New Jersey is considering barring stores from discriminating against customers who want to pay with cash.
Assemblyman Paul Moriarty says his bill would require cash to be accepted for any retail transaction conducted in-person in New Jersey.
“There have been credit card companies and some food chains that have said we want to go cashless. And I believe that this marginalizes people that are poor, people that don’t have access to credit, and also young people that have not established credit yet.”
The measure would not apply to telephone, mail, or internet-based transactions.
The Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee voted unanimously for the bill after no one spoke against it at a legislative hearing.
If it becomes law, violators could face fines up to $5,000.