,i  #aae? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #bdie  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,may #ag1 #bjag,ms4   
,frankel ( ,florida 7= h]self1 ,ms4     
,ros-,leht951 & ,mr4 ,wel*7 introduc$ ! 
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,a     
,,bill  ,to protect consum]s f deceptive
 practices ) respect to onl9e book+ (   
hotel res]vations1 & = o!r purposes4    
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,/op ,onl9e ,book+ ,scams ,act (      
#bjag4  #b4 ,f9d+s2 s5se ( ,congress    
7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3     
7#a7 ,! ,int]net has become an important
 *annel ( comm]ce 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1    
acc\nt+ = billions ( doll>s 9 retail    
sales e ye>4  7#b7 ,hotel res]vation    
transactions c be easily made onl9e &   
onl9e comm]ce has creat$ a m>ketplace   
:]e consum]s c %op = hotels1 flights1 c>
 r5tals1 & o!r travel-relat$ s]vices &  
products across ?\s&s ( br&s on a s+le  
plat=m4  7#c7 ,consum]s %\ld be able to 
cle>ly id5tify ! company ) :i* !y are   

transact+ bus9ess onl9e4  7#d7 ,actions 
by ?ird-p>ty sell]s t misappropriate br&
 id5tity1 tradem>k1 or o!r m>ket+ cont5t
 are h>mful to consum]s4  7#e7 ,plat=ms 
(f]$ by onl9e travel ag5cies provide    
consum]s ) a valuable tool = comp>ative 
%opp+ = hotels & %\ld n be mi/ak5 = !   
unlawful ?ird-p>ty actors t commit su*  
misappropriation4  7#f7 ,! mislead+ &   
deceptive sales tactics companies use   
aga9/ consum]s book+ hotel rooms onl9e h
 result$ 9 ! loss ( s5sitive f9ancial & 
p]sonal in=mation1 f9ancial h>m1 & o!r  
damages = consum]s4  7b7 ,s5se (        
,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t--  
7#a7 consum]s b5efit f ! ability to %op 
= travel-relat$ s]vices & products on ! 
innovative plat=ms (f]$ by onl9e travel 
ag5cies2  7#b7 sell]s on ! ,int]net     
%\ld-- 7,a7 provide consum]s ) cle>1    
accurate in=mation2 &  7,b7 h an        
opportunity to compete fairly ) "o      
ano!r2 &  7#c7 ! ,f$]al ,trade          
,commission %\ld revise ! ,commission's 
,int]net site to make x easi] = consum]s

 & bus9esses to report compla9ts (      
deceptive practices ) respect to onl9e  
book+ ( hotel res]vations4  #c4         
,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7           
,affiliation contract ,! t]m affiliation
 contract means1 ) respect to a hotel1 a
 contract ) ! own] ( ! hotel1 ! entity t
 manages ! hotel1 or ! fran*isor ( !    
hotel to provide onl9e hotel res]vation 
s]vices = ! hotel4  7#b7 ,commission ,! 
t]m ,commission means ! ,f$]al ,trade   
,commission4  7#c7 ,exhibition organiz] 
or meet+ plann] ,! t]m exhibition       
organiz] or meet+ plann] means ! p]son  
responsible = all aspects ( plann+1     
promot+1 & produc+ a meet+1 conf]5ce1   
ev5t1 or exhibition1 includ+ ov]see+ &  
arrang+ all hotel res]vation plans &    
contracts = ! meet+1 conf]5ce1 ev5t1 or 
exhibition4  7#d7 ,(ficial h\s+ bureau  
,! t]m (ficial h\s+ bureau means !      
organization designat$ by an exhibition 
organiz] or meet+ plann] to provide     
hotel res]vation s]vices = meet+s1      
conf]5ces1 ev5ts1 or exhibitions4  7#e7 

