In February, New York City Councilmember Ritchie Torres introduced legislation that would prohibit retail establishments from refusing to accept payments in cash. The council hasn’t made a decision on the bill yet, but Torres is confident that it will pass by mid-year. If it does, cashless businesses could face fines of up to $500 for every violation.
The legislation protects consumer choice of payment, but the conversation surrounding the bill echoes that of many nationwide challenges to the movement toward a cashless economy: A cashless business discriminates against low-income people, and often they are people of color and undocumented immigrants.
