,,ii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dade  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,july #a1      
#bjbj,mr4 ,menendez 7for himself and    
,mr4 ,cramer7 introduced the following  
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on ,commerce1         
,science1 and ,transportation  ,a ,,bill
  ,to amend title #ca1 ,united ,states  
,code1 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 #bjbj4  #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   
,united ,states1 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 an appropriate
 district court of the ,united ,states  
or appropriate 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-- 7,a7 appoint an attorney for the  
individual2 and  7,b7 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 section--    
7,a7 the court1 in its discretion1 may  
allow the prevailing party1 other than  
the ,united ,states1 a reasonable       
attorney's fee as part of the costs2 and
  7,b7 the ,united ,states shall be     
liable for costs in the same manner as a
 private person4  7#g7 ,requirements in 
certain ,states and local areas  7,a7   

,definition ,in this paragraph1 the term
 covered jurisdiction means a ,state1 or
 political subdivision of a ,state1 that
 has a ,state or local law1 as          
applicable-- 7i7 prohibiting an act or  
practice prohibited under this section2 
and  7ii7 establishing or authorizing   
the ,state or political subdivision1    
to-- 7,i7 grant or seek relief from the 
act or practice2 or  7,,ii7 institute   
criminal proceedings with respect to the
 act or practice4  7,b7 ,requirements   
7i7 ,in general ,in the case of an      
alleged act or practice prohibited under
 this section that occurs in a covered  
jurisdiction1 no civil action may be    
brought under this section before the   
expiration of the #cj-;day period       
beginning on the date on which the      
,state or political subdivision1 as     
applicable1 receives by registered mail 
or in person notice of intent to file a 
civil action under this section4  7ii7  
,stay ,the court may stay proceedings in
 a civil action described in clause 7i7 

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