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                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 1801

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 1424 Session of 2007


        INTRODUCED BY HARHAI, BAKER, BENNINGHOFF, BIANCUCCI, BISHOP,
           CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CASORIO, COSTA, CREIGHTON, CURRY,
           DeLUCA, DONATUCCI, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GRUCELA,
           HALUSKA, HARHART, HARRIS, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, M. KELLER,
           KOTIK, KULA, MAHONEY, MANDERINO, MELIO, MILLARD, R. MILLER,
           MOUL, O'NEILL, PETRONE, PHILLIPS, PYLE, RUBLEY, SONNEY,
           R. STEVENSON, SURRA, J. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TRUE, YOUNGBLOOD AND
           BOYD, JUNE 5, 2007

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, JUNE 5, 2007

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of December 17, 1968 (P.L.1224, No.387),
     2     entitled "An act prohibiting unfair methods of competition
     3     and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of
     4     any trade or commerce, giving the Attorney General and
     5     District Attorneys certain powers and duties and providing
     6     penalties," further defining "unfair or deceptive acts or
     7     practices"; and further providing for unlawful acts or
     8     practices.

     9     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    10  hereby enacts as follows:
    11     Section 1.  Section 2(4)(xxi) of the act of December 17, 1968
    12  (P.L.1224, No.387), known as the Unfair Trade Practices and
    13  Consumer Protection Law, reenacted and amended November 24, 1976
    14  (P.L.1166, No.260) and amended December 4, 1996 (P.L.906,
    15  No.146), is amended and the clause is amended by adding a
    16  subclause to read:
    17     Section 2.  Definitions.--As used in this act.
    18     * * *

     1     (4)  "Unfair methods of competition" and "unfair or deceptive
     2  acts or practices" mean any one or more of the following:
     3     * * *
     4     (xxi)  Including in any written material sent in the mails to
     5  the customer of a credit card company, a blank check containing
     6  the name and address or account number of the customer or other
     7  information that identifies the customer, provided that the
     8  check was not specifically requested by the customer and is
     9  designed for payment from the credit card company.
    10     [(xxi)] (xxii)  Engaging in any other fraudulent or deceptive
    11  conduct which creates a likelihood of confusion or of
    12  misunderstanding.
    13     * * *
    14     Section 2.  Section 3 of the act, amended November 29, 2006
    15  (P.L.1624, No.185), is amended to read:
    16     Section 3.  Unlawful Acts or Practices; Exclusions.--Unfair
    17  methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices
    18  in the conduct of any trade or commerce as defined by
    19  [subclauses (i) through (xxi) of] clause (4) of section 2 of
    20  this act and regulations promulgated under section 3.1 of this
    21  act are hereby declared unlawful. The provisions of this act
    22  shall not apply to any owner, agent or employe of any radio or
    23  television station, or to any owner, publisher, printer, agent
    24  or employe of an Internet service provider or a newspaper or
    25  other publication, periodical or circular, who, in good faith
    26  and without knowledge of the falsity or deceptive character
    27  thereof, publishes, causes to be published or takes part in the
    28  publication of such advertisement.
    29     Section 3.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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