SCASB254 2810 744 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS Regular Session ENROLLEDAmendments SENATEproposed BILLby NO.Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection and International Affairs to Original Senate Bill No.

254 BYby SENATORSenator MIZELLMizell ANAMENDMENT ACTNO. To enact Chapter 52 of Title 51 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised ofR.S.51:3081and3082,relativetodebitcardsurcharges;toprohibitcertainexcess surcharges;toprovideforliability;toprovideforaprivaterightofaction;toprovide forreportingrequirements;toprovideforenforcement;toprovideforcivilpenalties;

and1 toOn providepage for1, relatedline matters.2, delete "R.S.

Be9:3518.5 itand enacted3518.6" byand insert "Chapter 52 of Title 51 of the LegislatureLouisiana Revised Statutes of Louisiana:1950, to be comprised of R.S.

Section51:3081 1.and 3082" AMENDMENT NO.

2 On page 1, line 3, after "to provide" and before "reporting" insert "for" AMENDMENT NO.

3 On page 1, delete lines 7 through 9, and insert the following:

"Section 1.

DEBIT CARD SURCHARGE §3081.§3081.Debitcardsurcharge;prohibitingcertainexcessfees;liability;reporting" AMENDMENT NO.

Debit4 cardOn surcharge;page 2, delete lines 10 through 29, and insert the following:

prohibiting"§3082. certain excess fees;

liability;

definitions A.

As used in this Chapter:

(1)"Cardholder" means thepersonnamedonthefaceofadebitcardto whomorforwhosebenefitthedebitcardisissuedbyanissuerandincludesany employee or other agent or authorized user of the card.

(2)"Debitcard"meansacardorotherpaymentdevicethatdebitsfunds directly from a cardholder's deposit account.

(3) "Retail business" means any person or entity engaged in the sale of goods or services.

(4)"Surcharge" means anyadditional amount of moneyimposed atthe time of the transaction by a retail business that increases the charge to the cardholder for the privilege of using a debit card.

B.

In a sale of goods or services, a retail business shall not impose a surcharge on a cardholder who uses a debit card instead of cash, check, credit card, or any other similar means of payment.

C.(1)AretailbusinessthatviolatestheprovisionsofthisSectionshallbe Page 1 of 3 Coding:

Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SB NO.

254 ENROLLED liabletothecardholderforactualdamagesincurredasaresultoftheviolation.

(2)Priortofilingacivilaction,acardholdershallprovidewrittennotice of the alleged violation to the retail business.

If the retail business cures the violation and reimburses the cardholder for any surcharge assessed within thirty days after receipt of written notice, no private right of action shall arise from the alleged violation.

(3) A private right of action pursuant to this Section shall apply only to willfulviolations,repeatedviolations,orviolationsthatarenotcuredwithinthe time period provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection.

(4) Nothing in this Section shall limit the authority of the attorney general to enforce the provisions of this Chapter pursuant to R.S.

51:3082.

§3082.

penalties;penalties A.(1)Theattorneygeneralmaybringacivilactionagainstaretailbusinessthat violates the provisions of this Chapter." AMENDMENT NO.

reporting5 A.(1)On Thepage attorney3, generaldelete maylines bring1 aand civil2. action against a retail business that violates the provisions of this Chapter.

(2)AMENDMENT IfNO. a court of competent jurisdiction grants judgment or injunctive relief to the attorney general, the court shall award the attorney general reasonable attorney fees, court costs, and investigative costs.

(3)6 AOn personpage who3, violatesline an3, administrativechange order"(4)" orto court"(2)" orderAMENDMENT issuedNO. fora violation of this Section shall be subjecttoacivil penalty of notmorethan five hundred dollars for each violation.

A7 civilOn penaltypage may3, beline imposed6, inchange any"(5)" civilto action"(3)" broughtAMENDMENT byNO. the attorney general.

(4)8 AllOn moniespage received3, fromline the10, paymentchange of"(6)" a fine or civil penalty imposed and collected pursuant to the"(4)" provisionsAMENDMENT ofNO. this Section shall be used by the attorney general to promote consumer protection and education.

B.Theattorneygeneralshallestablishandmaintainatoll-freetelephone9 numberOn andpage an3, electronicline reporting13, systemchange for"D." cardholders to report"B." anAMENDMENT unlawfulNO. surcharge on a debit card.

C.10 On page 3, line 14, change "consumers" to "cardholders" AMENDMENT NO.

Any11 cardholderOn whopage is3, assessedline a16, surchargechange in"E." violationto of"C." thisand Chapterchange for"consumer" theto use"cardholder" ofand aat debitthe cardend mayof submitthe aline complaintdelete to"R.S." thePage attorney1 generalthroughthetoll-freenumberorelectronicreportingsystemestablishedof Page 2 ofSCASB254 32810 Coding:744 AMENDMENT NO.