Subdivision 1. Payment methods. Payments of claims and obligations of a statutory or home rule charter city, town, or county may be made by warrant, check, or all forms of electronic or wire funds transfer. If the city, town, or county may make investments, it may make electronic or wire transfers of funds notwithstanding any other law to the contrary.

Subd. 2. Authority to accept payment by credit card or other methods. A statutory or home rule charter city, town, or a county may accept payment by use of a credit card, debit card, or all forms of electronic or wire funds transfer. Subject to any other law to the contrary, the city, town, or county may add to the amount due a service charge for the acceptance of a payment method authorized in this subdivision. The city, town, or county shall adopt policies and procedures regarding the payments. The payment of property taxes by credit card is subject to section 276.02.

Subd. 3. Electronic approval. "Electronic approval" means any electronic identifier intended by the person making, executing, or adopting it to authenticate and validate a city, town, or county administrative action. Notwithstanding any other general or special law to the contrary, a statutory or home rule charter city, a town, or a county may use electronic approvals, which have the same validity and consequences as an actual signature. The city, town, or county must establish policies and procedures to ensure the validity of electronic approvals.

History: 2001 c 13 s 2; 2004 c 152 s 1