HB 1512

HOUSE BILL 1512
     C2, K3  6lr3120
     By: Delegate Conaway
     Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
     Assigned to: Economic Matters
  A BILL ENTITLED
1 AN ACT concerning
2Business Regulation – Rounding Cash Transactions – Remittance to
3Comptroller
4 FOR the purpose of requiring, if a merchant rounds up the price of a cash transaction for a
5      good or service in a certain manner, the merchant to remit to the Comptroller the
6      difference between the total price the customer is required to pay after the rounding
7      occurs and the price before the rounding occurs; requiring the Comptroller to
8      distribute certain revenue to the General Fund of the State; and generally relating
9      to rounding cash transactions between merchants and customers.
10 BY adding to
11      Article – Business Regulation
12      Section 19–110
13      Annotated Code of Maryland
14      (2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
15SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
16 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
17Article – Business Regulation
18 19–110.
19(A)     (1)     IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
20 INDICATED.
21(2)     (I)     “CASH” MEANS UNITED STATES COINS AND PAPER
22 CURRENCY.
23(II)    “CASH” DOES NOT INCLUDE:
     EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
  [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
  *hb1512*
2HOUSE BILL 1512
11.   A PAPER INSTRUMENT OTHER THAN A  FEDERAL
2 RESERVE NOTE; OR
32.   A GIFT CARD.
4(3) “MERCHANT” MEANS A PERSON ENGAGED IN THE TRADE OR
5 BUSINESS OF THE SALE OF GOODS OR SERVICES.
6      (B)   (1)   THIS SUBSECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A TRANSACTION WHERE A
7 CUSTOMER EXPRESSLY CONSENTS TO HAVING THE TRANSACTION ROUNDED UP FOR
8 THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF PROVIDING A DONATION.
9(2) IN A CASH TRANSACTION BETWEEN A MERCHANT AND A
10 CUSTOMER FOR A GOOD OR SERVICE, IF THE MERCHANT ROUNDS UP THE TOTAL
11 PRICE, INCLUDING ANY APPLICABLE DISCOUNT, TAX, OR FEE, TO THE NEAREST 5
12 CENTS, THE MERCHANT SHALL REMIT TO THE COMPTROLLER IN THE MANNER
13 PRESCRIBED BY THE COMPTROLLER AN AMOUNT THAT EQUALS THE DIFFERENCE
14 BETWEEN:
15(I)  THE PRICE THE CUSTOMER IS REQUIRED TO PAY AFTER THE
16 ROUNDING OCCURS; AND
17(II)   THE PRICE BEFORE THE ROUNDING OCCURS.
18      (C)  THE COMPTROLLER SHALL DISTRIBUTE THE REVENUE COLLECTED
19 UNDER THIS SECTION TO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE STATE.
20SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
21 1, 2026.