,p>ty directly affiliat$ ,! t]m p>ty    
directly affiliat$ means1 ) respect to a
 hotel1 a p]son :o has ent]$ into an    
affiliation contract ) ! hotel4  7#f7   
,?ird p>ty onl9e hotel res]vation sell] 
,! t]m ?ird p>ty onl9e hotel res]vation 
sell] means any p]son t-- 7,a7 sells any
 good or s]vice ) respect to a hotel 9 a
 transaction effect$ on ! ,int]net2 &   
7,b7 is n-- 7i7 a p>ty directly         
affiliat$ ) ! hotel2 or  7ii7 an        
exhibition organiz] or meet+ plann] or !
 (ficial h\s+ bureau = a meet+1         
conf]5ce1 ev5t1 or exhibition held at ! 
hotel4  #d4 ,requirem5ts = ?ird p>ty    
onl9e hotel res]vation sell]s  7a7 ,9   
g5]al ,x %all be unlawful = a ?ird p>ty 
onl9e hotel res]vation sell] to *>ge or 
attempt to *>ge any consum]'s cr$it c>d1
 debit c>d1 bank acc\nt1 or o!r f9ancial
 acc\nt = any good or s]vice sold 9 a   
transaction effect$ on ! ,int]net )     
respect to a hotel unless ! ?ird p>ty   
onl9e hotel res]vation sell]--  7#a7    
cle>ly & conspicu\sly discloses to !    

consum] all mat]ial t]ms ( !            
transaction1 includ+-- 7,a7 be=e !      
conclusion ( ! transaction--  7i7 a     
description ( ! good or s]vice be+ (f]$2
 &  7ii7 ! co/ ( su* good or s]vice2 &  
7,b7 9 a mann] t is cont9u\sly visible  
to ! consum] ?r\gh\t ! transaction      
process1 t ! p]son-- 7i7 is a ?ird p>ty 
onl9e hotel res]vation sell]2 &  7ii7 is
 n-- 7,i7 affiliat$ ) ! own] ( ! hotel  
or ! entity t provides ! hotel s]vices  
or accommodations2 or  7,,ii7 an        
exhibition organiz] or meet+ plann] or !
 (ficial h\s+ bureau = a meet+1         
conf]5ce1 ev5t1 or exhibition held at ! 
hotel2 or  7#b7 includes prom95t &      
cont9u\s disclosure ( ! br& id5tity ( ! 
?ird p>ty onl9e hotel res]vation sell]  
?r\gh\t ! transaction process1 :e!r     
onl9e or ov] ! phone4  7b7 ,en=cem5t by 
,commission  7#a7 ,unfair or deceptive  
acts or practices ,a violation (        
subsection 7a7 by a p]son subject to su*
 subsection %all be treat$ z a violation
 ( a rule def9+ an unfair or deceptive  

act or practice prescrib$ "u section    
#ah7;a77#a77;,b7 ( ! ,f$]al ,trade      
,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4         
#eg;a7a77#a77;,b774  7#b7 ,p[]s (       
,commission  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,!           
,commission %all en=ce ?is section 9 !  
same mann]1 by ! same means1 & ) ! same 
jurisdiction1 p[]s1 & duties z ?\gh all 
applicable t]ms & provisions ( ! ,f$]al 
,trade ,commission ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4  
#da et seq47 7 incorporat$ into & made a
 "p ( ?is ,act4  7,b7 ,privileges &     
immunities ,any p]son :o violates ?is   
section %all be subject to ! p5alties & 
entitl$ to ! privileges & immunities    
provid$ 9 ! ,f$]al ,trade ,commission   
,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #da et seq474  7,c7 
,rulemak+  7i7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,commission  
may promulgate su* rules z ! ,commission
 consid]s appropriate to en=ce ?is      
section4  7ii7 ,proc$ures ,! ,commission
 %all c>ry out any rulemak+ "u clause   
7i7 9 accordance ) section #eec ( title 
#e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4  7c7 ,en=cem5t 
by ,/ates  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 any case 9  

