Sporting events , dances, field trips, and choir competitions at public and private schools across the state must now accept cash under a new law.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams), said, “Cash shall be accepted,” for school-sponsored activities — but allows districts to accept other forms of payment as well.

“Ticket purchases via the Internet or apps require buyers to surrender a lot of personal information, which is particularly troublesome for senior citizens, a group often targeted by scams,” said a release from Moul’s office. “For many who simply want to see their child, grandchild or friends play ball, the new law will permit them to purchase tickets with cash — the legal currency of the United States.”

Moul’s bill was tucked into the wide-ranging education code bill, one of a handful of proposals signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro Wednesday as part of the long-awaited state budget deal.

Some schools reportedly directed spectators and attendees to purchase tickets with credit or debit cards, online-only or through an app. This “disenfranchised” Pennsylvanians without Internet access or credit cards, Moul added.

The release said that the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association had changed its policies in response to the legislation, shifting from exclusively online or in-app sales to accepting cash.

The PIAA, which oversees middle school and high school sports throughout the commonwealth, told the Capital-Star no one was available to speak about the new law until next week due to scheduled athletic competitions.

Moul’s bill was referred to the Commerce Committee in February and advanced in March, but never received a full vote in the House. A similar effort in the Senate last year, sponsored by Sen. Cris Dush (R-Jefferson), passed on a 47-1 vote.

——

Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com. Follow Pennsylvania Capital-Star on Facebook and Twitter.