Q&A
Concerns about signage requirements for Intro 374 on credit card minimum purchases
0:41:18
ยท
3 min
Discussion on DCWP's concerns about signage requirements in Intro 374 and existing regulations on credit card limitations and surcharges.
- DCWP suggests incorporating Intro 374 prohibitions into existing disclosure requirements
- Concerns about overburdening businesses with multiple signs and potential consumer confusion
- Existing requirement for businesses to post credit card limitations
- New state law requiring businesses to post total prices for credit card use
- DCWP's goal to have existing regulations, Intro 374, and credit card surcharge rules work together holistically
Julie Menin
0:41:18
Okay.
0:41:20
The last question I have is in regard to intro number three seventy four.
0:41:27
You'd mentioned in your testimony that you were concerned that if the businesses were required to put a sign up about the about the minimum purchase that that could be onerous for small businesses.
0:41:40
So does the agency have alternatives that they recommend to because you want it for if this law is gonna be enacted, obviously, you wanna make sure consumers know about this.
0:41:48
So how could consumers know about it if there's no sign present when they pay?
Carlos Ortiz
0:42:00
So I think for us, we would certainly think about how we could, incorporate the the prohibitions in in instruction three seven four into our existing, disclosure requirements on credit card limitations.
0:42:15
I think just adding a second sign, you know, I I know it's a frequent it's a frequent, feedback loop that we receive from businesses that there's just a lot of disclosures they have to put up and at times can even be a little bit disorienting on the consumer side of things.
0:42:28
That's why we're thinking we're kind of, like, integrating some of this stuff into one sign.
0:42:33
But then I I think Andy also has something he'd like to add too about credit card uses in general in the city.
Andrew Schwenk
0:42:39
Yeah.
0:42:39
I you know, I think some of our concern just stems from the, fact that there is already a, requirement to post credit card limitations in businesses, and that's something that we're always on the lookout for.
0:42:50
We enforce it in all of our retail inspections.
0:42:53
And that does let the consumer know that any any type of limitation, whether it be a dollar amount or certain types of credit cards, you know, we only take, Visa, Mastercard, whatever the case is, Those policies do need to be posted so the consumer knows about them.
0:43:06
And so an additional broad signage mandate here, could be burdensome.
0:43:11
And I think I'd also add, we'd be, interested in, you know, of course, working with counsel during the redlining process.
0:43:17
I think some of the language in the current draft of the bill may be overly broad in that it applies to every business that is doing retail in the city, whether or not it has a credit card minimum requirement at all.
0:43:30
So I think some of these issues that I think we can work through.
0:43:33
And then finally, I would, add that, there's a new state law, a new estate law that, was passed last year, that requires, businesses to, post the total price for using a credit card.
0:43:46
So that both kind of hits on credit card limitations and also price transparency issues where we wanna ensure that, consumers are not, caught off guard and charge a higher price for using that card.
0:43:58
That state law, as I said, was passed in 2024, and we're in the process of, implementing it right now, and and DCWP will be enforcing it soon.
0:44:06
So I think there's a lot lot going on in this space, and a and a lot of good protections for consumers that we're sort of already, focused on.
Carlos Ortiz
0:44:12
I I think our goal would definitely be for these laws to our existing regulations, three seventy four, the credit card surcharge to work together in tandem holistically.
0:44:22
And, yes, I I think there will soon be rulemaking, that we welcome your offices all being able to participate in as well.
Julie Menin
0:44:28
Great.
0:44:29
Thank you.
0:44:29
I just wanna mention we've been joined by additional colleagues, council member Krishnan, council member Brewer.
0:44:35
I, once again, wanna open it up to my colleagues for any questions that they might have.
0:44:42
Oh, great.
0:44:42
Council member Brewer.
Gale A. Brewer
0:44:44
I'm obviously gonna say thank you for your amazing work with the newsstand on 70 Ninth Street.