Disaster and Emergency Pricing Abuse Prevention Act

To clarify that the Federal Trade Commission Act prohibits excessive and unjustified price increases in the sale of certain products and services when an emergency or disaster results in abnormal disruptions of the market, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Disaster and Emergency Pricing Abuse Prevention Act 2. Definitions In this Act: (1) Commission The term Commission (2) Essential good or service The term essential good or service (3) Natural disaster The term natural disaster (4) State of emergency The term state of emergency (5) Unconscionably excessive price The term unconscionably excessive price 3. Federal Trade Commission enforcement against price gouging (a) Violation It shall be unlawful for any person to sell, or offer for sale, in or affecting commerce any essential good or service at an unconscionably excessive price during, or in anticipation of, a natural disaster, pandemic, or state of emergency. (b) Enforcement (1) Unfair or deceptive acts or practices A violation of this section or a regulation promulgated under this section shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B) (2) Powers of the commission (A) In general Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (C), the Commission shall enforce this section and the regulations promulgated under this section in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 41 et seq. (B) Privileges and immunities Any person who violates this section or a regulation promulgated under this section shall be subject to the penalties, and entitled to the privileges and immunities, provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 41 et seq. (C) Application to common carriers and nonprofit organizations Notwithstanding section 4, 5(a)(2), or 6 of the Federal Trade Commission Act ( 15 U.S.C. 44 (i) common carriers subject to the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 151 et seq. (ii) organizations not organized to carry on business for their own profit or that of their members. (3) Rulemaking The Commission may promulgate in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, such rules as may be necessary to carry out this section. (4) Effect on other laws Nothing in this section shall be construed in any way to limit the authority of the Commission under any other provision of law. 4. Price gouging hotline The Commission shall establish a telephone hotline and an online mechanism to enable the public to report price gouging complaints, which shall be activated in anticipation of or during a natural disaster, pandemic, or state of emergency and shall remain operational until 120 days after the conclusion of such disaster, pandemic, or state of emergency. 5. No preemption of State law Nothing in this Act preempts any State law.

Summary: Disaster and Emergency Pricing Abuse Prevention Act This bill makes it unlawful to sell, or offer for sale, an essential good or service at an unconscionably excessive price during, or in anticipation of, a natural disaster, pandemic, or state of emergency.