In a recent move, the House Commerce Committee has given its unanimous nod to a piece of legislation put forward by Representative Dan Moul. The bill would enable cash to be accepted as payment for entry to events organized by schools.
Representative Moul expressed concerns about the current policies where numerous schools in the Commonwealth have shifted to requiring credit or debit card payments for school-affiliated activities. “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,” Moul stated.
The representative highlighted the issue faced by certain groups with these policies, noting that individuals such as seniors and those without access to credit cards or smartphones are being disadvantaged. “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,” Moul explained.
He also raised privacy concerns regarding online ticket purchases, which require disclosing significant personal details. “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,” Moul continued.
The bill aims to ensure that cash, “the legal currency of the United States,” can be used to gain entry to high school activities and sporting events. “We should be encouraging the public to attend, not shutting them out,” Moul concluded.
The bill will now advance to the full House for further consideration.
Contact details for further information include Donna Pinkham at 717.260.6452 or dpinkham@pahousegop.com.
