HOUSE BILL NO. 5727
April 24, 2020, Introduced by Rep. Iden and
referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 331, entitled
"Michigan consumer protection act,"
by amending
section 3 (MCL 445.903), as amended by 2018 PA 211, and by adding section 3j;
and to repeal acts and parts of acts.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE
OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 3. (1) Unfair, unconscionable, or deceptive
methods, acts, or practices in the conduct of trade or commerce are unlawful
and are defined as follows:
(a) Causing a probability
of confusion or misunderstanding as to the source, sponsorship, approval, or
certification of goods or services.
(b) Using deceptive representations
or deceptive designations of geographic origin in connection with goods or
services.
(c) Representing that
goods or services have sponsorship, approval, characteristics, ingredients,
uses, benefits, or quantities that they do not have or that a person has
sponsorship, approval, status, affiliation, or connection that he or she does
not have.
(d) Representing that
goods are new if they are deteriorated, altered, reconditioned, used, or
secondhand.
(e) Representing that
goods or services are of a particular standard, quality, or grade, or that
goods are of a particular style or model, if they are of another.
(f) Disparaging the
goods, services, business, or reputation of another by false or misleading
representation of fact.
(g) Advertising or
representing goods or services with intent not to dispose of those goods or
services as advertised or represented.
(h) Advertising goods or
services with intent not to supply reasonably expectable public demand, unless
the advertisement discloses a limitation of quantity in immediate conjunction
with the advertised goods or services.
(i) Making false or
misleading statements of fact concerning the reasons for, existence of, or
amounts of price reductions.
(j) Representing that a
part, replacement, or repair service is needed when it is not.
(k) Representing to a
party to whom goods or services are supplied that the goods or services are
being supplied in response to a request made by or on behalf of the party, when
they are not.
(l) Misrepresenting that because of some defect in a consumer's
home the health, safety, or lives of the consumer or his or her family are in
danger if the product or services are not purchased, when in fact the defect
does not exist or the product or services would not remove the danger.
(m) Causing a probability of confusion or of misunderstanding
with respect to the authority of a salesperson, representative, or agent to
negotiate the final terms of a transaction.
(n) Causing a probability of confusion or of misunderstanding
as to the legal rights, obligations, or remedies of a party to a transaction.
(o) Causing a probability of confusion or of misunderstanding
as to the terms or conditions of credit if credit is extended in a transaction.
(p) Disclaiming or limiting the implied warranty of
merchantability and fitness for use, unless a disclaimer is clearly and
conspicuously disclosed.
(q) Representing or implying that the subject of a consumer
transaction will be provided promptly, or at a specified time, or within a
reasonable time, if the merchant knows or has reason to know it will not be so
provided.
(r) Representing that a consumer will receive goods or
services "free" or "without charge", or using words of
similar import in the representation, without clearly and conspicuously
disclosing with equal prominence in immediate conjunction with the use of those
words the conditions, terms, or prerequisites to the use or retention of the
goods or services advertised.
(s) Failing to reveal a material fact, the omission of which
tends to mislead or deceive the consumer, and which fact could not reasonably
be known by the consumer.
(t) Entering into a consumer transaction in which the
consumer waives or purports to waive a right, benefit, or immunity provided by
law, unless the waiver is clearly stated and the consumer has specifically
consented to it.
(u) Failing, in a consumer transaction that is rescinded,
canceled, or otherwise terminated in accordance with the terms of an agreement,
advertisement, representation, or provision of law, to promptly restore to the
person or persons entitled to it a deposit, down payment, or other payment, or
in the case of property traded in but not available, the greater of the agreed
value or the fair market value of the property, or to cancel within a specified
time or an otherwise reasonable time an acquired security interest.
(v) Taking or arranging for the consumer to sign an
acknowledgment, certificate, or other writing affirming acceptance, delivery,
compliance with a requirement of law, or other performance, if the merchant
knows or has reason to know that the statement is not true.
(w) Representing that a consumer will receive a rebate,
discount, or other benefit as an inducement for entering into a transaction, if
the benefit is contingent on an event to occur subsequent to the consummation
of the transaction.
(x) Taking advantage of the consumer's inability reasonably
to protect his or her interests by reason of disability, illiteracy, or
inability to understand the language of an agreement presented by the other
party to the transaction who knows or reasonably should know of the consumer's
inability.
(y) Gross discrepancies between the oral representations of
the seller and the written agreement covering the same transaction or failure
of the other party to the transaction to provide the promised benefits.
(z) Charging the consumer a price that is grossly in excess
of the price at which similar property or services are sold.
(aa) Causing coercion and duress as the result of the time
and nature of a sales presentation.
(bb) Making a representation of fact or statement of fact
material to the transaction such that a person reasonably believes the
represented or suggested state of affairs to be other than it actually is.
(cc) Failing to reveal facts that are material to the
transaction in light of representations of fact made in a positive manner.
(dd) Subject to subdivision (ee), representations by the
manufacturer of a product or package that the product or package is 1 or more
of the following:
(i) Except as
provided in subparagraph (ii), recycled,
recyclable, degradable, or is of a certain recycled content, in violation of
guides for the use of environmental marketing claims, 16 CFR part 260.
(ii) For container
holding devices regulated under part 163 of the natural resources and
environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.16301 to 324.16303,
representations by a manufacturer that the container holding device is
degradable contrary to the definition provided in that act.
(ee) Representing that a product or package is degradable,
biodegradable, or photodegradable unless it can be substantiated by evidence
that the product or package will completely decompose into elements found in
nature within a reasonably short period of time after consumers use the product
and dispose of the product or the package in a landfill or composting facility,
as appropriate.
