Bill Text: MA H267 | 2009-2010 | 186th General Court | Introduced
Bill Title: Rebate reform and consumer protection in social referral service contracts
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-01-20 - Public Hearing date 9/23 at 10:00 AM in Room 437 [H267 Detail]
Download: Massachusetts-2009-H267-Introduced.html
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
PRESENTED BY:
John D. Keenan
_______________
To the
Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts in General
��������������� Court assembled:
��������������� The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to rebate reform and consumer protection.
_______________
PETITION OF:
|
Name: |
District/Address: |
|
John D. Keenan |
7th Essex |
|
Mary E. Grant |
6th Essex |
|
Christine E. Canavan |
10th Plymouth |
|
Kay Khan |
11th Middlesex |
|
David P. Linsky |
5th Middlesex |
|
Tom Sannicandro |
7th Middlesex |
|
Cleon H. Turner |
1st Barnstable |
|
David B. Sullivan |
6th Bristol |
|
Tom Sannicandro |
7th Middlesex |
|
Jennifer M. Callahan |
18th Worcester |
|
Kathi-Anne Reinstein |
16th Suffolk |
|
Denise Provost |
27th Middlesex |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS
SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 167 OF 2007-2008.]
The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts
_______________
In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
_______________
An Act relative to rebate reform and consumer protection.
��������������� Be
it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Chapter 93A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
Section 12A for the purposes of this section a social referral service contract shall be defined as any service for a fee providing for the matching of members of consenting adults by use of computer or any other means, for the purpose of dating and general social contact.� No social referral contract shall extend for a period of time exceeding 2 years.� No such contract shall require the purchaser to purchase a good or service which is directly or indirectly related to the social referral service.� Such services shall be known as ancillary services which they shall not be required as a condition of the social referral service contract.
If the cost of such contract exceeds $25, the seller must furnish the consumer with a minimum number of referrals each month.� If the minimum number of referrals is not met for 2 successive months, the consumer shall have the option of canceling the contract and receiving a full refund minus a cancellation fee not to exceed 15 percent of the contract price or a pro rata amount based on the number of referrals furnished.� Such contracts shall specify the distance the consumer is willing to travel to meet a social referral.� Such contracts shall contain a policy to address the situation of the consumer moving outside the area service.� Violations of such contracts may be adjudicated in a court of competent jurisdiction.
Such contracts shall provide the consumer the right to place his membership on hold for a period not to exceed 1 year provided, however the agency and consumer may agree to a longer period not to exceed 2 years.� Each contract shall provide that the consumer may cancel within 3 days of execution without fee.� Such cancellation shall be by certified or registered to an address specified in the contract.���
