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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20150&cosponId=17037
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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

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House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: January 29, 2015 09:15 AM
From: Representative Adam Ravenstahl
To: All House members
Subject: Co-sponsorship: Prohibiting Credit Card Transaction Surcharges
 
In the near future, I will be re-introducing legislation—former House Bill 750 of 2013—which would prohibit merchants from imposing credit card transaction fees or surcharges on consumers. Over the last several years, major credit card companies, including Visa, MasterCard, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, have been engaged in ongoing settlement negotiations with retailers large and small nationwide. In the most recent federally-approved settlement agreement, the credit card companies have agreed to pay over $5 billion to business owners who have accused the financial companies of price-fixing credit card transaction fees.

In addition to the financial provisions of the settlement, beginning January 2013, credit card companies agreed to allow merchants to charge transaction fees to consumers using credit cards to make purchases. These types of surcharges usually range from 1.5% to 3%; however, the fee cannot exceed 4%. While retailers still have the option of imposing or not imposing the fee, I feel the General Assembly needs to stand with the consumer and protect their bottom line in this difficult economy.

So far, 10 states have enacted laws that would prohibit the surcharges from being imposed. Those states are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Under my legislation, retailers will be prohibited from imposing credit card transaction surcharges. However, retailers will also be guaranteed the right to offer discounts if consumers wish to pay with cash, check, or similar means other than a credit card.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this important legislation.

Former Co-Sponsors - RAVENSTAHL, PARKER , THOMAS , DEASY, D. COSTA, KORTZ , WHITE , FABRIZIO , B. BOYLE, HARKINS , O'BRIEN , FRANKEL , DAVIS, BROWNLEE, CARROLL , CALTAGIRONE , MAHONEY , V. BROWN, PASHINSKI , KINSEY, BOBACK , SNYDER, ROCK , MOUL , STERN , SWANGER , MILLARD , MURT , GIBBONS , BAKER and COHEN



Introduced as HB895