STRATEGIC PARTNERS
February 27, 2002
MADISON, Wis. -- A bill headed for the full state Senate in Wisconsin would ban state-chartered banks from imposing ATM surcharges, according to the Associated Press and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
The bill would apply to all state- or federally-regulated financial institutions. It would not, however, apply to ATMs owned by independent deployers.
Speaking for Wisconsin bankers at a public hearing, Kurt Bauer of the Wisconsin Bankers Association argued that if banks can't charge ATM fees to cover their costs, they would make fewer ATMs available, or let others, not subject to the proposed fee prohibition, take over the market.
But the bill's author, state Sen. Judy Robson, said banking fees have become excessive and lawmakers need to intervene.
Lawmakers sided with Robson, and the Senate Committee on Privacy, Electronic Commerce and Financial Institutions voted 3-1 to recommend passage by the full Senate before the session ends in March.
