Bill Text: CT HB06544 | 2013 | General Assembly | Introduced

Connecticut House Bill 6544 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: An Act Establishing A Task Force To Study Price Gouging During Release Of Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Funds.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-01 - Public Hearing 03/05 [HB06544 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2013-HB06544-Introduced.html


General Assembly		*Raised Bill No. 6544*
*January Session, 2013*		LCO No. 3727
		03727_______HS_
Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
Introduced by:
(HS)

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY PRICE GOUGING DURING RELEASE OF FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to study whether any food stores in the state engage in price gouging coinciding with the release of federal supplemental nutrition assistance program funds to low-income recipients. Such study shall include, but not be limited to: (1) A comparison of the prices of milk, bread, meat and other food items in the seven days before and after the release of such funds, as reported by consumers on the task force and verified with dated receipts and, if applicable, advertisements by the stores; and (2) an analysis of other factors which may lead to price increases during the period when such funds are released.

(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:

(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a consumer who is a recipient of supplemental nutrition assistance program funds and one representative of the Connecticut Association for Community Action;

(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be a consumer who is a recipient of supplemental nutrition assistance program funds and one representative of the Connecticut Association for Community Action;

(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives;

(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;

(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;

(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;

(7) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the commissioner's designee;

(8) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's designee; and

(9) A representative of the Connecticut Food Association, who shall be appointed by the Governor.

(c) A member of the task force appointed under subdivision (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.

(d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.

(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force, from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section.

(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.

(g) Not later than January 1, 2014, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and consumer protection, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 1, 2014, whichever is later.


This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	from passage	New section

Statement of Purpose:

To determine whether any stores selling food in the state engage in price gouging during the release of federal supplemental nutrition assistance program funds.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]