The proposed bill, General Assembly Committee Bill No. 1118, aims to prohibit state and municipal agencies from charging service fees for payments made via debit or charge cards. Effective July 1, 2025, the bill amends several sections of the general statutes, including Section 1-1j, Section 12-39r, Section 12-141a, Section 14-11i, Section 19a-88, Section 45a-113b, and Section 51-193b. Key insertions include provisions that state agencies and municipalities "shall not charge the payor using such card a service fee" and that any entity processing such payments on behalf of the state agency is also prohibited from imposing fees.

The bill repeals existing language that allowed for service fees to be charged, including stipulations that fees could be used to defray costs and must not exceed charges by card issuers. The new language emphasizes that payments made by credit card, charge card, or debit card will be accepted without additional fees, thereby simplifying the payment process for taxpayers and ensuring that the full amount of fees, costs, or fines is collected without extra charges. This legislative change is intended to enhance accessibility and fairness in payment methods for services provided by state and municipal agencies.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 1-1j, 12-39r, 12-141a, 14-11i, 51-193b