The Florida Legislature passed a bill letting businesses round cash purchases to the nearest nickel.
Lawmakers passed the measure in the last week of the legislative session. It takes effect if and when Gov. Ron DeSantis signs it.
"There are a lot of stores that have had a lot of problems getting pennies,” said Jeff Lenard, spokesman for the National Association of Convenience Stores. “They do everything they can behind the scenes so the customer doesn't see the problem.”
The federal government has stopped making pennies, citing how they cost more to produce than they're actually worth.
While Lenard notes his organization doesn’t endorse state legislation, he emphasized, "The passage of the legislation will help bring awareness to the overall idea of rounding and how it works. Because, in general, when people don't understand something, they generally assume that they're not going to benefit from it."
Lenard says some consumers worry rounding to the nearest nickel could only favor retailers. Really, they're just as likely to gain a few cents as lose a few cents.
The legislation, SB 1074, passed with bipartisan support: “Before you think this is the death of common cents, this bill is necessary," said Rep. Fiona McFarland, R-Sarasota, a bill sponsor.
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
