Proposed bill would force schools to take cash for event admission
HARRISBURG – A bill that would require cash to be accepted for admission to school-sponsored events made a step forward in the state legislature this week.
State Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams) sponsored the bill, House Bill 685, which was approved by the House Commerce Committee Tuesday.
“Currently, many schools across our Commonwealth are rejecting cash as a form of payment for school-sponsored activities and are instead requiring spectators to use credit or debit cards. To make matters worse, some events, particularly those involving the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), conduct ticket sales exclusively online through an app,” said Moul. “These policies have disenfranchised many seniors, poor people and children who may not have credit cards, smart phones or the technical capabilities to access the internet to purchase tickets.
The move towards online forms of payment, he says, exposes buyers to scams.
“Ticket purchases via the internet or apps also require buyers to surrender a lot of personal information. This is particularly troublesome for senior citizens, a group often targeted by scams. People simply want to see their child, grandchild or friends play ball. My bill would permit anyone willing to pay with cash – the legal currency of the United States – to gain admission to a high school sporting event or activity. We should be encouraging the public to attend, not shutting them out,” Moul said.
The bill moves to the full House for consideration.
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