Michael Giberson
Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have anti-price gouging laws
In the wake of “Superstorm Sandy” there has been a lot of writing on price gouging. Constantine von Hoffman, CBS Moneywatch, said in his column that only seven of 13 states struck by the storm had laws against price gouging, but he linked to a 2006 survey that is out of date. By my review, every state east of the Mississippi River has a law against price gouging except for Maryland, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Ohio. Nationwide, I count 34 states and the District of Columbia as having anti-price gouging laws.
Here is my current list of states with anti-price gouging laws, noting the date of the initial price gouging law, reference, and occasionally a link to the law or an added note. At the end of the table is a list of resources I’ve used to compile this list (which have been supplemented by some good old-fashioned Google searching). I’ve exercised some care in assembling this list, but there may be errors. Please let me know if you discover one.
List of State Anti-Price Gouging Laws
|
State |
Year |
Notes |
|
Alabama |
1996 |
Code of Ala. § 8-31-1 thru § 8-31-6. LINK Alabama law; Any commodity or rental facility. |
|
Arkansas |
1997 |
A.C.A. § 4-88-301 – 4-88-305. |
|
California |
1994 |
Cal. Pen. Code § 396. |
|
Connecticut |
1986 |
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-230. |
|
District of Columbia |
2007 |
D.C. Code § 28-4101 thru 28-4102. |
|
Florida |
1992 |
Fla. Stat. § 501.160. |
|
Georgia |
1995 |
O.C.G.A. § 10-1-393.4. |
|
Hawaii |
1983 |
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 209-9 |
|
Idaho |
2002 |
Idaho Code § 48-603; Food, fuel, pharmaceuticals, water. |
|
Illinois |
2005 |
Ill. Admin. Code tit. 14, §§ 465.10 thru 465.30. |
|
Indiana |
2002 |
Ind. Code §§ 4-6-9.1-1 thru 4-6-9.1-7; Fuel. |
|
Iowa |
1993 |
61 IAC 31.1(714); Merchandise needed by victims of disasters. |
|
Kansas |
2002 |
K.S.A. § 50-6,106; Any necessary property or service. |
|
Kentucky |
2004 |
Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 367.374. |
|
Louisiana |
1993 |
La. R.S. 29:732 LINK Louisiana law. |
|
Maine |
2006 |
10 M.R.S.A. § 1105. |
|
Massachusetts |
1990 |
Md. Reg. Code tit. 940, § 3.18; Petroleum products only. |
|
Michigan |
* |
Mich. Stat. Ann. § 445.903(1)(z); General consumer code provisions not limited to emergencies. |
|
Mississippi |
1986 |
Miss. Code Ann. § 75-24-25(2). |
|
Missouri |
1994 |
15 CSR § 60-8.030; Necessities. |
|
New Jersey |
2001 |
N.J.S.A. §§ 56:8-107 to 8:109; LINK New Jersey law; Necessities. |
|
New York |
1979 |
NY Gen Bus §396-r. |
|
North Carolina |
2003 |
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-38; LINK North Carolina law. |
|
Oklahoma |
1999 |
15 OK St. §§ 777.1 thru 777.5. |
|
Oregon |
2007 |
ORS 401.960 thru 401.970; LINK Oregon law; Essential consumer goods and services. |
|
Pennsylvania |
2006 |
|
|
Rhode Island |
2012 |
Rhode Island General Laws §30-15-19; Essential commodities including home heating fuels, motor fuels, food and water. |
|
South Carolina |
2002 |
SC Code 39-5-145. |
|
Tennessee |
2002 |
TCA Title 47 Chapter 18 Part 51; LINK Tennesee Law. |
|
Texas |
1995 |
Tex. Bus. & Com. Code Ann. § 17.46(b)(27) LINK Texas law; Necessities. |
|
Utah |
2005 |
Utah Code § 13-41-101 thru 13-41-202. Link Utah law; Retail goods and services. |
|
Vermont |
2006 |
9 V.S.A. § 2461d; LINK Vermont law; Petroleum or heating fuel product only. |
|
Virginia |
2004 |
Va. Code §§ 59.1-525 et seq., LINK Virginia law; Any necessary goods and services. |
|
West Virginia |
2002 |
W.V. Code § 46A-6J-1 |
|
Wisconsin |
2006 |
Wisc. ATCP Ch. 106; Link Wisconsin law. |
| List updated November 3, 2012 by Michael Giberson. Please see list of resources below for useful links on price gouging. (https://knowledgeproblem.com/2012/11/03/list-of-price-gouging-laws/ |
Resources on price gouging law
- Rebecca H. Benavides, “Summary of State ‘Price Gouging’ Statues and Regulations,” Spring 2006. (Benavides credits a 2004 NCSL report, “Price Gouging,” as a key source, but it appears no longer available online.)
- Adam Vann, “Gasoline Price Increases: Federal and State Authority to Limit ‘Price Gouging’,” CRS Reports to Congress, RS22236, Updated June 27, 2007.
- Cale Wren Davis, “An analysis of the enactment of anti-price gouging laws,” M.A. Thesis, Montana State University, (2008).
- Michael Giberson, “The problem with price gouging laws,” Regulation, Spring 2011, 34(1), 48-53.
- Brian Skarbek and David Skarbek, “Price is Right: Regulation, Reputation, and Recovery,” Dartmouth Law Journal, 2008.
UPDATE: Here is a graphic presentation. States in blue have laws against price gouging, states in gold do not have laws against price gouging.
