Proposed law would mandate minimum two-year life on gift cards
Columbus, Ohio — People who misplace gift cards or don’t use them right away would not have to worry about them expiring for two years under a bill that would require that minimum life for the cards.
The measure, which passed the Senate in June, also would prevent retailers from charging fees that reduce the value of the cards during that time.
Sen. Robert Spada, a North Royalton Republican, said he introduced the legislation after getting complaints from family, friends and constituents who were concerned that their gift cards were no longer usable when they tried to redeem them.”I thought it was a great idea that when you want to give a gift to a friend or family person, they actually get to use the gift,” he said.
The bill has been held up in a House committee, where representatives have been working to clarify which cards would be covered. About a dozen states have passed laws regulating gift cards’ expiration dates.
The National Retail Federation estimated that the average customer would spend about $88 dollars on gift cards during the holiday season.
William and Glenna Bigelow said they know what it’s like to open a drawer and discover a gift card that had been misplaced and has since expired, so the proposed law would be helpful. The suburban Columbus couple said they also have had cards that started deducting fees if they were not used within a set time.Jeff Maxwell, 41, of Columbus, said he hasn’t had much trouble with gift cards, but the bill doesn’t go far enough.
“I think if you’re purchasing something from a store, it should be valid as long as that store is in business,” he said.
