A new Assembly Bill introduced on February 10 seeks to implement a rounding system for cash transactions in California. AB 1793, introduced by Assemblymembers Ward and Rogers, will direct merchants to round down the total price of transactions if the final price ends with 1, 2, 6, or 7 cents, and round up if the final price ends with 3, 4, 8, or 9 cents.
The bill comes after the U.S. Mint’s decision to halt production of pennies in November 2025 due to increasing production costs over the last decade.
“Already, retailers have noted a disruption to the penny supply, with shortages necessitating rounding on cash transactions. AB 1793 addresses the current ambiguity by standardizing symmetrical rounding procedures,” Assemblymember Ward’s office said in a press release.
The bill now needs to pass both chambers of the California Legislature and be signed by the governor before it can be enacted.
