(Radio Iowa) – Cash will have to be accepted as payment for tickets to any sporting event in an Iowa public school under a bill that’s won approval in the Iowa House and Senate. Senator Tom Shipley of Nodaway says it’s a response to complaints legislators were getting from parents and grandparents.
(as said) “While many schools and athletic associations are encouraging the use of credit card payments to reduce risk and staffing, we understand that,- parents and grandparents should not be turned away at the door for paying with cash, which has happened,” Shipley said. “Some choose to use cash to avoid paying fees to a third party.”
Representative Elinor Levin, a Democrat from Iowa City, says some school districts have decided having a cash box at extracurricular events introduces the possibility of theft.
(as said) “I’m very empathetic to the individuals who want to be able to go to their kid’s, their niece’s, their grandchild’s, their friend’s sporting event and they they don’t want to have to carry a purse, they don’t want to worry about their wallet getting stolen out of the back of their pocket. They just want to be able to grab a $20 from the car, pay their entrance fee and get in,” Levin said. “We have students who want to go to their friends’ events and don’t have debit or credit cards yet.”
But Levin says the decision about whether cash should be accepted should be up to each school. The bill got final approval in the House this week and goes to the governor for her signature.
