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House passes Common Cents Act to set cash rounding rules
The bill follows the U.S. Mint’s final penny in late 2025, when producing a penny cost nearly four cents, according to the Mint.
The U.S. House passed the Common Cents Act on July 14, a measure that would set nationwide rules for how cash purchases are handled as the United States phases out the one cent coin. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where its future remains uncertain.
The bill arrives months after the U.S. Mint produced its final penny in late 2025. According to the Mint, manufacturing a single penny costs nearly four cents, making it among the government’s most expensive coins to produce relative to its value.
The National Restaurant Association told CBS News that phasing out pennies has been cumbersome for some businesses, including legal liability concerns tied to providing exact change. The group estimates inconsistent rounding could cost restaurants up to $168 million a year, and it says about one in four restaurant customers still pays with cash.
If the act becomes law, only cash transactions would be rounded, while prices, taxes, and electronic payments would still be calculated to the exact cent. Rounding would occur after the final total is calculated, and businesses could continue advertising items at $9.99, with receipts showing the exact total and debit, credit, mobile wallet, or check payments unaffected.