This bill amends existing law to prohibit sellers from charging a surcharge to customers who use debit cards for transactions in New Jersey. Specifically, it states that a seller providing a service cannot impose any additional fees when a customer pays with a debit card. Additionally, if a seller does impose a surcharge on credit card transactions, they must clearly disclose to customers, before payment, that surcharges do not apply to cash or debit card payments.

The bill also establishes that violations of these provisions are considered unlawful practices under the consumer fraud act, which can result in significant penalties. First offenses may incur fines of up to $10,000, while subsequent offenses can lead to fines of up to $20,000. Other consequences for violations may include cease and desist orders from the Attorney General, punitive damages, and the potential for treble damages and costs awarded to affected parties.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 56:8-156.1, 56:8-156.2