PRINTER'S NO. 53
No. 53 Session of 1977
INTRODUCED BY J. L. WRIGHT JR., BURNS, WEIDNER, LEHR AND STAIRS,
JANUARY 19, 1977
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON MINES AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT,
JANUARY 19, 1977
AN ACT
1 Requiring the affixing of a nameplate listing energy consumption
2 information and a paper tag indicating average annual
3 operating cost of certain electrical appliances before they
4 are sold or offered for sale and providing penalties.
5 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6 hereby enacts as follows:
7 Section 1. The following words and phrases when used in this
8 act shall have, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise,
9 the meanings given to them in this section:
10 "Casual sale." An isolated sale of an electrical appliance
11 by a person who is not regularly engaged in the business of
12 making such sales and where such appliance was obtained by the
13 person making the sale for his own use.
14 "Electrical appliance." Any commercial mechanism which is
15 operated by electric current in or about the home, including but
16 not limited to, cooking equipment, heating devices,
17 refrigeration, air conditioners, electric fans, clocks, radios,
18 toasters, irons, television sets, vacuum cleaners, washing
1 machines, driers, dishwashers, and coffee pots.
2 Section 2. (a) No person shall manufacture, sell, attempt
3 to sell or offer for sale, whether it be by retail, wholesale or
4 by auction, any electrical appliance unless there is permanently
5 affixed thereto a nameplate which shall have at least the
6 following information, printed in clearly legible type:
7 (1) The name and address of the manufacturer.
8 (2) The country of manufacture.
9 (3) The model number.
10 (4) The required operating voltage.
11 (5) The amperage and wattage used at the voltage.
12 (b) The information required by this section may be molded,
13 cast or impressed into the external surface of the body, shell
14 or base of the electrical appliance.
15 Section 3. No person shall manufacture, sell, attempt to
16 sell or offer for sale, whether it be by retail, wholesale or by
17 auction, any electrical appliance to which is not affixed
18 thereto a tag bearing the following in clearly legible type:
19 "The cost of operating this appliance over its lifetime
20 should be considered in making the best purchase. Electrical
21 costs vary, but, based on 4¢ per kilowatt an hour, average use
22 of this appliance at maximum setting will cost $.......... per
23 year. Your wise use of this appliance can reduce this cost." The
24 manufacturer shall be responsible for determining the cost and
25 may employ the services of any outside agency approved by the
26 Department of Justice for said purpose.
27 Section 4. Any advertisement of the sale of electrical
28 appliances shall contain the information required pursuant to
29 sections 2 and 3 with the exception of the model number
30 requirement in section 2(a)(3).
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1 Section 5. (a) Whenever it shall appear to the Attorney
2 General or his designee that a person has engaged in, is
3 engaging in or is about to engage in any practice in violation
4 of this act he may seek and obtain an injunction prohibiting the
5 person from continuing those practices or engaging therein or
6 doing any acts in furtherance thereof.
7 (b) The provisions of this act shall not apply to casual
8 sales.
9 Section 6. Any person who violates this act shall be
10 sentenced to pay a fine of $100 for the first offense and $250
11 for any subsequent offense.
12 Section 7. The Department of Justice may make rules and
13 regulations to carry out the purposes of this act.
14 Section 8. This act shall take effect in six months.
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