Bill would bar Arizona businesses from rejecting cash payments

No, not “In God We Belief.”

It is the language that claims “This notice is authorized tender for all money owed, private and non-private.” And Republican Rep. Joseph Chaplik desires to make certain that Arizonans do not get turned away from companies within the state as a result of they need to use that “authorized tender” to pay.

His HB 2555, awaiting motion by the total Home, would spell out in legislation that any enterprise with a bodily location in Arizona “should settle for money as a cost for items and companies.” And it additionally spells out that buyers with money can’t be charged a penalty.

The measure even comes with enamel. Clients whose money is refused can search civil damages of $1,000 a day from the errant service provider.

There have been strikes away from money because the COVID outbreak, with some retailers loath to simply accept greenback payments and the viruses that they concern they may carry. Chaplik scoffed at that logic, saying there is no extra likelihood of transmission of illness from money as there’s from urgent the buttons on a tool that accepts credit score and debit playing cards for cost.

As a substitute, he stated the problem is that there are individuals who, for no matter motive, solely function with money.

That, Chaplik stated, contains about 6 million people who find themselves “unbanked,” that means they don’t have any relationship in any respect with a monetary establishment.

“This helps these people that stay paycheck-to-paycheck and money their checks,” he stated. And Chaplik stated that features 11% of Black and 9% of Hispanic folks.

The lone individual to testify towards the measure when it was heard earlier this week within the Home Commerce Committee was Mike Huckins, lobbyist for the Better Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. He described the measure as an unacceptable mandate on enterprise.

“Whereas we perceive that some folks desire to make use of money, it is our place that companies must be free to take the type of cost that most closely fits their particular person enterprise mannequin and/or wants,” Huckins advised lawmakers.

“There are numerous the explanation why companies might select to not settle for money cost, together with operational efficiencies, much less threat of theft or accepting counterfeit payments,” he stated.

The Federal Reserve — the parents who print out all these payments with the “authorized tender” verbiage — says there isn’t a federal legislation mandating that any individual, personal enterprise or group should settle for their forex and even cash from the U.S. Mint.

“Personal companies are free to develop their very own insurance policies on whether or not to simply accept money except there’s a state legislation that claims in any other case,” the company says.

However lawmakers on the panel from each events weren’t satisfied.

Cesar Aguilar, D-Phoenix, recalled as a “broke school child” not having the ability to pay money for his lease. In truth, he stated, the one approach to pay the lease was to log into an internet portal which charged an extra payment to make use of a credit score or debit card.

Rep. Justin Heap, R-Mesa, spoke of his time working in development together with Hispanics.

“I do know a whole lot of them had been working on money solely,” he stated.

“I do not know the way these folks perform in a cashless society,” Heap stated. “And I do not really feel there must be any burden on them to go to banks and get debit playing cards if they do not need to when, as Mr. Chaplik identified, the money states on it that it’s for each debt, each personal and public.”