HB 5670 Summary

• Prohibits charging excessively increased prices (more than 10% above pre-emergency prices) for building materials, food, emergency supplies, medical supplies, goods, and services during a declared state of emergency, unless the increase is justified by increased cost to bring items to market.

• Defines "state of emergency" to include gubernatorial declarations, natural disasters, severe weather warnings, imminent terrorism alerts, and federal public emergencies.

• Authorizes the Attorney General to bring class actions for actual damages or $100 (whichever is greater) and to seek injunctive relief and civil fines up to $10,000 per violation for individuals or $1,000,000 for other persons.

• Makes violations a misdemeanor punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment and/or fines up to $10,000 for individuals or $1,000,000 for other persons.

• Grants the Attorney General and local prosecutors authority to issue written demands for testimony and documents during investigations, with court enforcement mechanisms available.