§ 48-3. Penalty for bad checks.

(a) In general.

There is hereby imposed a charge of $30 for each and every check or like written instrument which is not paid in full for any reason, other than any act of fault or neglect on the part of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, by the financial institution upon which it is drawn when on first return indicates "No Funds" or "Account Closed" or when presented a second time for payment or dishonored regardless of reason (hereinafter designated as "worthless instrument") on every person or other legal entity who presents any such worthless instrument to the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore or the Director of Finance of Baltimore City, or any of their agents or employees, in payment of any tax, charge, fee, assessment, or impost of any kind levied or imposed under any law, ordinance, rule, or regulation.

(b) Additional charge for each bill.

When the instrument is submitted in payment of more than 1 City bill, then this charge shall be imposed for each bill.

(c) Collection; lien on property.

Such charge(s) shall be collected by the Director of Finance of Baltimore City, and shall be a lien upon the property involved in any particular case and shall be recorded in the Tax Lien Record maintained by the Collection Division in all appropriate cases, in the same manner and to the same extent as the tax, charge, fee, assessment, or impost in connection with which the worthless instrument was presented in payment is collected and is a lien upon property and is recorded in the aforesaid Tax Lien Record.