PRINTER'S NO. 777
No. 684 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY BUNT, THOMAS, PRESTON, FICHTER, BAKER, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BROWNE, CORNELL, COSTA, CRAHALLA, CURRY, DENLINGER, J. EVANS, FABRIZIO, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GANNON, GEIST, GEORGE, GILLESPIE, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HENNESSEY, JAMES, KOTIK, LEACH, MANDERINO, MANN, McILHINNEY, MUNDY, NAILOR, O'NEILL, PALLONE, PAYNE, PETRI, PICKETT, PISTELLA, READSHAW, REICHLEY, ROEBUCK, SAINATO, SATHER, SCAVELLO, SEMMEL, B. SMITH, SOLOBAY, STABACK, E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, WALKO, WANSACZ AND YOUNGBLOOD, MARCH 1, 2005
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, MARCH 1, 2005
AN ACT 1 Relating to protecting the purchasers of defective computer 2 equipment. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 Section 1. Short title. 5 Section 2. Definitions. 6 Section 3. Notice to purchaser. 7 Section 4. Coverage and coverage period. 8 Section 5. Records. 9 Section 6. Civil actions. 10 Section 7. Attorney fees. 11 Section 8. Prohibited defenses. 12 Section 9. Expert witness. 13 Section 10. Rights preserved. 14 Section 11. Nonwaiver.
1 Section 12. Applicability. 2 Section 13. Effective date. 3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 4 hereby enacts as follows: 5 Section 1. Short title. 6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Computer 7 Lemon Law. 8 Section 2. Definitions. 9 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 10 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 11 context clearly indicates otherwise: 12 "Brand-new computer." A computer device which has been 13 recently assembled, is unused and contains no reconditioned 14 parts. 15 "Computer device." A central processing unit or terminal 16 display screen, including all circuitry and connective devices, 17 a printer, a modem, a scanner or any other device used with a 18 computer or any programming for a computer, whether preinstalled 19 or purchased separately. 20 "Date of sale or lease." The date when a computer device is 21 first delivered to a purchaser. 22 "Manufacturer." A person or for-profit entity engaged in the 23 business of manufacturing or assembling computers or computer 24 software or accessories. 25 "Nonconformity." A defect, condition or malfunction that 26 impairs the use of a computer device or causes it to operate in 27 a manner not intended. 28 "Notice." The method by which a purchaser advises a 29 manufacturer of a nonconformity. Notice may be transmitted by 30 any of the following means: 20050H0684B0777 - 2 -
1 (1) Certified or registered mail, return receipt 2 requested. 3 (2) Facsimile transmission. 4 (3) Electronically. 5 (4) E-mail. 6 (5) Any means provided for in the manufacturer's 7 warranty or service materials. 8 "Purchaser." A person who is a resident or temporary 9 resident of this Commonwealth or a business entity that has 10 fewer than 30 personal computers acting either in concert with a 11 network or as stand-alone machines and who obtains a computer 12 device by lease, retail sale, Internet sale, gift, special 13 contract or other transaction, whether delivered or currently 14 located in this Commonwealth. 15 Section 3. Notice to purchaser. 16 (a) Purchaser's rights.--At the time of sale or lease of a 17 computer device, a purchaser must be provided an accurate 18 written statement of the purchaser's rights established by this 19 act. The statement must be printed in 14-point boldface type. 20 The manufacturer must secure from the purchaser a signed 21 acknowledgement that the manufacturer has explained to the 22 purchaser his or her rights and that the purchaser understands 23 those rights. Unless a signed acknowledgement of rights is 24 secured, the time limits specified in section 4 (relating to 25 coverage and coverage period) must be tolled. 26 (b) Disclosure.--At the time of sale of a computer device, 27 the manufacturer must conspicuously disclose the name and 28 version number of all software programs or combinations of 29 programs that will or may be likely to cause operating problems 30 with the computer device. In any action brought under this act, 20050H0684B0777 - 3 -
1 when there is a claim that such a disclosure was not made, the 2 burden is on the manufacturer to prove that such a disclosure 3 was made. 4 Section 4. Coverage and coverage period. 5 (a) Repairs.--A purchaser of a computer device is entitled 6 to effective repairs by the manufacturer for any nonconformity 7 that arises during the first 24 months of use, at no cost to the 8 purchaser. However, if the manufacturer has issued a warranty or 9 service contract, the coverage period must be the greater of the 10 term specified in the warranty or service contract or 24 months 11 from the date of purchase. 12 (b) Conditions of repairs.--Within five business days after 13 receiving notice from a purchaser of a nonconformity, plus 14 reasonable time for shipping of not more than three business 15 days, the manufacturer must repair any computer device and 16 return it to the purchaser subject to the following conditions: 17 (1) If onsite service is provided for in the warranty, 18 repairs must be made at the purchaser's location without 19 charge. 20 (2) If onsite service is not provided for in the 21 warranty, the manufacturer must arrange and pay for the cost 22 of shipping from the purchaser's location. 23 (3) If onsite service is conducted by the purchaser who, 24 at the manufacturer's direction, performs diagnostic tests or 25 troubleshooting procedures or attempts repairs, including, 26 but not limited to, partial disassembly, the service is 27 considered to be conducted by the manufacturer. 28 (4) All repairs must be guaranteed by the manufacturer 29 for a term of two years. 30 (c) Second opportunity for repairs.--If the repair is 20050H0684B0777 - 4 -
1 ineffective, the manufacturer must have, upon notice from the 2 purchaser, a second opportunity to make an effective repair at 3 the purchaser's physical location, provided that the repair is 4 completed within three business days. The manufacturer may not 5 require the purchaser to ship the unit back to the manufacturer 6 for the final repair opportunity regardless of the 7 manufacturer's willingness to pay for shipping costs. 8 (d) Election by purchaser.--If the second repair is 9 ineffective or if the manufacturer fails to timely respond to 10 the purchaser as required under this section, the purchaser may 11 elect to do either of the following: 12 (1) Receive from the manufacturer a refund of the full 13 purchase price paid at the time of sale or the full value of 14 the lease, as the case may be, plus finance and collateral 15 charges. 16 (2) Receive from the manufacturer delivery of a brand- 17 new computer device of equal or greater value than the 18 original price paid at the time of acquisition, without 19 charge or offset for use. 20 If more than one nonconformity has been subject to repair, no 21 second repair attempt is required before the purchaser may seek 22 the remedies provided in this act. 23 (e) Manufacturers' rights.--A manufacturer may, at its 24 discretion, request return of the unrepaired computer device at 25 cost if the manufacturer has replaced the unit or refunded the 26 purchase price. 27 (f) Resale.--A computer device returned in accordance with 28 this section may not be resold in this Commonwealth. Any person 29 who violates this subsection shall be subject, in addition to 30 any other remedies provided by law, to damages in the amount of 20050H0684B0777 - 5 -
1 treble the purchase price paid by that purchaser for the device. 2 (g) Manufacturer.--Any manufacturer who refuses to honor the 3 terms of any warranty booklet or materials delivered to the 4 purchaser at, prior to or after the delivery of the computer 5 device is in violation of this act and shall be subject, in 6 addition to any other remedies provided by law, to damages in 7 the amount of treble the purchase price paid by that purchaser 8 for the device. 9 Section 5. Records. 10 A manufacturer must retain records of all contacts, 11 communications, notice transmissions or customer service 12 dialogues between itself and a purchaser and must maintain a 13 list, by serial number, of all refunds or replacements made 14 under this act. Copies must be made available to the purchaser 15 upon demand, regardless of whether the manufacturer uses the 16 services of a third party to manage purchaser claims. Failure to 17 comply with this section is a violation of this act and, in 18 addition to any other remedies provided by law, the original 19 purchaser is entitled to damages in the amount of treble the 20 purchase price paid by that purchaser for the device. 21 Section 6. Civil actions. 22 (a) Damages.--If the manufacturer of a computer device 23 violates any provision of this act, the purchaser may initiate a 24 civil action to recover as damages any and all remedies 25 specified in this act. 26 (b) Other damages.--In addition to refund or replacement of 27 the computer device under this act, a prevailing purchaser is 28 entitled to an additional award of $6,000. 29 (c) Corporate representation.--If a purchaser initiates an 30 action in this Commonwealth for a violation of this act, the 20050H0684B0777 - 6 -
1 manufacturer must produce at each and every court proceeding in 2 that action a corporate representative who is fully aware of the 3 facts and circumstances of the case and has available for the 4 court's review a copy of all records required by section 5 5 (relating to records). 6 Section 7. Attorney fees. 7 If a purchaser prevails in a claim under this act, the 8 manufacturer must pay the purchaser's reasonable attorney fees, 9 costs and expert expenses in resolving and, if necessary, 10 litigating an action under this act, regardless of the cost of 11 the computer device. 12 Section 8. Prohibited defenses. 13 It is not a defense under this act that a nonconformity was 14 caused by a software programming problem under the following 15 conditions: 16 (1) The software was preinstalled by the manufacturer. 17 (2) The manufacturer produces an expert witness at the 18 proceedings who examined the computer device and can specify 19 the exact cause and correction of the problem. 20 (3) The manufacturer has strictly complied with the 21 notice provisions of section 3 (relating to notice to 22 purchaser). 23 Section 9. Expert witness. 24 A purchaser who seeks relief under this act shall not under 25 any circumstances be required to retain the opinion of an expert 26 to prevail against a manufacturer. 27 Section 10. Rights preserved. 28 Nothing in this act limits the purchaser from pursuing any 29 other rights or remedies under any other law, contract or 30 warranty. 20050H0684B0777 - 7 -
1 Section 11. Nonwaiver. 2 The provisions of this act may not be waived by a purchaser. 3 Section 12. Applicability. 4 This act applies to all computer devices purchased, leased or 5 delivered to a purchaser on or after the effective date of this 6 act. 7 Section 13. Effective date. 8 This act shall take effect in 180 days or the first January 9 succeeding the date of enactment, whichever is later. A14L12JS/20050H0684B0777 - 8 -