§40-35.5 Assessment and collection of service charges for dishonored payments. (a) Unless otherwise provided by law or rules, every public accountant receiving revenue or other moneys on account of the State shall assess and collect a service charge in the amount of $25 for any remittance for payment that the public accountant receives that is dishonored for any reason. A public accountant shall require payment of the full amount of the dishonored payment, plus the service charge in cash, by certified or cashier's check, or by bank or postal money order. The amount of the service charge shall be deposited with the director of finance as a realization of the general fund.

(b) The service charge shall be enforced as follows:

(1) For charges due on dishonored checks written or electronic funds transfers made for payment of any tax administered by the department of taxation under title 14, the charges shall be nonwaivable penalties and shall be made a part of the tax for which the payment was made in the same manner as penalties are made part of the tax under section 231-39; and

(2) For other dishonored payments, if payment of the full amount of the dishonored payment plus the service charge is not made, the public accountant shall refer the entire matter, including the service charge due on the dishonored payment, to the department of the attorney general or a collection agency bonded under chapter 443B for collection.

(c) All penalties for dishonored payments shall be debts due the State.

(d) Penalties collected for dishonored payments by the department of taxation pursuant to this section shall be collected in the same manner as are taxes under chapter 231. The penalty shall be a realization of the general fund in the same manner as other penalties collected by the department of taxation.

(e) No interest shall be charged on any penalty. [L 1981, c 45, §1; am L 1995, c 97, §1; am L 1997, c 177, §2; am L 2007, c 240, §1]