House Bill 526 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Ben HarrisonRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Legal Tender; to require certain persons who sell or offer goods and services to accept cash as payment, exceptions provided

Summary

HB526 would require employers with at least six employees to accept cash for in-person purchases, with several specific exemptions.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, it would require certain in-person transactions to accept cash and not force customers to pay with credit. It includes several exceptions for specific settings, such as airports, municipal parking facilities, and any parking facility that only accepts mobile payment. It also covers vehicle rental companies and certain cash-to-prepaid-card devices at retailers and public colleges, with rules about fees, deposits, and receipts. The act takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Businesses employing six or more people that sell goods or services in-person would be required to accept cash for those purchases.
• Consumers paying in-person would retain the option to pay with cash, subject to the listed exemptions and payment setups.

Key Provisions

• Requires any entity with at least six employees that sells goods or services to accept cash for in-person purchases and not require payment by credit or prohibit cash.
• Exemptions include: (a) airports — if a terminal has more than two vendors, two of the vendors must accept cash; (b) parking facilities owned by a municipality; (c) parking facilities that only accept mobile payment; (d) vehicle rental businesses — if they do not accept cash, they must accept a cashier's check or certified check if offered by a buyer; (e) retail entities that provide a device converting cash to a prepaid card — device may not charge a fee or require deposits over $5 and must provide a receipt on request; (f) public institutions of higher education that provide on-campus cash-to-prepaid-card locations — same fee/deposit limits and receipt provision.
• Effective date: October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 26, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Consumer Protection