N.J. shops & eateries must take cash: law

Cashless stores and restaurants are a no-go in New Jersey after the state passed a new law banning the practice that critics say is classist.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed the new law Monday, requiring most brickand-mortar stores and restaurants in the state to accept cash. New Jersey is now only the second state to require stores and restaurants to accept legal tender.

Massachusetts enacted a similar law in 1978, while Philadelphia banned cashless eateries earlier in March.

New York City Councilman Ritchie Torres is trying to ban cashless stores as well.

While businesses might prefer cashless transactions because of their ease and leave them invulnerable to cashseeking robbers, detractors say they discriminate against those who cannot access debit or credit cards.

“Many people don’t have access to consumer credit and any effort by retail establishments to ban the use of cash is discriminatory toward those people,” Democratic New Jersey Assemblyman Paul Moriarty said in a statement.

A national FDIC survey found 6.5% of all U.S. households did not have an account at a banking institution. Black households (16.9%) and Latino households (14%) were affected at a much higher rate.

Web, mail and phone orders are not subjected to the new law, which takes effect immediately.

Car rental companies, parking garages and some airport retail shops are excluded, as well.