Bill > HB800

This bill, titled the "Make Affordable Groceries Again Act," establishes new consumer protection rules for grocery pricing in Louisiana by creating a new chapter in state law. It defines key terms such as "covered goods" (groceries, excluding items like gasoline or alcohol), "covered retailer" (businesses selling groceries in Louisiana), "covered supplier" (companies producing and selling over $6 billion worth of groceries annually), and "dominant covered retailer" (large retailers with over $18 billion in annual grocery sales and operations in more than 20 states). The bill prohibits covered suppliers from unfairly differentiating the "terms of sale" – which includes price, discounts, and other sales conditions – to covered retailers and wholesalers based on the volume they purchase, especially when compared to dominant covered retailers. It also requires suppliers to share anonymized sales terms with retailers upon request and prohibits suppliers from refusing sales to retailers who meet certain payment histories and request fair terms, unless there's a commercially reasonable justification. Dominant covered retailers are also prohibited from coercing suppliers to violate these provisions. The bill outlines defenses for suppliers, such as if differences in terms were due to a retailer's own efficiencies or if a dominant retailer imposed unfair terms. Enforcement can be sought through lawsuits by the Attorney General or injured parties, seeking injunctions or financial penalties.