I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2630 

To make it unlawful for any physical retail establishment to refuse to accept 

cash as payment, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 9, 2019 

Mr. CICILLINE (for himself, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. 

THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. OMAR, Ms. PRESSLEY, 

Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. VEASEY, and Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 

and Commerce 

A BILL 

To make it unlawful for any physical retail establishment 

to refuse to accept cash as payment, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited to as the ‘‘CASH Act’’ or the 

5 ‘‘Cash Always Should be Honored Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. REQUIRED ACCEPTANCE OF LEGAL TENDER. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—It shall be unlawful for any phys8 ical retail establishment to refuse to accept legal tender 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 2630 IH

1 as payment for any products or services offered for sale 

2 by such physical retail establishment. 

3 (b) ONLINE TRANSACTIONS.—For any physical retail 

4 establishment that also offers products and services for 

5 sale through an internet-based platform, subsection (a) 

6 shall not apply to a transaction conducted through such 

7 platform if the individual making a payment in such trans8 action is not physically present in the physical retail estab9 lishment at the time of the transaction. 

10 (c) TELEPHONE TRANSACTIONS.—For any physical 

11 retail establishment that also offers products and services 

12 for sale by way of the telephone, subsection (a) shall not 

13 apply to a transaction conducted by way of the telephone 

14 if the individual making a payment in such transaction 

15 is not physically present in the physical retail establish16 ment at the time of the transaction. 

17 (d) ENFORCEMENT BY FEDERAL TRADE COMMIS18 SION.— 

19 (1) UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OR PRAC20 TICES.—A violation of subsection (a) shall be treated 

21 as a violation of a regulation under section 

22 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act 

23 (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or decep24 tive acts or practices. 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 2630 IH

1 (2) POWERS OF COMMISSION.—The Federal 

2 Trade Commission shall enforce subsection (a) in 

3 the same manner, by the same means, and with the 

4 same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all 

5 applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade 

6 Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incor7 porated into and made a part of this section. Any 

8 person who violates this section shall be subject to 

9 the penalties and entitled to the privileges and im10 munities provided in the Federal Trade Commission 

11 Act. 

12 (3) RULEMAKING.—The Federal Trade Com13 mission may promulgate regulations under section 

14 553 of title 5, United States Code, to implement this 

15 section. 

16 (e) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this section: 

17 (1) LEGAL TENDER.—The term ‘‘legal tender’’ 

18 means any United States coin or currency. 

19 (2) PHYSICAL RETAIL ESTABLISHMENT.—The 

20 term ‘‘physical retail establishment’’ means any 

21 physical establishment where goods or services are 

22 offered for sale and sold to individuals who are phys23 ically present in such physical establishment. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS