2002 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 731 – Disaster/unfair price/phrmaceuticls

HOUSE BILL NO. 731

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Daily Data Tracking History



H0731aa....................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
DISASTERS - UNFAIR PRICING - Amends existing law relating to unfair pricing
following a disaster or emergency to provide application to the sale of
pharmaceuticals; to provide facts and circumstances a court shall take into
consideration in determining whether a price is exorbitant or excessive;
and to clarify when no private cause of action exists.
                                                                        
03/06    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
03/07    Rpt prt - to Gen Ord
    Rpt out amen - to engros
03/08    Rpt engros - 1st rdg - to 2nd rdg as amen
    Rls susp - PASSED - 59-6-5
      AYES -- Aikele, Barraclough, Bell, Bieter, Black, Block, Boe, Bolz,
      Bruneel, Callister, Campbell, Collins, Cuddy, Deal, Denney, Ellis,
      Ellsworth, Eskridge, Field(13), Field(20), Gagner, Hadley, Hammond,
      Harwood, Henbest, Higgins, Hornbeck, Jaquet, Jones, Kellogg, Kendell,
      Kunz, Lake, Langford, Mader, Martinez, Meyer, Montgomery, Mortensen,
      Moyle, Pearce, Pomeroy, Raybould, Roberts, Robison, Sali, Schaefer,
      Sellman, Shepherd, Smith(33), Smith(23), Smylie, Stevenson, Stone,
      Tilman, Trail, Wheeler, Young, Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- Barrett, Bedke, Crow, Loertscher, McKague, Wood
      Absent and excused -- Bradford, Clark, Gould, Pischner, Ridinger
    Floor Sponsor - Smylie
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/11    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to St Aff
03/12    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/13    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/15    3rd rdg - PASSED - 35-0-0
      AYES -- Andreason, Boatright, Branch Brandt, Bunderson, Burtenshaw,
      Cameron, Darrington, Davis, Deide, Dunklin, Frasure, Geddes, Goedde,
      Hawkins, Hill, Ingram, Ipsen, Keough, King-Barrutia, Little, Lodge,
      Marley, Noh, Richardson, Risch, Sandy, Schroeder, Sims, Sorensen,
      Stegner, Stennett, Thorne, Wheeler, Williams
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor - Richardson
    Title apvd - to House
    To enrol - rpt enrol - Sp signed - Pres signed
03/18    To Governor
03/27    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 358
         Effective: 07/01/02

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2002
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 731
                                                                        
                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO UNFAIR METHODS AND PRACTICES UNDER THE  CONSUMER  PROTECTION  ACT;
  3        AMENDING  SECTION 48-603, IDAHO CODE, AS AMENDED BY SECTION 2, SENATE BILL
  4        NO. 1357, ENACTED BY THE SECOND REGULAR SESSION OF THE  FIFTY-SIXTH  IDAHO
  5        LEGISLATURE, TO PROVIDE APPLICATION TO SALE OF PHARMACEUTICALS, TO PROVIDE
  6        FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES A COURT SHALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IN DETERMIN-
  7        ING WHETHER A PRICE IS EXORBITANT OR EXCESSIVE AND TO CLARIFY WHEN NO PRI-
  8        VATE CAUSE OF ACTION EXISTS.
                                                                        
