HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4511        FILED ON: 8/3/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Edward R. Philips

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act ensuring banking accessibility.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4511        FILED ON: 8/3/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act ensuring banking accessibility.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1: Notwithstanding any general or special law or any rule or regulation to the contrary, section 1 of chapter 167 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2022 official edition is hereby amended by inserting after the second paragraph:-

“Banking services”, retail or commercial deposit business, lending business, asset management, and all other services customarily provided by banks or their affiliates to customers.

And further by inserting after the 15th paragraph:-

“Physical banks”, banks that have at least one physical location regularly open to the public with employees available to answer questions and assist with banking services. They may also have online banking services but are not internet banks.             

SECTION 2: Notwithstanding any general or special law or any rule or regulation to the contrary, chapter 167 of the General Laws as appearing in the 2022 official edition is hereby amended by inserting after section 2A the following new section:-

Section 2A ½ (a). Unfair acts or practices as mentioned in Section 2A shall explicitly include, but not be limited to, a physical bank offering a banking service that is only available online. No bank shall deny a customer in-person services because those services are available online. This shall allow all citizens using a physical bank, regardless of access or ability to use the internet, the chance to use any available banking service either virtually or in person.

Section 2A ½ (b). In conjunction with section b, all physical banks offering an online service shall make clear to their customers that the online service is also available in-person through the use of clearly visible signs and/or verbal communication upon a request for a banking service.

Section 2A ½ (c). This law shall not be misconstrued as interfering with existing laws, federal and state, about banks’ rights to deny service to an individual.