Coalition Urges Repeal of Illinois Credit Card Chaos Law in Statewide Ad Campaign

Date: March 18, 2026
Media Contact:
Nick Simpson
nick@electronicpaymentscoalition.org

Tipped Workers & Small Businesses Become Collateral Damage for Rushed Political Mistake Amidst Ongoing Legal Battle
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Credit & Debit Cards May Not Work Beginning July 1, 2026

Chicago, IL – The Electronic Payments Coalition (EPC) is launching a statewide public awareness ad campaign to urge the Illinois legislature to repeal the Credit Card Chaos law known as the IFPA, and ensure Illinois voters know credit and debit cards may not work at Illinois businesses starting July 1, 2026. EPC’s members include community banks and credit unions, card networks and issuing banks.

As part of the campaign, EPC released a new television ad highlighting how the law could create confusion at checkout and disrupt how Illinois consumers pay for everyday purchases. The campaign also includes digital ads directing Illinoisans to a state-specific call-to-action page.

“Illinois lawmakers jammed through a deeply flawed law over a holiday weekend without any transparency or public input,” said Richard Hunt, Chairman of the EPC. “The result is a reckless policy that regulators say is unworkable and a federal judge has warned could push businesses out of Illinois.”

The Illinois ads are below:

Among those negatively impacted by the new law are:

• Tipped workers who could lose income when diners, riders and others who tip are unable to tip on their cards
• Small businesses who could lose sales, and have frustrated customers and chaos at the cash register when cards cannot be used for tips or tax
• Consumers who may need to pay for sales tax and tips in cash, and could lose their credit card rewards

Legal experts across the country concur the law will cause mass confusion. The Office of the Comptroller of Currency called the law “ill-conceived, highly unusual and largely unworkable.” A federal judge acknowledged the law would be “disruptive” and “costly,” and suggested compliance would be particularly burdensome for local banks and credit unions, creating “business-ending consequences for some members of the market.”

The matter also remains unsettled in the courts. The American Bankers Association, Illinois Bankers Association, Illinois Credit Union League and America’s Credit Unions filed an appeal with the 7^th Circuit Court.

The ad buy for the campaign, sponsored by EPC, includes broadcast, cable, digital and Out of Home platforms across Illinois and news programs nationally to warn policymakers in other states of the havoc wreaked on local economies. Ads will be seen by Illinois residents during March Madness but also in places where Illinoisans should be prepared to experience pain points any time they pay with a credit or debit card at an Illinois business. 

Corporate mega-stores, which stand to make millions if they are able to shift their business costs onto others, have pushed similar bills in dozens of states. In each of the 26 states the bill was filed in 2025, lawmakers declined to move bills forward after understanding the negative impacts for their residents. Illinois remains a global outlier and the only state willing to shift costs of corporate mega-stores onto its constituents.