Florida Senate - 2010                              CS for SB 590
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Community Affairs; and Senator Crist
       
       
       
       
       578-03128-10                                           2010590c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the collection of non-court-related
    3         financial obligations; creating s. 215.125, F.S.;
    4         authorizing a board of county commissioners or the
    5         governing body of a municipality to pursue or refer
    6         the collection of any fees, service charges, fines, or
    7         costs to which it is owed to a private attorney or
    8         collection agent, if such referral is determined to be
    9         cost-effective; authorizing the board of county
   10         commissioners or the governing body of a municipality
   11         to prescribe the applicable practices for collection;
   12         providing that the collection fee paid to any attorney
   13         or collection agent may be added to the balance owed,
   14         which may not exceed a specified percentage of the
   15         amount owed; providing an effective date.
   16  
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Section 215.125, Florida Statutes, is created to
   20  read:
   21         215.125 Collection of non-court-related financial
   22  obligations.—The board of county commissioners or the governing
   23  body of a municipality may pursue the collection of any fees,
   24  service charges, fines, or costs to which it is entitled and
   25  which remain unpaid for 90 days or more, or refer the account to
   26  a private attorney who is a member in good standing with The
   27  Florida Bar or a collection agent who is registered and in good
   28  standing pursuant to chapter 559, if the governing body of the
   29  county or municipality determines that it would be cost
   30  effective to enter into such a contract. In pursuing the
   31  collection of unpaid financial obligations through a private
   32  attorney or collection agent, the board of county commissioners
   33  or the governing body of a municipality may prescribe the
   34  applicable procurement practices that must be followed by the
   35  collection agent or private attorney. The collection fee,
   36  including any reasonable attorney’s fee, paid to an attorney or
   37  collection agent retained by the board of county commissioners
   38  or the governing body of a municipality may be added to the
   39  balance owed, but may not exceed 40 percent of the amount owed
   40  at the time that the account is referred to the attorney or
   41  agent for collection.
   42         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010.