H.B. 304: Cash Payments Amendments

What the bill does

Did not pass both chambers; the bill was filed on March 6, 2026.

This bill requires the acceptance of cash payments.

• Defines terms
• Mandates that a supplier and a government entity accept cash as payment if the supplier or the government entity accept a digital or card payment at a physical point of sale
• Requires a supplier and a government entity with multiple checkout areas to maintain at least one physical point of sale that accepts cash at each place of business or office that has a physical point of sale
• Preserves the right of a supplier and a government entity to require exact change
• Makes technical and conforming changes

The description and list come from the bill's own long title as recorded by the Legislature. Read the official bill. The Ledger takes no position on it.

Subjects: Business · Commerce and Trade · Consumer Protection · Political Subdivisions (Local Issues) · Government Operations (State Issues) · Retail Trade

How it moved

1. January 21, 2026 · House1st reading (Introduced)Rules Committee
2. February 17, 2026 · Houseto standing committeeBusiness, Labor, and Commerce Committee
3. March 4, 2026 · HouseHouse Comm - Recommends Returned to RulesBusiness, Labor, and Commerce Committee
4. March 6, 2026 · Housefiledfile for bills not passed

Steps as the Legislature recorded them; clerical and fiscal-staff entries are left out. Numbers such as 54-14-7 are yeas, nays and absent.

Fiscal note

From the Legislative Fiscal Analyst's note on 1st Sub. H.B. 304 (Buff), dated February 23, 2026. A fiscal note estimates direct costs and revenue; it is not an appropriation.

• State revenue: Enactment of this legislation could increase fine revenue to the Consumer Protection Education and Training Fund by up to $2,500 for a violation of the cash requirement for their physical points of sale; however, the aggregate number and amount of these fines is unknown.
• State expenditures: Enactment of this legislation could increase costs to the Department of Commerce by $12,300 ongoing in FY 2028 from the Commerce Service Account for enforcement.
• Local government: To the extent that a local political subdivision does not accept cash at one of their in-person points of sale, enactment of this legislation could cost an unknown amount for equipment to process cash transactions. The number of affected local political subdivisions and aggregate fiscal impact is unknown.
• Individuals and businesses: Enactment of this legislation could cost suppliers up to $2,500 for a violation of the cash requirement for their physical points of sale. The aggregate number and amount of these fines is unknown.

Bill overview

Sponsor: Kristen Chevrier

Senate floor sponsor: Heidi Balderree

Legislature passed-list status: Not available in the saved metadata.

Passed-list membership is not a finding that a bill was signed or took effect. A bill absent from that list is not necessarily pending or defeated.

Latest recorded action

filed
Action date: March 6, 2026

The full step list is above. Find the bill in the official session list for status, hearings and committee records.

Recorded floor votes

No floor-vote records for this bill and session are available here. This does not mean no vote occurred; consult the official bill record.

Ledger coverage

No Ledger stories with an explicit source link to this bill and session are listed here.