(ff) Offering a consumer a prize if in order to claim the
prize the consumer is required to submit to a sales presentation, unless a
written disclosure is given to the consumer at the time the consumer is
notified of the prize and the written disclosure meets all of the following
requirements:
(i) Is written or
printed in a bold type that is not smaller than 10-point.
(ii) Fully describes
the prize, including its cash value, won by the consumer.
(iii) Contains all the
terms and conditions for claiming the prize, including a statement that the
consumer is required to submit to a sales presentation.
(iv) Fully describes
the product, real estate, investment, service, membership, or other item that
is or will be offered for sale, including the price of the least expensive item
and the most expensive item.
(gg) Violating 1971 PA 227, MCL 445.111 to 445.117, in
connection with a home solicitation sale or telephone solicitation, including,
but not limited to, having an independent courier service or other third party
pick up a consumer's payment on a home solicitation sale during the period the
consumer is entitled to cancel the sale.
(hh) Except as provided in subsection (3), requiring a
consumer to disclose his or her Social Security number as a condition to
selling or leasing goods or providing a service to the consumer, unless any of
the following apply:
(i) The selling,
leasing, providing, terms of payment, or transaction includes an application
for or an extension of credit to the consumer.
(ii) The disclosure is
required or authorized by applicable state or federal statute, rule, or
regulation.
(iii) The disclosure is
requested by a person to obtain a consumer report for a permissible purpose
described in section 604 of the fair credit reporting act, 15 USC 1681b.
(iv) The disclosure is
requested by a landlord, lessor, or property manager to obtain a background
check of the individual in conjunction with the rent or leasing of real
property.
(v) The disclosure is
requested from an individual to effect, administer or enforce a specific
telephonic or other electronic consumer transaction that is not made in person
but is requested or authorized by the individual if it is to be used solely to
confirm the identity of the individual through a fraud prevention service
database. The consumer good or service shall must still be provided to the consumer upon
verification of his or her identity if he or she refuses to provide his or her
Social Security number but provides other information or documentation that can
be used by the person to verify his or her identity. The person may inform the
consumer that verification through other means than use of the Social Security
number may cause a delay in providing the service or good to the consumer.
(ii) If a credit card or debit card is used for payment in a
consumer transaction, issuing or delivering a receipt to the consumer that
displays any part of the expiration date of the card or more than the last 4
digits of the consumer's account number. This subdivision does not apply if the
only receipt issued in a consumer transaction is a credit card or debit card
receipt on which the account number or expiration date is handwritten,
mechanically imprinted, or photocopied. This subdivision applies to any
consumer transaction that occurs on or after March 1, 2005, except that if a
credit or debit card receipt is printed in a consumer transaction by an electronic
device, this subdivision applies to any consumer transaction that occurs using
that device only after 1 of the following dates, as applicable:
(i) If the electronic
device is placed in service after March 1, 2005, July 1, 2005 or the date the
device is placed in service, whichever is later.
(ii) If the electronic
device is in service on or before March 1, 2005, July 1, 2006.
(jj) Violating section 11 of the identity theft protection
act, 2004 PA 452, MCL 445.71.
(kk) Advertising or conducting a live musical performance or
production in this state through the use of a false, deceptive, or misleading
affiliation, connection, or association between a performing group and a
recording group. This subdivision does not apply if any of the following are
met:
(i) The performing
group is the authorized registrant and owner of a federal service mark for that
group registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
(ii) At least 1 member
of the performing group was a member of the recording group and has a legal
right to use the recording group's name, by virtue of use or operation under
the recording group's name without having abandoned the name or affiliation
with the recording group.
(iii) The live musical
performance or production is identified in all advertising and promotion as a
salute or tribute and the name of the vocal or instrumental group performing is
not so closely related or similar to that used by the recording group that it
would tend to confuse or mislead the public.
(iv) The advertising
does not relate to a live musical performance or production taking place in
this state.
(v) The performance
or production is expressly authorized by the recording group.
(ll) Violating section
3e, 3f, 3g, 3h, 3i, 3j, or
3k.
(2) The attorney general may promulgate rules to implement
this act under the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL
24.201 to 24.328. The rules shall
must not
create an additional unfair trade practice not already enumerated by this
section. However, to assure national uniformity, rules shall must not be promulgated
to implement subsection (1)(dd) or (ee).
(3) Subsection (1)(hh) does not apply to either of the
following:
(a) Providing a service related to the administration of
health-related or dental-related benefits or services to patients, including
provider contracting or credentialing. This subdivision is intended to limit
the application of subsection (1)(hh) and is not intended to imply that this
act would otherwise apply to health-related or dental-related benefits.
(b) An employer providing benefits or services to an
employee.
Sec. 3j. (1) A person shall not resell
a product in this state at a price that is grossly in excess of the purchase
price at which the person acquired the product.
(2) A person shall not offer for sale or sell any product in this state at a price that is more than 20% higher than what the person offered or charged for that product as of March 9, 2020, unless the person demonstrates that the price increase is attributable to an increase in the cost of bringing the product to market or to an extraordinary discount in effect as of March 9, 2020.
(3) A person who willfully violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $500.00, or both.
(4) As used in this section, "product" means any good, material, or consumer food item with a fair market value of less than $1,000.00, or any emergency supply.
Enacting section 1. Section 3j of the Michigan consumer protection act, 1976 PA 331, MCL 445.903j, is repealed effective June 1, 2020.