A sign of the times.
Fewer businesses are accepting checks – preferring, instead, cash, credit cards or debit cards. But those that do rely on check collection agencies to help them recover money from people who write bad checks.
The state Senate has approved a bill to raise the fee collection agencies can charge per check from $35 to $40.
"Over the past few years, many collection agencies have gone out of business because of the decreasing use of checks by the public," said Sen. George Sinner (D-Fargo). "In fact, over the past 30 years, the number of collection agencies in North Dakota has dropped from approximately 23 to 6."
The Senate passed the bill 43 to 4. It now goes to Governor Dalrymple.