To combat increasing crime in Washington, D.C., City Council member Christina Henderson has pushed a new bill that will allow businesses such as restaurants, bars, and other retail stores to operate on a cashless basis.
The Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Amendment Act of 2024 bill will repeal an existing law prohibiting retail establishments from rejecting cash payments.
On September 17, Henderson introduced the bill to the council alongside Council members Brooke Pinto and Matthew Frumin. If passed by the Council, the law will exempt Class C and D alcohol license holders—such as restaurants, hotels, taverns, nightclubs, and other entertainment venues—from the obligation to accept cash payments.
The bill says, “Many businesses, particularly those that sell alcohol, are concerned for their employees’ safety and have shared multiple stories about successful and attempted robberies and burglaries. Businesses that are cashless are not at risk of robbery in the same way as businesses with cash on hand.”
“The primary reason establishments choose to avoid cash payments is to reduce the risk of robbery and burglary, followed by the availability of non-cash payment options and to reduce the risk of internal theft.”
Explaining the reason for the bill, City Council member Christina Henderson told Fox News that many businesses choose to go cashless primarily to protect their employees.
“The Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Amendment Act of 2024 was introduced as a solution to the Nightlife Council and the Restaurant Association’s request for legislation to help protect their establishments, staff, and customers,” she said.
“Much of the present crime and safety concerns for our retailers involve them being targets of robbery and theft. Going cash-free seems to be an obvious choice in response to these crimes, to mitigate opportunities for those wishing to take advantage of cash being held on the premises of these retailers,” she added.Â
The bill is currently under review by the Committee of the Whole, with input from the Committee on Business and Economic Development in anticipation of its first reading.
This proposal follows the Cashless Retailers Prohibition Act passed in 2020, which barred retail establishments from discriminating against cash payments. However, a provision was added in 2024 to delay enforcement of this law due to “public safety concerns,” with an expiration date set for January 1, 2025.
