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Bill

Bill

HR 252

COMMERCE: Urges and requests the attorney general to study the use of pennies and credit card fees by businesses

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Tehmi Chassion

Louisiana should study how cash rounding and credit/debit card fees affect consumers, aiming to improve transparency, fairness, and policy guidance.

Taken by the Clerk of the House and presented to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Rules of the House.
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Bill Summary · HR 252

Overview

  • Bill: HR 252
  • Session: 2026
  • Jurisdiction: Louisiana
  • Title: COMMERCE: Urges and requests the attorney general to study the use of pennies and credit card fees by businesses
  • Sponsor: Representative Chassion (Co-sponsor: Tehmi Chassion)
  • Type: House Resolution (not a law program; a directive/request to the attorney general)

Purpose and Intent

  • The resolution urges and requests the Louisiana Attorney General to conduct a comprehensive study of:
    • How businesses in Louisiana handle cash transactions after the cessation of penny production by the U.S. Mint.
    • The use of convenience fees, surcharges, or service charges when customers pay with credit or debit cards.
    • The combined impact of these practices on consumer confidence, trust, and fairness in commercial transactions.
  • Acknowledges federal actions (penny production ended; no new pennies produced) and notes varying cash-handling practices across businesses.

Key Provisions and Focus Areas

The study should address, at minimum, the following elements:

  1. Cash rounding practices

    • Survey and analyze current rounding methods for cash transactions (e.g., rounding up or down, nearest five cents, symmetric rounding, or requiring exact change).
    • Assess consistency, disclosure to consumers, and fairness/transparency of these practices.

  2. Credit/debit card fees

    • Analyze prevalence, amounts, and application of convenience fees, surcharges, or service charges for card payments.
    • Evaluate disclosure to consumers prior to completing a transaction.

  3. Consumer impact

    • Assess the combined effect of rounding practices and card fees on consumers.
    • Determine whether these practices create unpredictable or opaque costs regardless of payment method.

  4. Distributional effects

    • Examine potential disproportionate impact on low-income individuals, the elderly, and others who rely mainly on cash or may be less able to absorb extra transaction costs.

  5. Policy benchmarking

    • Review rounding standards, card-fee regulations, and consumer protection policies in other states and countries.
    • Consider adopting or adapting them for Louisiana.

  6. Recommendations

    • Advise whether legislation, administrative rules, or other state policy is appropriate.
    • Propose uniform cash rounding standards and standards for card-fee disclosure.
    • Propose measures to enhance consumer confidence and perceived fairness.

  7. Other relevant matters

    • Include any additional topics the attorney general deems pertinent to fairness and transparency in light of penny cessation and increasing card-related fees.

Stakeholder Engagement

  • The attorney general is urged to consult with:
    • Louisiana Retailers Association
    • Louisiana Restaurant Association
    • Louisiana Bankers Association
    • Department of Revenue
    • Other relevant stakeholders as appropriate

Timeline and Reporting

  • Deliverable: A written report detailing findings and recommendations.
  • Deadline: No later than February 1, 2027.
  • Distribution: Report to:
    • House Committee on Ways and Means
    • House Committee on Commerce
    • Senate Committee on Revenue and Fiscal Affairs
    • Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, and International Affairs
  • Additional requirement: One printed copy and one electronic copy to the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library per statutory requirements.

Potential Impact

  • While this is a resolution and not binding legislation, it could:
    • Prompt a formal study that informs future policy discussions.
    • Shape potential consumer-protection or economic fairness initiatives related to cash handling and card-based fees.
    • Increase transparency and standardization in how businesses round cash transactions and disclose card fees in Louisiana.

Practical Notes

  • The bill cites the cessation of penny production (pennies no longer produced for general circulation since 2025) and the absence of uniform federal/state guidance on cash rounding.
  • It emphasizes consumer fairness and trust in commercial transactions and aims to provide data-driven recommendations to lawmakers and regulators.

If you’d like, I can provide a concise one-page briefing or a side-by-side comparison with similar studies from other states.

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

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