Pro-consumer legislation that would significantly simplify the state’s Price Gouging Law was unanimously approved by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives today by a vote of 193-0 and moves to the state Senate for consideration.
If enacted, PFMA and its supporters believe the measure, sponsored by state Sen. Randy Vulakovich (R38), would benefit consumers and retailers by:
- Eliminating arbitrary and subjective standards and establishing clear measures for excessive price increases to provide the consumer with a clear understanding of the price gouging law.
- Reducing a 20 percent price increase standard to a 10 percent threshold, adding significant insulation from excessive price increases and making it easier for the state Attorney General to prosecute offenders on behalf of our consumers.
- Removing a vague, undefined and overly complicated “average price” as the benchmark price and replacing it with the clear standard of the “price immediately before” the emergency.
- Allowing retailers to respond to normal market fluctuations that are independent of an emergency. This provides an incentive to sellers to provide products to areas under an emergency by allowing them to sell at a price that is comparable to areas that are not affected.
“This legislation positively impacts both consumers and retailers across Pennsylvania, particularly in
cases where a state of emergency has been declared,” PFMA President & CEO Alex Baloga said. “We
stand with the coalition of business organizations that support the swift concurrence in the Senate and a
signature by Gov. Tom Wolf to enact this important piece of legislation.”
PFMA would like to thank its coalition partners and elected officials and staff for their hard work on this
legislation, in particular sponsor Sen. Vulakovich, state Rep. Steve Barrar (R-160), state Rep. Chris
Sainato (D-9), and leadership in the House of Representatives.
