Bill > HB1612

This bill prohibits landlords from using price-fixing software, websites, or algorithms and classifies such practices as an unfair method of competition and a deceptive act under the Consumer Protection Act. Specifically, the bill allows any person who suspects a landlord is using price-fixing software to file a complaint with the Department of Justice's Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, which is then required to investigate such complaints. The legislation defines "price-fixing software" as technological tools that potentially manipulate or coordinate rental pricing in an anti-competitive manner, and it mandates that the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau review and address these potential violations. To implement this new regulation, the Department of Justice anticipates needing one additional full-time attorney, with estimated costs of $72,000 in the first partial fiscal year (FY 2027) and increasing to $138,000-$140,000in subsequent years. The bill will take effect on January 1, 2027, and is designed to protect consumers from potentially predatory pricing practices in the rental market by providing a mechanism for reporting and investigating suspicious pricing behaviors by landlords.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_Status/billinfo.aspx?id=1814&inflect=2