Cashless concession stands in school soccer stadiums may quickly be a factor of the previous beneath a invoice advancing within the Louisiana Legislature. 

The House Education Committee Tuesday superior House Bill 5 by Rep. Charles Owen, R-Rosepine, which might require public schools and universities to just accept money at occasions, together with sporting occasions. The invoice handed on a 11-2 vote, with Reps. Barbara Freiberg, R-Baton Rouge, and Kim Carver, R-Mandeville, opposing the invoice. 

Most faculty sporting venues have gone cashless prior to now few years, inconveniencing some attendees, primarily youngsters and older followers who primarily depend on money of their day-to-day lives. 

“We have these big events where families may have to save up a lot of money to go get a ticket to go to a ballgame or to a concert or to a speaking event or something like that… but when they get there they want to buy some water or a hamburger or a T-shirt with and they can’t use their cash,” Owen informed committee members. 

Some universities have raised issues with the invoice. 

Lenny Kopowski, a lobbyist representing the University of New Orleans Foundation, mentioned UNO opposes the invoice. 

Kopowski mentioned UNO athletics switched to cashless services after someone stole $3,600 in cash from the athletic division. The college would take into account withdrawing its opposition to the invoice if it permitted just a few concession stands to just accept money or as an alternative required reverse ATMs, which permit someone to deposit money and obtain a short lived debit card. Such ATMs are widespread at skilled sports activities venues which are cashless. 

LSU reported in a fiscal note that Owen’s invoice may result in a $75,000 annual lack of income for its third-party sport day distributors and will decelerate concession traces. 

Owen’s invoice will subsequent be mentioned by the total House of Representatives.