LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles City Council members spoke in support of a proposed ban on cashless businesses in the city Tuesday. Officials said the proposed ban is an attempt to be more inclusive by empowering residents who may not have bank accounts or those who may be denied access to credit.

During a morning news conference outside City Hall, Councilwoman Heather Hutt -- who last year introduced a motion to ban cashless businesses -- said that when businesses do not accept cash, it creates an economy that is "not inclusive and accessible" to the city's most vulnerable populations.

Many Los Angeles businesses transitioned to cashless payment methods during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to reduce contact between employees and customers; others have gone cashless due to crime concerns.