Bill > H389

This bill establishes comprehensive consumer protection regulations focusing on two primary areas: trial offers and financial information disclosure. For trial offers, the legislation requires sellers to provide clear and conspicuous disclosures about the terms, including potential future financial obligations, costs, cancellation instructions, and specific timeframes before charging consumers. Sellers must obtain the consumer's affirmative consent before imposing any financial obligations and provide additional notice (5-10 days prior) for trial offers exceeding 30 days. The bill prohibits "data pass" practices, where a consumer is charged by a different seller without explicit consent. Additionally, the bill restricts financial institutions from disclosing a customer's personal or financial information without proper authorization, with limited exceptions such as customer-approved disclosures or those required by law. Any violations of these provisions would be considered unfair or deceptive practices under Chapter 93A, potentially subjecting violators to legal penalties. The overall intent is to protect consumers from unexpected charges and unauthorized information sharing by establishing transparent, consent-based processes for commercial transactions and data handling.