A MAJOR US city has taken the next steps towards changing the way people can pay in stores.
Some Los Angeles City Council members have proposed banning cashless businesses.
Three officials supported the motion that would follow several other U.S. cities.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Francisco, California; and New York City have banned all businesses that refuse to accept cash.
Since the pandemic, there has been a sharp increase in the number of stores that only accept card or app payments, to prevent the spread of the virus.
This legacy has lived on in many places, but Councilwoman Heather Hutt has proposed a ban to protect certain groups of people, according to the Fox affiliate. KTV.
She argued that cashless societies harm people who may not be able to have a bank account.
This can include people with bad credit and older people.
“Not accepting cash payments in the marketplace systematically excludes low-income communities of color, young people who do not meet age qualifications for credit or debit cards, and seniors who have not transitioned to card or digital payment modes,” Hutt said.
She also emphasized the importance of money for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
“Especially at the end of April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, this is about our domestic violence victims needing to use money for their safety and escape,” she said.
“Electronic forms of payment can track them when they try to escape.”
Hutt originally proposed the legislation change in August 2023 and the City Council spoke on the issue on Tuesday, April 30.
Two other council members, Hugo Soto-Martinez and Eunisses Hernandez, supported the measure.
The motion is expected to pass through the Commerce, Travel and Tourism committee and reach a final vote this summer.
Los Angeles wasn’t the only place in the country to consider this ban.
States and cities that have banned cashless buses
CASHLESS businesses have gained prominence in the USA, but some authorities have banned this practice.
Nine states and four cities have implemented laws that require businesses to accept money from customers.
States:
- New Jersey
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Massachusetts
- Montana
- Oregon
- Rhodes Island
- Tennessee
- Colorado
Cities:
- New York City
- Philadelphia
- San Francisco
- Washington DC
Source: Morning Star
The Florida legislature has also proposed similar legislation, The US Sun previously reported.
Two senators, one Democrat and one Republican, from the Sunshine State supported the potential bill.
“We are definitely leaving some people behind,” said Senator Shevrin Jones
“Everyone, regardless of their financial situation or background, deserves to participate in our economy,” Jones added.
“We have to understand that there are also people who cannot participate in the economy if we say now that cash is not accepted.
“Where does that leave people who don’t have credit cards?”
Arizona, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina and Missouri have recently discussed similar bills, according to the Morning Star.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