  9        Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 10        SECTION 1.  That Section 48-603, Idaho Code, as amended by Section 2, Sen-
 11    ate  Bill  No.  1357, enacted by the Second Regular Session of the Fifty-sixth
 12    Idaho Legislature,  be, and the same is hereby amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 13        48-603.  UNFAIR METHODS AND PRACTICES. The  following  unfair  methods  of
 14    competition  and  unfair  or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any
 15    trade or commerce are hereby declared to be unlawful, where a person knows, or
 16    in the exercise of due care should know, that he has in the past, or is:
 17        (1)  Passing off goods or services as those of another;
 18        (2)  Causing likelihood of confusion or  of  misunderstanding  as  to  the
 19    source, sponsorship, approval, or certification of goods or services;
 20        (3)  Causing likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding as to affilia-
 21    tion, connection, or association with, or certification by, another;
 22        (4)  Using  deceptive representations or designations of geographic origin
 23    in connection with goods or services;
 24        (5)  Representing that goods or services have sponsorship, approval, char-
 25    acteristics, ingredients, uses, benefits, or quantities that they do not  have
 26    or that a person has a sponsorship, approval, status, affiliation, connection,
 27    qualifications or license that he does not have;
 28        (6)  Representing that goods are original or new if they are deteriorated,
 29    altered, reconditioned, reclaimed, used, or secondhand;
 30        (7)  Representing  that  goods  or  services are of a particular standard,
 31    quality, or grade, or that goods are of a particular style or model,  if  they
 32    are of another;
 33        (8)  Disparaging  the  goods, services, or business of another by false or
 34    misleading representation of fact;
 35        (9)  Advertising goods or services with intent not to sell them as  adver-
 36    tised;
 37        (10) Advertising  goods  or  services with intent not to supply reasonably
 38    expectable public demand, unless the advertisement discloses a  limitation  of
 39    quantity;
 40        (11) Making  false or misleading statements of fact concerning the reasons
 41    for, existence of, or amounts of price reductions;
 42        (12) Obtaining the signature of the buyer to a contract when  it  contains
 43    blank spaces to be filled in after it has been signed;
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        (13) Failing to deliver to the consumer at the time of the consumer's sig-
  2    nature  a  legible  copy  of  the  contract or of any other document which the
  3    seller or lender has required or requested the buyer to sign, and which he has
  4    signed, during or after the contract negotiation;
  5        (14) Making false or misleading statements of  fact  concerning  the  age,
  6    extent of use, or mileage of any goods;
  7        (15) Promising or offering to pay, credit or allow to any buyer or lessee,
  8    any  compensation  or  reward  in consideration of his giving to the seller or
  9    lessor the names of prospective purchasers or lessees, or otherwise aiding the
 10    seller or lessor in making a sale or lease to another person, if  the  earning
 11    of the rebate, discount or other value is contingent upon the occurrence of an
 12    event subsequent to the time the buyer or lessee agrees to buy or lease;
 13        (16) Representing  that  services,  replacements  or repairs are needed if
 14    they are not needed, or providing services, replacements or repairs  that  are
 15    not needed;
 16        (17) Engaging in any act or practice which is otherwise misleading, false,
 17    or deceptive to the consumer;
 18        (18) Engaging in any unconscionable method, act or practice in the conduct
 19    of  trade  or  commerce, as provided in section 48-603C, Idaho Code, provided,
 20    however, that the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a regulated
 21    lender as that term is defined in subsection (37) of section 28-41-301,  Idaho
 22    Code;
 23        (19) Taking  advantage of a disaster or emergency declared by the governor
 24    under chapter 10, title 46, Idaho Code, or the president of the United  States
 25    under  the  provisions  of  the disaster relief act of 1974, 42 U.S.C. section
 26    5121 et  seq.,  by  selling  or  offering  to  sell  fuel  or  food,  medicine
 27    pharmaceuticals,  or water for human consumption at an exorbitant or excessive
 28    price; provided however, this subsection shall apply only to the location  and
 29    for  the  duration  of  the declaration of emergency. In determining whether a
 30    price is exorbitant or excessive, the court shall take into consideration  the
 31    facts and circumstances including, but not limited to:
 32        (a)  A  comparison  between the price paid by the alleged violator for the
 33        fuel, food, pharmaceuticals, or water and the price for which the  alleged
 34        violator sold those same items to the ultimate consumer immediately before
 35        and after the period specified by the disaster or emergency declaration;
 36        (b)  Additional  costs  of doing business incurred by the alleged violator
 37        because of the disaster or emergency;
 38        (c)  The duration of the disaster or emergency declaration.
 39    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in  the  act,  no
 40    private cause of action exists under this subsection.

Amendment


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2002
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                     Moved by    Deal                
                                                                        
                                                     Seconded by Ellsworth           
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                              HOUSE AMENDMENT TO H.B. NO. 731
                                                                        
  1                                AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1
  2        On page 2 of the printed bill, in line 26, following  "sell"  insert:  "to
  3    the ultimate consumer".

Engrossed Bill (Original Bill with Amendment(s) Incorporated)


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2002
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                               HOUSE BILL NO. 731, As Amended
                                                                        
                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO UNFAIR METHODS AND PRACTICES UNDER THE  CONSUMER  PROTECTION  ACT;
  3        AMENDING  SECTION 48-603, IDAHO CODE, AS AMENDED BY SECTION 2, SENATE BILL
  4        NO. 1357, ENACTED BY THE SECOND REGULAR SESSION OF THE  FIFTY-SIXTH  IDAHO
  5        LEGISLATURE, TO PROVIDE APPLICATION TO SALE OF PHARMACEUTICALS, TO PROVIDE
  6        FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES A COURT SHALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IN DETERMIN-
  7        ING WHETHER A PRICE IS EXORBITANT OR EXCESSIVE AND TO CLARIFY WHEN NO PRI-
  8        VATE CAUSE OF ACTION EXISTS.
                                                                        
