,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #bfej  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,may #i1 #bjai,mr4   
,payne introduced the following bill2   
which was referred to the ,committee on 
,financial ,services  ,a ,,bill  ,to    
prohibit retail businesses from refusing
 cash payments1 and for other purposes4 
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,payment ,choice ,act of #bjai4 
#b4 ,findings ,congress finds the       
following3  7#a7 ,section #eajc of title
 #ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 provides   
that ,united ,states coins and currency 
are legal tender for all debts1 public  
charges1 taxes1 and dues4  7#b7 ,a      
growing number of retail establishments1
 across the nation1 have adopted        
cashless policies1 declaring that they  
refuse to accept ,united ,states cash   
payment from their customers and1       
instead1 require that payment for the   
goods and services offered by such      
retailers be made only with credit      
cards1 debit cards1 or digital payment  

methods that result in electronic       
transfers of funds to the retailer4  #c4
 ,retail businesses prohibited from     
refusing cash payments  7a7 ,in general 
,subchapter ,i of chapter #ea of title  
#ca1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  
by adding at the end the following3     
#eajd4 ,retail businesses prohibited    
from refusing cash payments  7a7 ,in    
general ,no person selling or offering  
goods or services at retail to the      
public may-- 7#a7 refuse to accept      
,united ,states legal tender of cash as 
payment for goods or services2  7#b7    
post signs or notices in1 on1 or about  
the business premises of such person    
stating that cash payment is not        
accepted2 or  7#c7 charge a higher price
 to any customer who pays by cash than  
customarily is charged to a customer    
using other forms of payment4  7b7      
,exception ,subsection 7a7 shall not    
apply to any goods or services sold to  
the public by telephone1 mail1 or       
internet4  7c7 ,enforcement  7#a7       

,preventative relief ,whenever any      
person has engaged1 or there are        
reasonable grounds to believe that any  
person is about to engage in any act or 
practice prohibited by this section1 a  
civil action for preventive relief1     
including an application for a permanent
 or temporary injunction1 restraining   
order1 or other order may be brought    
against such person4  7#b7 ,civil       
penalties ,any person who violates this 
section shall-- 7,a7 be liable for      
actual damages2  7,b7 be fined not more 
than #b1ejj for a first offense2 and    
7,c7 be fined not more than #e1jjj for a
 second or subsequent offense4  7#c7    
,jurisdiction ,an action under this     
section may be brought in any ,united   
,states district court1 or in any other 
court of competent jurisdiction4  7#d7  
,intervention of ,attorney ,general     
,upon timely application1 a court may1  
in its discretion1 permit the ,attorney 
,general to intervene in a civil action 
brought under this subsection1 if the   

,attorney ,general certifies that the   
action is of general public importance4 
7#e7 ,authority to appoint court-paid   
attorney ,upon application by an        
individual and in such circumstances as 
the court may determine just1 the court 
may appoint an attorney for such        
individual and may authorize the        
commencement of a civil action under    
this subsection without the payment of  
fees1 costs1 or security4  7#f7         
,attorney's fees ,in any action         
commenced pursuant to this section1 the 
court1 in its discretion1 may allow the 
prevailing party1 other than the ,united
 ,states1 a reasonable attorney's fee as
 part of the costs1 and the ,united     
,states shall be liable for costs the   
same as a private person4  7#g7         
,requirements in certain ,states and    
local areas ,in the case of an alleged  
act or practice prohibited by this      
section which occurs in a ,state1 or    
political subdivision of a ,state1 which
 has a ,state or local law prohibiting  

such act or practice and establishing or
 authorizing a ,state or local authority
 to grant or seek relief from such act  
or practice or to institute criminal    
proceedings with respect thereto upon   
receiving notice thereof1 no civil      
action may be brought hereunder before  
the expiration of #cj days after written
 notice of such alleged act or practice 
has been given to the appropriate ,state
 or local authority by registered mail  
or in person1 provided that the court   
may stay proceedings in such civil      
action pending the termination of ,state
 or local enforcement proceedings4  4   
7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of   
contents for chapter #ea of title #ca1  
,united ,states ,code1 is amended by    
inserting after the item relating to    
section #eajc the following3  #eajd4    
,retail businesses prohibited from      
refusing cash payments4  4