Bill > HB5137

This bill amends the Shopping Reform and Modernization Act to improve consumer protections and increase compensation for overcharging at retail sales. The bill modifies the existing law by changing the compensation structure when a consumer is charged more than the displayed price. Specifically, if a buyer is overcharged, they must notify the seller within 30 days and provide evidence of the loss. The seller then has two days to pay the buyer the price difference plus additional compensation, which has been increased from a range of $1-$5 to $10-$50. For multiple identical items overcharged in a single transaction, the compensation applies to one item. The bill also introduces a mechanism for the state treasurer to adjust these compensation amounts annually based on the Detroit Consumer Price Index, starting in January 2028. Additionally, the bill increases the potential damages in a legal action from $250 to $500 per day of violation, with attorney fees capped at $300 for individual actions. The law applies to retail sales with displayed prices recorded by an automatic checkout system, except in cases where the seller intentionally charges more than the displayed price. These changes aim to provide stronger financial incentives for retailers to accurately price goods and offer more meaningful compensation to consumers when pricing errors occur.

Government Affairs

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5137