This bill, the Junk Fee Prevention Act, would limit hidden, excessive, or deceptive mandatory fees and require clearer price disclosures in several areas. Covered entities include short-term lodging providers, ticketing services, and other entities the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may add by rule. Key rules include showing the total price (including mandatory fees) in ads and when a price is first shown, not changing mandatory fees during a purchase, and banning excessive or deceptive mandatory fees. For ticket sellers, the bill requires disclosure of the total number of tickets offered at least 72 hours before public sale, full refunds when mandatory fees are refunded, disclosure of refund policies before purchase, and notices and refunds for speculative ticket sales that the seller does not yet possess. The FTC may make additional rules and must consider whether fees are reasonable and proportional to the seller's cost. The FTC would enforce these rules, and state attorneys general may bring civil actions with notice to the FTC.
The bill also covers communications services. It would prohibit excessive early termination fees and require prorated credit for the remainder of a billing cycle after service ends. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must put an aggregate price as a clear line item on consumer bills, disclose when introductory prices end and the post-promotion rate, and require similar aggregate-price disclosure in promotional materials. The FCC must start a rulemaking within 180 days to consider disclosing or prohibiting mandatory fees for covered services (including broadband, voice, mobile, and certain video services).
For air carriers, the Department of Transportation (Secretary) would require quarterly reports on revenue from ancillary fees. Reports must show total ancillary fee revenue, disaggregate by critical ancillary service and class of service, explain how fees are collected, and give the average charge for key services. The Department must compile and publish a quarterly report. The bill adds definitions for ancillary fees and lists examples of critical ancillary services like baggage, reservation changes, and seat selection.
No publicly available information on costs or budgetary effects is included in the bill text. The bill requires rulemakings, reporting, and enforcement by the FTC, FCC, and the Department of Transportation, but it does not provide cost estimates or appropriation details.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.