  9        Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 10        SECTION 1.  That Section 48-603, Idaho Code, as amended by Section 2, Sen-
 11    ate  Bill  No.  1357, enacted by the Second Regular Session of the Fifty-sixth
 12    Idaho Legislature,  be, and the same is hereby amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 13        48-603.  UNFAIR METHODS AND PRACTICES. The  following  unfair  methods  of
 14    competition  and  unfair  or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any
 15    trade or commerce are hereby declared to be unlawful, where a person knows, or
 16    in the exercise of due care should know, that he has in the past, or is:
 17        (1)  Passing off goods or services as those of another;
 18        (2)  Causing likelihood of confusion or  of  misunderstanding  as  to  the
 19    source, sponsorship, approval, or certification of goods or services;
 20        (3)  Causing likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding as to affilia-
 21    tion, connection, or association with, or certification by, another;
 22        (4)  Using  deceptive representations or designations of geographic origin
 23    in connection with goods or services;
 24        (5)  Representing that goods or services have sponsorship, approval, char-
 25    acteristics, ingredients, uses, benefits, or quantities that they do not  have
 26    or that a person has a sponsorship, approval, status, affiliation, connection,
 27    qualifications or license that he does not have;
 28        (6)  Representing that goods are original or new if they are deteriorated,
 29    altered, reconditioned, reclaimed, used, or secondhand;
 30        (7)  Representing  that  goods  or  services are of a particular standard,
 31    quality, or grade, or that goods are of a particular style or model,  if  they
 32    are of another;
 33        (8)  Disparaging  the  goods, services, or business of another by false or
 34    misleading representation of fact;
 35        (9)  Advertising goods or services with intent not to sell them as  adver-
 36    tised;
 37        (10) Advertising  goods  or  services with intent not to supply reasonably
 38    expectable public demand, unless the advertisement discloses a  limitation  of
 39    quantity;
 40        (11) Making  false or misleading statements of fact concerning the reasons
 41    for, existence of, or amounts of price reductions;
 42        (12) Obtaining the signature of the buyer to a contract when  it  contains
 43    blank spaces to be filled in after it has been signed;
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        (13) Failing to deliver to the consumer at the time of the consumer's sig-
  2    nature  a  legible  copy  of  the  contract or of any other document which the
  3    seller or lender has required or requested the buyer to sign, and which he has
  4    signed, during or after the contract negotiation;
  5        (14) Making false or misleading statements of  fact  concerning  the  age,
  6    extent of use, or mileage of any goods;
  7        (15) Promising or offering to pay, credit or allow to any buyer or lessee,
  8    any  compensation  or  reward  in consideration of his giving to the seller or
  9    lessor the names of prospective purchasers or lessees, or otherwise aiding the
 10    seller or lessor in making a sale or lease to another person, if  the  earning
 11    of the rebate, discount or other value is contingent upon the occurrence of an
 12    event subsequent to the time the buyer or lessee agrees to buy or lease;
 13        (16) Representing  that  services,  replacements  or repairs are needed if
 14    they are not needed, or providing services, replacements or repairs  that  are
 15    not needed;
 16        (17) Engaging in any act or practice which is otherwise misleading, false,
 17    or deceptive to the consumer;
 18        (18) Engaging in any unconscionable method, act or practice in the conduct
 19    of  trade  or  commerce, as provided in section 48-603C, Idaho Code, provided,
 20    however, that the provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a regulated
 21    lender as that term is defined in subsection (37) of section 28-41-301,  Idaho
 22    Code;
 23        (19) Taking  advantage of a disaster or emergency declared by the governor
 24    under chapter 10, title 46, Idaho Code, or the president of the United  States
 25    under  the  provisions  of  the disaster relief act of 1974, 42 U.S.C. section
 26    5121 et seq., by selling or offering to sell to the ultimate consumer fuel  or
 27    food,  medicine  pharmaceuticals, or water for human consumption at an exorbi-
 28    tant or excessive price; provided however, this subsection shall apply only to
 29    the location and for the duration of the declaration of emergency.  In  deter-
 30    mining  whether  a price is exorbitant or excessive, the court shall take into
 31    consideration the facts and circumstances including, but not limited to:
 32        (a)  A comparison between the price paid by the alleged violator  for  the
 33        fuel,  food, pharmaceuticals, or water and the price for which the alleged
 34        violator sold those same items to the ultimate consumer immediately before
 35        and after the period specified by the disaster or emergency declaration;
 36        (b)  Additional costs of doing business incurred by the  alleged  violator
 37        because of the disaster or emergency;
 38        (c)  The duration of the disaster or emergency declaration.
 39    Notwithstanding  anything  to  the contrary contained elsewhere in the act, no
 40    private cause of action exists under this subsection.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                     STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                           RS 12207

This legislation provides a clarification of the terms "exorbitant"
and "excessive". It eliminates the private causes of action which
could encourage class action lawsuits. It instructs a court to
consider the increased cost of doing business for a retailer during a
disaster. It replaces "medicine" with the more precise term
"pharmaceuticals".

                       FISCAL IMPACT
                              
None
                              
                              
                              
                              
                              
Contact
Name: Dick Rush, Idaho Association of Commerce & Industry
Phone:  208 343-1849
                                       
                               


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                 H 731