Maine House Bill LD1159

Maine 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/20/25
• Refer: 3/20/25
• Engrossed: 5/22/25
• Enrolled: 5/27/25
• Passed: 6/2/25

Caption

An Act to Prohibit Governmental Entities That Charge a Fee for In-person Credit Card Purchases from Refusing to Accept Cash

Summary

LD 1159 creates a new Maine law requiring municipalities and other governmental entities that sell goods or services at retail in person to accept cash if they charge a fee for purchases made by credit card. In practical terms, the bill prevents a public entity from refusing cash payment at the point of sale when it imposes a surcharge or convenience fee on in-person credit card transactions. The bill applies only to in-person retail transactions and expressly excludes remote transactions conducted by telephone, mail, or the Internet. The measure is aimed at preserving cash as a payment option in government-run retail settings, such as fees, admissions, or other in-person sales by public entities. It does not broadly regulate private businesses; its scope is limited to municipalities and other governmental entities. The bill was enacted as Public Law 2025, chapter 209, and became effective after gubernatorial approval on June 9, 2025.

Impact

LD 1159 adds a new chapter to Title 10 of the Maine Revised Statutes, establishing a cash-acceptance requirement for certain governmental retail transactions. It limits the ability of municipalities and other governmental entities to condition in-person sales on card-only payment when a credit card fee is imposed, thereby protecting cash-paying customers and preserving an alternative to electronic payment. The law does not affect remote commerce and does not create a general cash-acceptance rule for private businesses.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have had generally favorable support, as reflected by its final House vote to recede and concur passing 81-66 and its eventual enactment into law. The available record shows no committee transcript debate, but the outcome suggests the measure was able to secure enough support to become law despite some opposition. Overall, the sentiment around the bill was mixed but ultimately positive enough for passage.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the balance between payment flexibility for government entities and the right of customers to pay with cash. Supporters would view the bill as protecting access for people who rely on cash or who object to card fees, while opponents may have viewed it as limiting administrative discretion or complicating fee collection for public entities. Because the bill is narrowly targeted to governmental retail sales and only when card fees are charged, the dispute centers on that specific condition rather than on a broader ban on cashless policies.