MS HB40

Allows county boards of supervisors and municipal governing authorities to accept credit cards, debit cards, and other electronic payment forms for taxes, fees, accounts receivable, and retail merchandise sales.

Permits counties and municipalities to charge users a processing fee not to exceed 4% per transaction, evaluated based on average processing costs and internal expenses.

Requires counties and municipalities to use a flat rate for all transactions if charging a processing fee, and mandates posting notice of rates in a visible location before consumers make electronic payments.

Allows counties and municipalities to bear the full cost of processing electronic payments for retail merchandise sales without charging consumers a fee.

Takes effect July 1, 2014.