Assembly Bill A9274

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9274
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             November 21, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. McDONALD -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Consumer Affairs and Protection
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend  the  general  business law, in relation to requiring
   merchants to round cash purchases to the  nearest  five  cent  denomi-
   nation  in  order to reduce the circulation of pennies within New York
   state

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.   Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as
 the "New Yorkers for Common Cents Act".
   § 2.  The general business law is amended  by  adding  a  new  section
 399-ooo to read as follows:
   §  399-OOO.  1.  FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS
 SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   (A) "MERCHANT" SHALL MEAN  ANY  PERSON,  CORPORATION,  OR  PARTNERSHIP
 ENGAGED  IN  THE  BUSINESS  OF THE SALE OF GOODS OR SERVICES ENGAGING IN
 FACE-TO-FACE, IN-PERSON SALES.
   (B) "LEGAL TENDER" SHALL MEAN ALL COINS AND CURRENCIES OF  THE  UNITED
 STATES.
   2.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER  PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, ANY
 MERCHANT DOING BUSINESS IN THIS STATE SHALL DETERMINE THE TOTAL PRICE OF
 SUCH GOODS OR SERVICES IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER:
   (A) PRICES OF GOODS AND SERVICES SHALL BE  TOTALED,  ANY  DISCOUNT  OR
 DEDUCTION  THEREFOR  MADE,  AND  SALES TAX OR OTHER TAX IMPOSED, IF ANY,
 ADDED TO THAT TOTAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW OF  THE  MUNICIPALITY  IN
 WHICH SUCH GOODS OR SERVICES ARE SOLD; AND
   (B)(I) IF A MILL, ONE CENT, TWO CENTS, SIX CENTS, OR SEVEN CENTS IS AT
 THE  END  OF  THE  RESULTING  SUM, THAT SUM SHALL BE ROUNDED DOWN TO THE
 NEAREST AMOUNT DIVISIBLE BY FIVE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS  SEEKING  TO  PAY
 THEREFOR WITH LEGAL TENDER; OR

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11817-02-5
 A. 9274                             2
              

 
   (II)  IF THREE CENTS, FOUR CENTS, EIGHT CENTS, OR NINE CENTS IS AT THE
 END OF THE RESULTING SUM, THAT SUM SHALL BE ROUNDED UP  TO  THE  NEAREST
 AMOUNT  DIVISIBLE  BY FIVE FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS SEEKING TO PAY THEREFOR
 WITH LEGAL TENDER.
   3.  THE  PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL NOT APPLY
 TO THE FOLLOWING:
   (A) TRANSACTIONS FOR WHICH THE TOTAL AMOUNT IS FOUR CENTS OR LESS; OR
   (B) TRANSACTIONS FOR WHICH PAYMENT IS MADE BY ANY DEMAND OR NEGOTIABLE
 INSTRUMENT, ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFER, MONEY ORDER,  CREDIT  CARD,  DEBIT
 CARD, ELECTRONIC PAYMENT, OR OTHER LIKE INSTRUMENT.
   4.  ANY TAX IMPOSED BY STATE OR MUNICIPAL TAXING AUTHORITIES SHALL NOT
 APPLY TO GAINS OR LOSSES RESULTING FROM ROUNDING.
   5. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  FINANCIAL  SERVICES  MAY
 PROMULGATE  REGULATIONS  TO  IMPLEMENT  THIS SECTION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO, AUTHORIZATION OF EXEMPTIONS OR EXCLUSIONS FROM THIS SECTION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.