A Washington D.C. city council member proposes businesses adopt a cashless policy to reduce crime.

An upcoming Washington D.C. bill seeks to reduce crime by enabling restaurants, bars, and retail stores to operate without accepting cash.

The bill aims to repeal a law that prohibits retail establishments from accepting cash payments.

Christina Henderson, a City Council member, informed Planet Chronicle Digital that businesses mainly refuse cash payments to safeguard their staff.

Retailers are often targeted by robbery and theft, which has led to the suggestion of going cash-free to reduce the risk of theft.

On Tuesday, the Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Amendment Act of 2024 was introduced by Henderson, along with City Council members Brooke Pinto and Matthew Frumin.

The bill aims to exclude Class C and D alcohol license holders from being obligated to accept cash as payment. These license holders are classified as "restaurants, hotels, taverns, nightclubs, and other entertainment venues" that sell spirits, beer, and wine.

The Nightlife Council and Restaurant Association requested legislation to protect their establishments, staff, and customers, which led to the introduction of the Entertainment Establishment Employee Safety Amendment Act of 2024, as stated by Henderson to Planet Chronicle Digital.

Numerous businesses, particularly those that sell alcohol, are concerned about their employees' safety and have shared various accounts of successful and attempted robberies and burglaries. Businesses that do not accept cash are not at risk of robbery in the same way as businesses that handle cash.

Establishments avoid cash payments to minimize the risk of robbery, burglary, and internal theft, as well as to take advantage of non-cash payment options.

The Committee of the Whole has received the bill with comments from the Committee on Business and Economic Development before its initial consideration.

In 2020, D.C. enacted the Cashless Retailers Prohibition Act, which prohibited retail stores from discriminating against cash payments. However, a provision was added in 2024 to pause the implementation of the law due to "public safety concerns." This provision is set to expire on January 1, 2025.

Previously, cities such as New York City and San Francisco prohibited cashless stores, arguing that they discriminate against customers who prefer or need to pay in cash.

In cities like Oakland, businesses have banned cash payments to combat increasing crime rates.