Lawmaker’s bill aims to ensure cash is legal tender
CUM (5 A1 – The realization struck istrict State 5ep. Mia Acker man when she looked at a one dollar bill. ,n small type, directly to the left of George ashington’s face, reads This note is legal ten der for all debts, public and private.”
Ackerman, who rep resents Cumberland and incoln in the General As sembly, has introduced leg islation that she says will protect the rights of custom ers to pay for goods in cash. Ackerman’s bill, , would make it unlawful for any retail establishment of fering goods or services for sale to discriminate against a prospective customer by reTuiring the use of credit for purchase of goods or ser vices.
, read an article a few months ago about this be coming a growing trend, some (uropean countries are implementing this now,” Ackerman said on Saturday. , was talking with people about this, and they’re
telling me it’s now, saying that’s happening everywhere in the U.S. I dug a little deeper and saw this was an issue and is becoming a growing issue.”
Ackerman says her bill is “preventative rather than reactionary to this growing trend.” The wording of the one-page bill stipulates that “It shall be a deceptive trade practice in violation of this chapter for any retail establishment offering goods or services for sale to discriminate against a prospective
customer by requiring the use of credit for purchase of goods or services. All retail establishments shall accept legal tender currency when offered as payment.”
New Jersey legislators recently passed a similar bill in that state and lawmakers in New ork City, 3hiladelphia, and Washington, D.C. are all looking to accomplish the same by ordinance, Ackerman said.
“ ou think about it, especially in our area, there’s a lot of working class families, a lot of families who don’t have the credit ability. A lot of people do this
in cash – seniors, teenagers – it’s discriminatory to say you can’t use cash. Right on the dollar bill it says This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private.’ I think that states everything. It should be allowed to be used everywhere and anywhere.”
According to a survey by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, about eight percent of households have no bank account and three-quarters of American adults have credit cards.
“Cash is faster, it’s our legal tender, you can’t deny it,” the representative said. “We want to get out in front of it so people don’t have to worry about it.”
The bill was introduced on Jan. and is co-sponsored by District 2 State Rep. and ouse Majority Leader .. Joseph Shekarchi, District 7 State Rep. and ouse Majority Whip John G. Edwards, District State Rep. Joseph M. McNamara, and District
2 State Rep. Christopher R. Blazejewski. The legislation was referred to the ouse Corporations Committee, where a hearing was held.
“I think it’s a good bill and I’ve had a few of my colleagues come up who aren’t co-sponsors who say they love the bill ” Ackerman said. “This helps the everyday consumer.”
Ackerman said the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, with people telling her personal stories of going to stores where they haven’t been able to use cash.
Ackerman additionally said she’s reached out to the Attorney General’s Office to discuss possibly adding a monetary penalty for offenders, saying “to me, to make this bill have a little bit more teeth, we need to possibly put in some type of penalty.”
Jonathan Bissonnette on Twitter: @J_Bissonnette