Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H4154 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4505 FILED ON: 8/1/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4154
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Jeffrey Rosario Turco
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to stores offering digital coupons.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Jeffrey Rosario Turco19th Suffolk8/1/2023 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4505 FILED ON: 8/1/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4154
18	18	By Representative Turco of Winthrop, a petition (subject to Joint Rule 12) of Jeffrey Rosario
19	19	Turco relative to stores offering digital coupons. Consumer Protection and Professional
20	20	Licensure.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
24	24	(2023-2024)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act relative to stores offering digital coupons.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 Chapter 94 of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
30	30	2 Section 330. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
31	31	3context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:
32	32	4 “Digital coupon”, a store coupon, rebate or similar instrument that is offered to a
33	33	5consumer through the internet or any other electronic method.
34	34	6 “Store”, any grocery store, supermarket or warehouse club, as defined in section 184B,
35	35	7whose primary business is selling either food for consumption off the seller’s premises alone or
36	36	8in combination with grocery items or other nondurable items typically found in a supermarket,
37	37	9and such items are sold at least in part to individuals own personal, family or household use.
38	38	10 “Store card”, a card, loyalty card, membership card or other device issued by a store and
39	39	11used by a consumer that confers certain benefits to cardholders including, but not limited to, 2 of 2
40	40	12discount prices upon presentation of the card. Application for a store card shall be made
41	41	13available to consumers either digitally or in person at the store.
42	42	14 (b) Any store offering digital coupons for sale goods at retail shall make available to a
43	43	15consumer a paper coupon of identical value.
44	44	16 (c) Any store offering digital coupons for sale goods at retail shall be required to apply
45	45	17said digital coupons to the purchases of any buyer 65 years old or older upon the presentation of
46	46	18a government issued photo identification.
47	47	19 (d) Upon presenting a store card, a consumer may ask a store cashier or a customer
48	48	20service representative if the store offers digital coupons. If the stores does offer digital coupons,
49	49	21the store shall apply all available digital coupons to the consumer’s purchase.
50	50	22 (e) A store that violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to $2,500
51	51	23 for a 1st offense and up to $5,000 for any subsequent offense.
52	52	24 (f) The office of the attorney general shall establish rules and regulations that are
53	53	25necessary to implement this section.