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Pennsylvania State Senate
04/25/2024 04:38 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20210&cosponId=37746
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: September 26, 2022 11:27 AM
From: Senator Katie J. Muth
To: All Senate members
Subject: Strengthening Pennsylvania’s Price Gouging Act
 
I will soon be introducing companion legislation to House Bill 2131, introduced by Representative Carol Hill-Evans, which will strengthen Pennsylvania’s Price Gouging Act. During a disaster, the last thing Commonwealth residents should have to endure is price gouging. In June 2020, the Office of the Attorney General reported that it received more than 5,000 complaints about price gouging due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As elected leaders, we must ensure fairness for all consumers by preventing corporations from charging overly inflated prices or fees for crucial goods and services.
 
This legislation will extend current provisions in the Price Gouging Act to explicitly cover periods of disruption caused by disease, such as a global pandemic. These provisions will also be expanded to apply to housing rental rates and fees charged by contractors performing clean-up services after a disaster. Additionally, private citizens and district attorneys will gain the ability to file civil actions for violations of this act, which currently only the Attorney General may do.
 
There have been numerous examples nationwide of companies exploiting desperate people during emergencies by charging excessively high prices, simply because they can. Whether cleaning up after a storm or purchasing lifesaving personal protective equipment, they must be held accountable when they take advantage of people during their time of greatest need.
 
Unfortunately, we do not know when the next disaster will strike, but we must remain firmly committed to standing up for citizens and be prepared to prevent price gouging. Please co-sponsor this legislation to help guarantee fairness for vulnerable Pennsylvanians and protect renters and homeowners from drastically inflated costs during and after an emergency.