Relates to prohibiting food stores and retail establishments from refusing to accept payment in cash

Latest action Nov 21, 2025

Prohibits food stores and retail establishments from refusing to accept payment in cash; provides a civil penalty will be assessed for such actions.

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Where it stands

Signed into law.

Introduced
In committee
Up for a vote
Passed one chamber
Passed
Enacted

New York State Senate

Same as A7929, the matching bill in the Assembly.

Amends the General Business Law.

Committee

Codes · New York State Assembly

Also referred to Codes · New York State Senate, Consumer Affairs and Protection · New York State Assembly, Consumer Protection · New York State Senate.

Purpose, from the sponsor's memo

This bill would prohibit food-service establishments and retail estab- lishments throughout New York State from refusing to accept payment in cash from consumers. Under this bill, violators would be subject to civil penalties. The purpose of the bill is to prevent discrimination against those who lack financial stability and who need to pay with cash because they do not have access to credit cards or a checking account.

Filed with the bill. Read it on nysenate.gov (opens in a new tab)

Recorded votes

Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateMay 29, 2025Result: passed
(53) (3) (0) (7)
Vote: Floor vote
NY SenateApr 8, 2025Result: passed
(55) (7) (0) (1)
Vote: Committee vote · Consumer Protection
Senate Consumer ProtectionFeb 11, 2025Result: passed
(6) (1) (0) (0)

Cosponsors

Chantel Jackson, Charles Fall and 15 more on Agora

Democratic15
Republican2

Show all 17 on Agora

See the full list on nysenate.gov

The sponsor's argument

Why James Sanders Jr. says this is needed

In March 2019, Philadelphia became the first American city to ban most cashless stores. The purpose of the bill is to prevent discrimination against those who lack financial stability. Massachusetts has a 1978 law that requires businesses to accept cash. The New Jersey legislature passed a bill in 2019 to ban cashless stores. Washington, D.C. and New York City are considering banning cashless stores. This bill would prohibit food-service establishments and retail establishments through- out New York State from refusing to accept payment in cash from consum- ers for the purpose of preventing the discrimination of those who need to pay with cash for goods and services.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.

Full history

Nov 21, 2025
Signed
SIGNED CHAP.548
NY Senate
Nov 17, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
NY Senate
May 29, 2025
Ordered to Third Reading Rules CAL.349
ORDERED TO THIRD READING RULES CAL.349
NY Assembly
May 29, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED ASSEMBLY
NY Assembly
May 29, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CODES
NY Assembly

Show full history (17 earlier events)

May 29, 2025
Passed a chamber
REPASSED SENATE
NY Senate
May 29, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED
NY Assembly
May 29, 2025
Returned to Assembly
RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 29, 2025
Substituted
SUBSTITUTED FOR A7929A
NY Assembly
May 28, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO RULES
NY Assembly
May 19, 2025
Reported out of committee
REPORTED REFERRED TO CODES
NY Assembly
May 5, 2025
Amended
AMENDED ON THIRD READING (T) 4153A
NY Senate
May 5, 2025
Recalled From Assembly
RECALLED FROM ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
May 5, 2025
Returned to Senate
RETURNED TO SENATE
NY Assembly
Apr 15, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
Apr 8, 2025
Sent to the executive
DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
NY Senate
Apr 8, 2025
Passed a chamber
PASSED SENATE
NY Senate
Apr 8, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PROTECTION
NY Assembly
Feb 24, 2025
Advanced to Third Reading
ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
NY Senate
Feb 12, 2025
2ND Report CAL.
2ND REPORT CAL.
NY Senate
Feb 11, 2025
1ST Report CAL.320
1ST REPORT CAL.320
NY Senate
Feb 3, 2025
Referred to committee
REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION
NY Senate

About this record

Summary: The summary comes from NY Open Legislation, the New York State Senate's public record. For more, see How we handle summaries.
Cosponsors: The list shows the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.
Party colors: Parties are shown in the same neutral colors.
Source: From NY Open Legislation, the NY Senate and Assembly, and official rosters. This record was last updated Oct 22, 2026. About our data

Read the record

Read on NY Senate (opens in a new tab) The official record on nysenate.gov.

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