The General Assembly passed legislation last week introduced by Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain and Rep. Brandon T. Voas to make it illegal to charge fees to senior citizens for paper invoices.

The Senior Savings Protection Act (2024-S 2278A, 2024-H 7940A) would prohibit the charging of any fees to a person who is 65 years of age or older for a hard-copy paper bill, invoice or statement. The violation of this provision would be a deceptive trade practice subject to a $500 fine.

“A large segment of the over-65 population is uncomfortable with online payments and digital banking,” said LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston). “Many don’t even have access to the devices they need to utilize these digital services. They should not be charged a fee simply to receive a bill.”

“There are still many senior citizens who have no Internet access,” said Representative Voas (D-Dist. 57, Cumberland, Central Falls). “This makes paperless billing a great challenge for them. A fee exemption for those over 65 would maintain our commitment to a greener billing process without forcing senior citizens to use a technology they may not be comfortable with.”

The measure now moves to the governor’s office.