Pennsylvania HB 1996: An Act amending Titles 24 (Education) and 71 (State Government) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in administration relating to retirement for school employees, further providing for Public School Employees' Retirement Board and for administrative duties of board; and, in administration relating to retirement for State employees and officers, further providing for the State Employees' Retirement Board and for administrative duties of the board.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 2524
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1996
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY McNEILL, WAXMAN, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ, SAMUELSON
AND NEILSON, OCTOBER 24, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
UTILITIES, OCTOBER 27, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of December 17, 1968 (P.L.1224, No.387),
entitled "An act prohibiting unfair methods of competition
and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of
any trade or commerce, giving the Attorney General and
District Attorneys certain powers and duties and providing
penalties," further providing for definitions and for
unlawful acts or practices and exclusions.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The definition of "unfair methods of competition"
and "unfair or deceptive acts or practices" in section 2 of the
act of December 17, 1968 (P.L.1224, No.387), known as the Unfair
Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, is amended to read:
Section 2. Definitions.--As used in this act.
* * *
(4) "Unfair methods of competition" and "unfair or deceptive
acts or practices" mean any one or more of the following:
(i) Passing off goods or services as those of another;
(ii) Causing likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding
as to the source, sponsorship, approval or certification of
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goods or services;
(iii) Causing likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding
as to affiliation, connection or association with, or
certification by, another;
(iv) Using deceptive representations or designations of
geographic origin in connection with goods or services;
(v) Representing that goods or services have sponsorship,
approval, characteristics, ingredients, uses, benefits or
quantities that they do not have or that a person has a
sponsorship, approval, status, affiliation or connection that he
does not have;
(vi) Representing that goods are original or new if they are
deteriorated, altered, reconditioned, reclaimed, used or
secondhand;
(vii) Representing that goods or services are of a
particular standard, quality or grade, or that goods are of a
particular style or model, if they are of another;
(viii) Disparaging the goods, services or business of
another by false or misleading representation of fact;
(ix) Advertising goods or services with intent not to sell
them as advertised;
(x) Advertising goods or services with intent not to supply
reasonably expectable public demand, unless the advertisement
discloses a limitation of quantity;
(xi) Making false or misleading statements of fact
concerning the reasons for, existence of, or amounts of price
reductions;
(xii) Promising or offering prior to time of sale to pay,
credit or allow to any buyer, any compensation or reward for the
procurement of a contract for purchase of goods or services with
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another or others, or for the referral of the name or names of
another or others for the purpose of attempting to procure or
procuring such a contract of purchase with such other person or
persons when such payment, credit, compensation or reward is
contingent upon the occurrence of an event subsequent to the
time of the signing of a contract to purchase;
(xiii) Promoting or engaging in any plan by which goods or
services are sold to a person for a consideration and upon the
further consideration that the purchaser secure or attempt to
secure one or more persons likewise to join the said plan; each
purchaser to be given the right to secure money, goods or
services depending upon the number of persons joining the plan.
In addition, promoting or engaging in any plan, commonly known
as or similar to the so-called "Chain-Letter Plan," "Pyramid
Club" or "Pyramid Promotional Scheme." The terms "Chain-Letter
Plan" or "Pyramid Club" mean any scheme for the disposal or
distribution of property, services or anything of value whereby
a participant pays valuable consideration, in whole or in part,
for an opportunity to receive compensation for introducing or
attempting to introduce one or more additional persons to
participate in the scheme or for the opportunity to receive
compensation when a person introduced by the participant
introduces a new participant. The term "Pyramid Promotional
Scheme" means any plan or operation by which a person gives
consideration for the opportunity to receive compensation that
is derived primarily from the introduction of other persons into
the plan or operation rather than from the sale and consumption
of goods, services or intangible property by a participant or
other persons introduced into the plan or operation. The term
includes any plan or operation under which the number of people
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who may participate is limited either expressly or by the
applicat