Section 17157 - Collection costs

(a) General rule.--The department may retain a sum equal to the reasonable and necessary costs of collection and shall inform the authority in writing monthly of the sum retained and the costs of collection reimbursed. To provide a timely forecast and assure consideration of the sum retained, the department shall estimate the costs of collection for the next succeeding fiscal year and provide the estimate, with all supporting detail, to the authority. When the annual operating budget for the department is submitted to the General Assembly, the department shall submit to the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and minority chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives the actual sums retained for costs of collection in the preceding fiscal year, together with all supporting details. (b) Definition.--As used in this section, the term 'costs of collection' may not include any charge for overhead or capital costs.