Question: Effective Jan. 28, a new credit card fee supposedly started popping up in 40 states. It’s not like all the merchants are charging this fee, but I’d like to get more information. I understand the fees will range between 1.4 and 4 percent for people using Visa or MasterCard. Can you tell us more?
Answer: From reports nationally, it doesn’t appear many merchants have started imposing or will impose the fees for fear of driving away customers.
The surcharges stem from a $6 billion-plus settlement against Visa, MasterCard and nine major banks, following a class-action lawsuit in which merchants claimed they paid excessive fees for accepting the credit cards because of an alleged conspiracy among the credit card issuers.
Part of the settlement would allow merchants to charge customers the actual cost of processing Visa and MasterCard transactions, which run 1.5 to 3 percent. But the fee is allowed to go as high as 4 percent.
“The settlement allowing merchants to impose the additional charge is still preliminary,” Bruce Kim, executive director of the state Office of Consumer Protection, told us last week. “The court has yet to issue a final ruling.”
Under the pending new rules from Visa and MasterCard, Kim said retailers who apply a surcharge are required to post a notice at the store’s entrance. Also, “The exact percentage must be disclosed at the point of sale and the customer receipt must indicate the amount of the surcharge,” he said.
So far, 10 states prohibit the assessment of such fees. A bill has been introduced at the state Legislature to also prohibit Hawaii merchants from assessing such credit card surcharges.
A hearing on Senate Bill 470 is set for 9 a.m. Feb. 14 in Conference Room 229 at the state Capitol before the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. For more details, see is.gd/OgM7Oi.
Question: Restaurant Row provides two electric-car spaces. However, I was warned by the attendant that I could not park my electric car there for more than 21⁄2 hours. Can a private owner limit my use of a mandated electric car space? There is nothing in the law allowing an owner to restrict my use of the electric car space by time or any other reason.
Answer: The owner of a private lot isn’t precluded from setting limits on parking for electric vehicles, said Margaret Larson, vehicles specialist with the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s Energy Office.
It’s precisely because “the state does not have anything written into law regarding time restrictions” that the owner of a private lot can set whatever restrictions it wants, she said.
It would be helpful if there are signs noting the restrictions, but signs are not required, Larson said.
Larson pointed out that state law does have time limits on free parking for electric vehicles in metered state and county stalls: 21⁄2 hours or the maximum time allowed, whichever is greater.
Electric vehicles also are not exempt from parking fees for periods longer than 24 hours, including weekly, monthly or annual permits.
AUWE
To the person complaining about having to pay for parking his electric vehicle (“Kokua Line,” Jan. 24): Complaining about paying for parking like the rest of us and paying only $3? Some electric car users are just as bad as “questionable” disabled parking users, who take advantage of free parking. I’ve even seen a vehicle with commercial license plates with a disabled parking placard. — Disgruntled
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Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
