1. A local government may enter into contracts with issuers of credit cards or debit cards, or operators of systems that provide for the electronic transfer of money to provide for the acceptance of credit cards, debit cards or electronic transfers of money by the local government:

(a) For the payment of money owed to the local government for taxes, interest, penalties or any other obligation; or

(b) In payment for goods or services.

2. If the issuer or operator charges the local government a fee for each use of a credit card or debit card or for each electronic transfer of money, the local government may require the cardholder or the person requesting the electronic transfer of money to pay a convenience fee when appropriate and authorized. The total convenience fees charged by the local government in a fiscal year must not exceed the total amount of fees charged to the local government by the issuer or operator in that fiscal year.

3. As used in this section:

(a) “Cardholder” means the person or organization named on the face of a credit card or debit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card or debit card is issued by an issuer.

(b) “Convenience fee” means a fee paid by a cardholder or person requesting the electronic transfer of money to a local government for the convenience of using the credit card or debit card or the electronic transfer of money to make such payment.

(c) “Credit card” means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card or credit plate, or by any other name, issued with or without a fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, property, goods, services or anything else of value on credit.

(d) “Debit card” means any instrument or device, whether known as a debit card or by any other name, issued with or without a fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in depositing, obtaining or transferring funds.

(e) “Electronic transfer of money” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 463.01473.

(f) “Issuer” means a business organization, financial institution or authorized agent of a business organization or financial institution that issues a credit card or debit card.

(g) “Local government” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 354.474, except that the term does not include a court that has entered into a contract pursuant to NRS 1.113.

(Added to NRS by 1997, 1323; A 1999, 70; 2001, 1322; 2009, 1573)