(a) The office of Tax Collector or office of Judge of Probate of Escambia County shall not be assessed any monetary loss, up to a total of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per office, per annum, arising or caused by error if the mistake or omission was caused without the personal knowledge of the officer, 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 tax collector or judge of probate to insure that the employees of the respective offices exercise due care in performing their required duties and make a diligent effort to correct the error, mistake, or omission. The respective officers shall make a good faith effort to collect the amount subject to potential loss immediately upon becoming aware of the potential loss.
(c) This section shall not apply to any deliberate misuse or misappropriation of funds by the tax collector or judge of probate, or by any clerk, or any employee of the respective officials.
(d) No tax collector or judge of probate, or any official, any clerk, or any employee of the respective officials shall be liable for worthless checks if the respective officers make a good faith effort to collect on the worthless checks.