§11-1-7. Appointment and use of public depositories; liability.

(a) Upon the application of the county tax collectors, revenue commissioners, license commissioners, county treasurers, judges of probate, circuit court clerks, or registers of the circuit court, it shall be the duty of the county commission of the county to appoint a bank or savings association, that is a qualified public depository under Chapter 14A of Title 41, as a depository in which such officers may deposit money coming into their hands as such officers, which appointment shall be by proper resolutions spread upon the minutes of such commission.

(b) Upon the application of the custodian of county school funds, it shall be the duty of the county board of education of the county to appoint a bank or savings association that is a qualified public depository under Chapter 14A of Title 41, as a depository in which such officers may deposit money coming into their hands as such officers, which appointment shall be by proper resolution spread upon the minutes of such county school board.

(c) If and when a depository is or has been designated by the county board of education for the public school funds, or by the county commission for the funds of the tax collector, revenue commissioner, license commissioner, or county treasurer, the minimum amount of the bonds of such officers may be fixed at an amount not less than twice the amount of the average daily balance of funds on hand under the control of such office during that month in the preceding fiscal year when such average daily balance was greatest, but not to exceed a maximum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).

(d) If any of such funds are dissipated or lost by reason of the insolvency or failure of such qualified public depository appointed as such depository, as provided herein, such dissipation or loss shall not constitute a liability on the official bond of such officers nor a liability on the sureties thereon.

(e) In the event of this dissipation or loss of any of such funds because of such insolvency or failure of such depository, the county and state shall have a preferred claim against such qualified public depository for the amount of such dissipation or loss.

(f) In the event of the naming of such depository for the county tax collector, revenue commissioner, or license commissioner of any county and the use of such depository by him, such county tax collector shall make reports, distributions, and remittances to the proper authorities of the funds so deposited on October 15 of each year and on the first and fifteenth of each month thereafter until he or she makes his or her final settlement for such year; provided, that if, on the fifteenth day of any month following final settlement and before October 15 following, the tax collector, revenue commissioner, or license commissioner has on hand collections in an amount equal to one half of his or her official bond, he or she shall make reports, distributions, and remittances to the proper authorities in like manner as now required by law, these reports, distributions, and remittances to be in addition to those now required of such officer by Section 40-5-36.

(g) The provisions of this section are not exclusive but cumulative and remedial, and this section shall not be construed as abolishing any other method or manner now provided by law for the making of official bonds of county officers or handling funds of county officers coming into their hands as such officers. Nothing in this section shall relieve any public official from making official bonds as is now required by law, nor from liability thereon except as is provided by this section.

(Acts 1933, Ex. Sess., No. 60, p. 51; Acts 1933, Ex. Sess., No. 191, p. 203; Acts 1935, No. 531, p. 1119; Acts 1936, Ex. Sess., No. 141, p. 101; Code 1940, T. 12, §4; Code 1940, T. 41, §78; Acts 1949, No. 634, p. 975; Acts 1959, No. 159, p. 684; Acts 1971, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 83, p. 4295; Acts 1975, No. 1121, §1; Act 2000-748, p. 1669, §2.)