Outdated tax policy is draining small businesses—HB 2428 offers a fair fix
AUSTIN, Texas, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC), joined by a broad coalition of business organizations across the state, is calling on the House Committee on Ways and Means to urgently hear and advance House Bill 2428—the Fair Business Reimbursement Act.
For decades, Texas retailers have served as unpaid tax collectors, absorbing processing fees every time a customer pays with a credit card. These fees, often 2 to 3 percent, are charged on the entire transaction—including the sales tax—leaving businesses to lose money on funds they never keep. Current law allows only a 0.5 to 1.75 percent reimbursement, a policy created during an era when cash was king.
This outdated system disproportionately harms small and minority-owned businesses that operate on razor-thin margins. HB 2428, authored by Vice Chair Terry Canales, updates the reimbursement rate to 2.5 percent for credit card and digital transactions, bringing fairness and relief without reducing the total tax owed to the state.
“Let me be clear: Texas businesses are not asking for a handout. They are asking for fairness,” said JR Gonzales, Vice Chairman of TAMACC. “Retailers should not be penalized for collecting taxes on behalf of the state.”
More than half of U.S. states already provide similar reimbursement models. This bill keeps Texas competitive, encourages compliance, and strengthens the foundation of the state’s economy—its small and mid-sized businesses.
TAMACC is joined in support of this legislation by the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association, Texas Food and Fuel Association, Neighborhood Beer Garden and Bar Association of Texas, and a multitude of Texas businesses across the state. Together, we urge lawmakers to give HB 2428 the hearing and action it deserves.
CONTACT:
J.R. Gonzales
jrgonzales@tamacc.org
