CHICAGO — The Electronic Payments Coalition said it is expanding a statewide advertising campaign urging Illinois lawmakers to repeal a credit union-opposed interchange law, with new warnings it could disrupt card payments and harm small businesses, banks and credit unions.
In two announcements, the coalition said it is launching a second television ad as part of a broader public awareness effort targeting the Illinois General Assembly and consumers. The campaign focuses on the Interchange Fee Prohibition Act, which opponents have labeled the “Credit Card Chaos” law.
The group said the law could result in credit and debit cards no longer working at some Illinois businesses beginning July 1, 2026, and warned of widespread disruption at checkout.
The ads direct Illinoisans to a state-specific call-to-action page
‘Punitive Policy’
“Illinois is going after its local businesses and hometown banks and credit unions with a punitive policy,” said Richard Hunt, executive chairman of the coalition. “If Springfield doesn’t fix this mistake, commerce in the state could grind to a halt as credit and debit cards may no longer work at Illinois businesses.”
The campaign includes television, digital and out-of-home advertising, along with a state-specific website directing consumers to take action. Ads are scheduled to run during high-profile events, including college basketball’s March Madness tournament.
Confusion at POS
According to the coalition, the new ad highlights potential confusion at the point of sale and broader impacts on everyday transactions. The group said more than one-million small businesses in Illinois could be affected, citing concerns over compliance costs and a lack of existing technology to implement the law.
“Illinois lawmakers jammed through a deeply flawed law over a holiday weekend without any transparency or public input,” Hunt said in a separate statement. “The result is a reckless policy that regulators say is unworkable and a federal judge has warned could push businesses out of Illinois.”
The coalition also pointed to criticism from regulators and the courts, saying the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has described the law as “ill-conceived, highly unusual and largely unworkable,” while a federal judge has called it “disruptive” and “costly,” particularly for community banks and credit unions.
Opposition to the law has also come from business groups, including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce, which have called on lawmakers to repeal the measure.
Ongoing Legal Challenges
As the CU Daily has been reporting, legal challenges are ongoing. Trade groups including the American Bankers Association, Illinois Bankers Association, Illinois Credit Union League and America’s Credit Unions have filed an appeal with the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Electronic Payments Coalition said the campaign is intended not only to influence Illinois lawmakers but also to serve as a warning to policymakers in other states, noting that similar legislation has been introduced elsewhere but has not advanced.
