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Maine lawmakers hear arguments for and against bill requiring businesses to accept cash
Summary
Supporters of LD 1159 said refusing cash excludes unbanked, underbanked and privacy-conscious customers; retailers and event organizers told the committee cash handling raises costs and safety risks. The committee requested research on other states and legal challenges.
Representative David Rollins introduced LD 11 59, a bill that would require in-person retail businesses to accept cash for transactions under $2,000 and forbid charging higher prices to cash-paying customers. "I believe businesses should accept cash payments," Rollins said, noting concerns about unbanked and underbanked households, older residents and visitors excluded from cashless businesses.
Public testimony divided along predictable lines. Douglas Rooks, speaking as a private citizen, emphasized privacy and access for households without bank accounts and invoked the wording on U.S. currency: "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private," Rooks said to the committee. He cited a…
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