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HD 2622

An Act relative to credit card surcharges

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Jake Oliveira and 1 co-sponsor

Massachusetts bill clarifying credit card surcharge rules, allowing merchants to charge additional fees with specified disclosure requirements while balancing consumer costs and business recovery of processing fees.

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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HD 2622

Legislative bill overview

HD 2622 would regulate credit card surcharges in Massachusetts by establishing rules around when and how merchants can charge customers additional fees for paying with credit cards. The bill modifies existing state law that currently prohibits surcharges on credit card transactions. This legislation would clarify merchant rights and consumer protections regarding these additional fees.

Why is this important

Credit card surcharges directly affect consumer costs at checkout and merchant pricing strategies. As cashless transactions become standard, how states regulate these fees impacts both business operations and household budgets. The outcome influences whether price transparency benefits consumers or allows merchants greater pricing flexibility.

Potential points of contention

  • Consumer protection vs. merchant flexibility: Whether permitting surcharges shifts costs unfairly to card-dependent consumers or appropriately allows merchants to recover processing fees
  • Price transparency and disclosure: What notification requirements are sufficient—posted notices, receipt displays, or verbal warnings—and whether they adequately inform consumers before purchase
  • Compliance burden: Implementation costs for small merchants to track and apply surcharge rules, potentially disadvantaging smaller businesses versus large retailers with existing systems
  • Competitive effects: How surcharge policies affect competition between payment methods and whether they favor cash/debit over credit cards in ways that disadvantage certain demographics

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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