The U.S. is no longer making pennies, so check the couch cushions if you are out.
The nation’s penny shortage has led some Missouri businesses to be pinching pennies until the state makes change.
The Missouri House of Representatives has passed a bill that aims to help businesses if they are out of cents. State Rep. Brenda Shields, R-St. Joseph, is sponsoring legislation that would let businesses round the total amount of a sale to the nearest five cents on cash transactions only.
“Missouri’s businesses need a clear and statutory framework to round cash sales totals or they risk unintentionally violating confusing tax laws when they can’t make exact change,” Shields said during House debate.
Will credit and debit card users be shortchanged? Her bill only applies to cash transactions. Customers using debit or credit cards would not be affected.
“Other states are already doing this. It’s time that Missouri figure out how to put this in statute. And the bottom line is this bill is a practical modernization of Missouri’s tax rules that acknowledges a federal change in currency production,” said Shields.
In late 2025, President Donald Trump took the penny out of circulation because of the cost. Shields told Missourinet the cost is about 3.7 cents each.
Rep. Mike McGirl, R-Potosi, supports her bill.
“It is needed because currently under the statutes, DOR (Department of Revenue), businesses can’t legally do this rounding and they could be subject to class action lawsuits because somebody, they rounded wrong or something like this,” said McGirl.
According to the U.S. Mint, the penny was established in 1792. The coin, originally made of pure copper, was one of the first to be made by the U.S. Mint.
It is not the only coin that has been discontinued. The federal government previously pulled the plug on half-cent, three-cent, and 20-cent pieces.
During House debate, no one spoke against the bill.
House Bill 2819 now marches down the hallway and over to the Missouri Senate for another round of work.
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