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SUDER CHAIRED COMMITTEE REJECTS GOUGING MEASURE
Thursday, September 11th, 2008 -- 11:43 am
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
From Wisconsin Radio Network
A legislative panel has rejected an effort to protect consumers from price gouging. The proposed rule from DATCP would have put a 15-percent cap on price increases during an emergency. State Representative Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) chairs the committee that rejected the measure.
"We asked them for several modifications," Suder says, "We're willing to negotiate with them, but they've refused to move on any of the items that we've asked them to reconsider or redraft."
"(DATCP) basically came back with the same bill. That's unacceptable."
Republicans had called for the cap to be set at 25-percent.
But when it comes to an issue like gas prices, State Representative Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) says that gives little protection to consumers.
"When you're talking about $4 gas, the price could jump to $5 before you would have any protection. 25% is pretty steep," Hintz argues.
But Suder says the higher cap is needed to protect small business owners.
"It's the opinion of many small business organizations...the clearing house rules go to far. They need to be changed to protect small businesses and consumers get their products to market during an emergency," Suder says.
The Legislature's Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules will now have to take up the issue.
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