In the Media
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES: Illinois ‘junk’ fee legislation calling for price transparency, from airline or concert tickets to rent
03. 12. 2024
Legislation would require the total price of goods and services, especially extra fees, to be disclosed before customers try to pay.
This article originally appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Annoying “junk” fees added to your purchases are the target of proposed legislation in Springfield, an effort that mirrors a national campaign to rein in surprise charges and increase transparency in pricing.
The legislation by state Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, and state Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, would mandate upfront disclosures of the total price of goods or services for a wide range of industries, from entertainment to housing. It would also give the attorney general’s office more power to go after companies that add surprise fees.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul supports the legislation, saying in a statement that junk fees are responsible for “decreasing trust in the marketplace and putting honest businesses at a disadvantage.”
It’s also backed by the Economic Security Illinois, a local affiliate of the national nonprofit Economic Security Project, and the American Economic Liberties Project, another progressive nonprofit.
Ameya Pawar, senior adviser at the Economic Security Project and former Chicago alderman, said transparency helps honest businesses compete.
“What it does is create a level playing field,” Pawar said.