Reimbursement; due care required.

(a) The Limestone County governing body shall reimburse the office of license commissioner, judge of probate, or tax collector from the general fund of the county the amount of any monetary loss, not to exceed a total of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per annum, arising or caused by error, if the mistake or omission was caused without their personal knowledge, including loss arising from acceptance of worthless or forged checks, drafts, money orders, or other written orders for money or its equivalent.

(b) It shall be the duty of the license commissioner, judge of probate, or tax collector to insure that their employees exercise due care in performing their duties and to make a diligent effort to correct the error, mistake, or omission and collect the amount subject to potential loss immediately upon becoming aware of the potential loss. This section shall not apply to any deliberate misuse or misappropriation of funds by the official or any clerk or employee of their office.

(Act 82-113, p. 141 §§ 1, 2.)