
exceed the costs incurred by the governmental entity. The amendment clarifies that a 
surcharge may be imposed for the use of a debit card if the governmental entity is 
charged a fee associated with debit card transactions. The amendment requires that the 
governmental entity disclose to the consumer that the consumer can avoid the surcharge 
by paying by cash, check or other means not a credit card or debit card. The amendment 
also clarifies that the governmental entity has no liability to the credit card or debit card 
company or card processor for nonpayment of credit card or debit card charges by the 
consumer. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: 03/27/09 Mac 
LD715 
LR 783(02) 
An Act To Enable the Use of Credit Cards for Governmental Transactions 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" 
Committee: Insurance and Financial Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential current biennium revenue increase - General Fund 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Permitting the Judicial Branch to charge a surcharge on the use of a credit or debit card to pay a fine may result in an 
increase in General Fund revenue. 
LR0783(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1