AN ACT to amend and reenact section thirty-nine-a, article three, chapter sixty-one of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to further amend said article by adding thereto five new sections, designated sections thirty-nine-m, thirty-nine-n, thirty-nine-o, thirty- nine-p and thirty-nine-q, all relating to worthless checks; increasing fines for making a worthless check; creating a worthless check restitution program in the office of the prosecuting attorney; allowing the prosecuting attorney to adopt standards; requiring notice to persons accepted into program; allowing the prosecuting attorney to agree to suspend prosecution for person in program; allowing certain fees; requiring the sheriff to establish a special fund in the county treasury and requiring the county commission to appropriate funds therefrom; and making statements by participants in the program inadmissible in civil or criminal proceedings.

§61-3-39a. Making, issuing, etc., worthless checks; penalty.
(a) It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to make, draw, issue, utter or deliver any check, draft or order for the payment of money or its equivalent upon any bank or other depository, knowing or having reason to know there is not sufficient funds on deposit in or credit with the bank or other depository with which to pay the check, draft or order upon presentation. The making, drawing, issuing, uttering or delivering of any check, draft or order, for or on behalf of any corporation, or its name, by any officer or agent of the corporation, shall subject the officer or agent to the penalty of this section to the same extent as though the check, draft or order was his or her own personal act.
(b) This section shall not apply to any such check, draft or order when the payee or holder knows or has been expressly notified prior to the acceptance of same or has reason to believe that the drawer did not have on deposit or to his or her credit with the drawee sufficient funds to insure payment as aforesaid, nor shall this section apply to any postdated check, draft or order. This section shall not apply when the insufficiency of funds or credit is caused by any adjustment to the drawer's account by the bank or other depository without notice to the drawer or is caused by the dishonoring of any check, draft or order deposited in the account unless there is knowledge or reason to believe that the check, draft or order would be dishonored.
(c) Any person violating the provisions of this section is

§61-3-39m. Creation and operation of a program for worthless check offenders; acceptance of person in program.

(a) A prosecuting attorney may create within his or her office a worthless check restitution program for persons who have violated sections thirty-nine or thirty-nine-a of this article. This program may be conducted by the prosecuting attorney in conjunction with a law-enforcement agency or by a private entity under contract with the prosecuting attorney.
(b) The prosecuting attorney may adopt standards to determine the appropriateness of an individual case for the program. In developing these standards, the prosecuting attorney should consider the following factors:
(1) The amount of the check, draft or order made, drawn, issued, uttered or delivered;
(2) The person's criminal record;
(3) The number of times the person has participated in the program; and
(4) The number of warrants or cases pending against the person for violations of sections thirty-nine or thirty-nine-a of this article.
(c) Except as provided in section thirty-nine-o of this article, nothing in this section shall preclude the prosecuting attorney from prosecuting violations of sections thirty-nine or thirty-nine-a of this article.
(d) Nothing in this section may be construed or interpreted to mandate funding for any worthless check restitution program created in a prosecuting attorney's office or to require any appropriation by the Legislature.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, no case is appropriate for referral to the program unless notice has been provided pursuant to section thirty-nine-e or thirty-nine-g of this article.

§61-3-39n. Notice to persons accepted to the worthless check restitution program.

(a) Upon approval of an individual case for referral to the worthless check restitution program, a representative of the program shall send a notice by registered or certified mail to the person named in the complaint or warrant.
(b) This notice must contain:
(1) The date and amount of the check, draft or order;
(2) The name of the payee or holder;
(3) The date by which the individual must contact the designated representative of the worthless check restitution program;
(4) A demand for full restitution of the face amount of the check, draft or order and any fees reflected in the complaint or warrant as having been imposed on the payee or holder by the payee's or holder's bank or financial institution; and
(5) A statement that failure to pay restitution and fees may result in criminal prosecution.

§61-3-39o. Agreement to suspend prosecution of a person accepted into the restitution program.

(a) The prosecuting attorney may enter into an agreement with a participant of the worthless check restitution program to suspend prosecution for a period to be determined by the prosecuting attorney.
(b) To remain eligible for the worthless check restitution program, the participant shall:
(1) Contact a representative of the program before the date required by the notice sent pursuant to section thirty-nine-n of this article;
(2) Agree to comply with all the program terms;
(3) Complete a class conducted by the prosecuting attorney, his or her designee, or a private entity under contract with the prosecuting attorney, which offers offender education and instruction;
(4) Pay a fee in the amount of ten dollars to be deposited in the "worthless check fund" established pursuant to the provisions of section thirty-nine-h of this article;
(5) Pay the fee required to participate in the class;
(6) Pay full victim restitution; and
(7) Pay all fees for participation in the program, unless those fees are waived.
(c) The prosecuting attorney shall agree not to file criminal charges if the participant in the program completes the conditions of the agreement.

§61-3-39p. Fees for participation in the worthless check restitution program.

(a) The prosecuting attorney, his or her designee, or a private entity under contract with the prosecuting attorney may collect a fee not to exceed one hundred dollars from any person participating in the worthless check restitution program: Provided, That the prosecuting attorney shall waive the fee if he or she determines that the person is indigent and unable to pay the fee.
(b) All fees collected pursuant to subsection (a) of this section by the prosecutor shall be remitted to the sheriff. The sheriff shall establish a special fund in the county treasury, designated the worthless check restitution program fund, in which the sheriff shall deposit all fees remitted by the prosecutor. The county commission shall appropriate money from the fund for the administration of the worthless check restitution program. The county commission shall also appropriate any excess money from the fund to supplement the annual operation expense appropriation of the office of the prosecuting attorney, if the prosecuting attorney certifies in writing to the county commission that a surplus exists in the fund at the end of the fiscal year.

§61-3-39q. Statements by individuals referred to or participating in the worthless check restitution program.

Any statement made by a person referred to the worthless check restitution program in connection with the determination of his or her eligibility for participation in the program and any statement made or information given by that person while participating in the program is inadmissible in any civil or criminal action or proceeding.