HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 742        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 206

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act affecting the payment of rebates in retail stores..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 93 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 14K the following new section:—

            Section 14L.  (a) Definitions.  For the purposes of this section:

            “rebate” shall mean the return or reduction in price to a purchaser of any portion of the purchase price thereof of a consumer good whether purchased in person, by telephone, or by internet sale;

             (b) Every rebate, however advertised, offered or communicated to the public, shall be provided to a purchaser of the particular good or article, at the time of purchase by the retailer. 

            (c) It shall be a violation of this section to require a purchaser to obtain an offered rebate, by submission of information subsequent to the purchase using mail, electronic mail, telephone or other means of transmission.

            (d) Any person, firm, corporation or association offering a rebate, who violates this section shall be subject to a civil fine of not less than one hundred nor more than one thousand dollars for each such violation.

            (e) Violation of this section shall also constitute a violation of Chapter 93A and may be enforced under the procedures available under said Chapter.

             (f) This section shall take effect on the first day of January next succeeding the date of passage.