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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 20, 2018 10:56 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Randy Vulakovich |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Price Gouging Act Amendments |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation amending the Price Gouging Act. Act 133 of 2006 prohibits sellers from charging “unconscionably excessive” prices for all consumer goods and services when a state of disaster emergency is declared by the governor. This prohibition is effective for the duration of the declaration (initially 90 days, but renewable) plus an additional 30 days after termination. This is an excessively long period compared to other state laws and has resulted in situations where pricing restrictions from a disaster declaration for a winter snowstorm remained in place until June or beyond. In fact, emergency declarations issued for winter storms in early March can remain in place and maintain price restrictions through the Fourth of July. Additionally, on January 10, 2018, Governor Wolf signed a disaster declaration to combat the Heroin and Opioid Epidemic. This was the Commonwealth’s first declaration for a non-natural disaster, but it still triggered the Price Gouging Act, and with its recent renewal, all manufacturers, distributors and retailers statewide on all consumer goods and services are subject to pricing restrictions for the next 6 months. This situation brings into sharp focus the need to amend the law so that its restraints on commerce apply only to the extent necessary. Overall, this legislation would: *Require a separate declaration to trigger pricing restrictions so they apply only when needed. Kentucky’s law is an example of this best practice. Other states achieve the same purpose by requiring the use of specific language to trigger pricing restrictions. *Limit the duration of pricing restrictions to 15 days (with extensions up to 60 days), and limits their scope to those goods and services necessary for use or consumption. *Provide guidance as to what prices would not violate the law -- with safe harbors for prices that are 10% or less above specified benchmarks or consistent with external market prices. *Simplify the compliance process (important for small businesses). *Make the penalty provision work more fairly and centralize enforcement in the Commonwealth (within the Attorney General’s Office). Please join me in cosponsoring this legislation which is supported by the following organizations: American Car Rental Association Associated Petroleum Industries of PA National Federation of Independent Business Pennsylvania Builders Association Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association Pennsylvania Petroleum Association Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association Pennsylvania Retailers Association Please contact Nate Silcox of my staff at 717-787-6538 with any questions. |
Introduced as SB1172