(a)

(1) Any privilege tax imposed by § 67-4-602 that the clerk of the court fails to collect and pay over to the department of revenue shall be a debt of the clerk.

(2) Any privilege tax imposed by § 67-4-602 that the clerk of any city court fails to collect and pay over to the department shall be a debt of the clerk.

(3) The failure of the clerk of the supreme court or the clerk of the court of appeals to collect and pay over to the department any privilege tax imposed by § 67-4-602 shall not be a debt of the county.

(b) Any clerk of the court failing or refusing to collect and pay over to the department the tax imposed by § 67-4-602 shall be liable for the tax and the clerk's official bondsman shall also be liable for the tax and the commissioner or the commissioner's delegate may collect the amount of the tax from the clerk or the clerk's official bondsman pursuant to chapter 1, part 14 of this title.

(c) If the judge of any court suspends, releases, waives, remits or orders the clerk of the court not to collect any privilege tax on litigation, or in any other manner releases any party from liability for any privilege tax on litigation, the clerk of the court shall immediately report such suspension, release, waiver, remission, or order to not collect such tax, to the department in such manner as shall be prescribed by the department, and the commissioner or the commissioner's delegate shall immediately, upon receipt of such a report from any clerk of a court, present such information to the board of judicial conduct, which court shall take appropriate action pursuant to title 17, chapter 5. The commissioner or the commissioner's delegate shall also report such information to the council on pensions and insurance.