House Bill 621 Protects Seniors Using Debit Cards Through Food Stamps & Social Security Programs
Tallahassee, Fla. – With the Florida Senate expected to take a vote as early as Tuesday of the upcoming week, the 60 Plus Association is urging members of the Florida Senate to protect Florida’s seniors from being charged an additional fee, or checkout fee, on debit card transactions by passing House Bill 621 and immediately sending it to Governor Charlie Crist for his signature.
60 Plus, an 18-year-old national seniors organization based in Alexandria, VA has 5.5 million activists nationwide and 749,000 here in Florida. 60 Plus Chairman Jim Martin, a University of Florida Journalism Graduate and former newspaper reporter hails from this great state.
“For our seniors, this is issue is very critical because government programs, like Food Stamps and Social Security benefits, are being issued through direct deposit and debit cards,” said Jim Martin. “Closing the loophole in Florida law will protect Floridians, especially our seniors from being charged an additional fee on their debit card transactions.”
In an effort to reduce costs associated with issuing paper checks, Florida has developed programs to issue debit cards for the distribution of government food stamp and unemployment compensation programs. Furthermore, the federal government recently announced that social security benefits will be distributed via direct deposit or by a debit card. HB 621 will prohibit retailers from profiteering by surcharging government benefit programs issued via a debit card for unemployment compensation, food stamps and social security.
Florida’s seniors recognize how wrong it is for retailers to slip in surcharges and checkout fees when using debit cards to pay for your daily goods and groceries. Florida’s seniors need HB 621 to become law because without it, their already tight budget will go to pay for surcharges and checkout fees for using their government issued or personal debit card,” concluded Martin.
For more information on 60 Plus and its initiatives, please visit www.60plus.org.
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