SB591 is bad for Missouri
If you live in Missouri, your consumer rights are under assault. By whom? Big businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Missouri legislature.
Missouri currently has a strong consumer protection law: the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act or MPA. It protects consumers from those that use unfair or deceptive business practices. Unfortunately, this law is in the crosshairs of business interests who want to increase profits at the expense of citizen’s rights.outlook india
Official Statement from National Consumer Law Center on SB591.
Missouri Senate Bill 591: Overview of Why it is Bad Law
- Allows a shady business to target less sophisticated consumers for deception if they don’t act “reasonably.” Imagine an elderly person being tricked into giving away their account information or signing a bogus document. That trickery is covered under the current MPA but wouldn’t be if SB591 passes.
- Allows a mortgage company to foreclose on your house or a repo company to take your car even if you are current on payments. The current MPA covers this misconduct. SB 591 takes your rights away.
- Allows a shady business to tack on predatory fees or made-up charges to a deal and sue people to collect them. The current MPA lets people sue back for this wrongdoing. SB591 takes this right away.
- SB 591 limits your rights to only a narrow category of deception. Currently, the MPA allows much broader protection to fight deceptions before, during, or after, the sale.
- Limits your right to damages. SB591 effectively removes your right to full recovery for all damages resulting from being scammed.
Call or email your legislator and tell them that you disagree with SB591’s objectives. You can find your Representative here.
Evil prevails when good people do nothing. SB591 is not written for the benefit of the people. The supporters of this bill want a license to cheat. We hope your voice in the legislature will preserve all consumers’ right to fair business practices.