:i* ! attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate has      
reason to believe t an int]e/ ( !       
resid5ts ( ! ,/ate has be5 or is be+    
?reat5$ or adv]sely affect$ by !        
engagem5t ( any p]son subject to        
subsection 7a7 9 a practice t violates  
su* subsection1 ! attorney g5]al ( !    
,/ate may1 z p>5s patriae1 br+ a civil  
action on behalf ( ! resid5ts ( ! ,/ate 
9 an appropriate di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$
 ,/ates to obta9 appropriate relief4    
7#b7 ,rights ( f$]al trade commission   
7,a7 ,notice to f$]al trade commission  
7i7 ,9 g5]al ,except z provid$ 9 clause 
7iii71 ! attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate %all  
notify ! ,commission 9 writ+ t !        
attorney g5]al int5ds to br+ a civil    
action "u p>agraph 7#a7 be=e initiat+   
any civil action aga9/ a p]son subject  
to subsection 7a74  7ii7 ,cont5ts ,!    
notification requir$ "u clause 7i7 )    
respect to a civil action %all include a
 copy ( ! compla9t to be fil$ to        
initiate ! civil action4  7iii7         
,exception ,if x is n feasible = !      

attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate to provide !   
notification requir$ by clause 7i7 be=e 
initiat+ a civil action "u p>agraph     
7#a71 ! attorney g5]al %all notify !    
,commission imm$iately ^u in/itut+ !    
civil action4  7,b7 ,int]v5tion by f$]al
 trade commission ,! ,commission may--  
7i7 int]v5e 9 any civil action br\ght by
 ! attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate "u p>agraph 
7#a72 &  7ii7 ^u int]v5+--  7,i7 be he>d
 on all matt]s aris+ 9 ! civil action2 &
  7,,ii7 file petitions = appeal ( a    
decision 9 ! civil action4  7#c7        
,inve/igatory p[]s ,no?+ 9 ?is          
subsection may be con/ru$ to prev5t !   
attorney g5]al ( a ,/ate f ex]cis+ !    
p[]s conf]r$ on ! attorney g5]al by !   
laws ( ! ,/ate-- 7,a7 to conduct        
inve/igations2  7,b7 to adm9i/] oa?s or 
affirmations2 or  7,c7 to compel !      
att5dance ( witnesses or ! production ( 
docum5t>y or o!r evid5ce4  7#d7 ,/ate   
coord9ation ) f$]al trade commission ,if
 ! ,commission in/itutes a civil action 
or an adm9i/rative action ) respect to a

 violation ( subsection 7a71 ! attorney 
g5]al ( a ,/ate %all coord9ate ) !      
,commission be=e br++ a civil action "u 
p>agraph 7#a7 aga9/ any def5dant nam$ 9 
! compla9t ( ! ,commission = ! violation
 ) respect to :i* ! ,commission in/itut$
 su* action4  7#e7 ,v5ue2 s]vice (      
process  7,a7 ,v5ue ,any action br\ght  
"u p>agraph 7#a7 may be br\ght 9--  7i7 
! di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates t meets
 applicable requirem5ts relat+ to v5ue  
"u section #acia ( title #bh1 ,unit$    
,/ates ,code2 or  7ii7 ano!r c\rt (     
compet5t jurisdiction4  7,b7 ,s]vice (  
process ,9 an action br\ght "u p>agraph 
7#a71 process may be s]v$ 9 any di/rict 
9 :i* ! def5dant-- 7i7 is an inhabitant2
 or  7ii7 may be f\nd4  7#f7 ,actions by
 o!r /ate (ficials  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,9    
addition to civil actions br\ght by     
attorneys g5]al "u p>agraph 7#a71 any   
o!r (fic] ( a ,/ate :o is au?oriz$ by ! 
,/ate to d s may br+ a civil action "u  
p>agraph 7#a71 subject to ! same        
requirem5ts & limitations t apply "u ?is

 subsection to civil actions br\ght by  
attorneys g5]al4  7,b7 ,sav+s provision 
,no?+ 9 ?is subsection may be con/ru$ to
 prohibit an au?oriz$ (ficial ( a ,/ate 
f initiat+ or cont9u+ any proce$+ 9 a   
c\rt ( ! ,/ate = a violation ( any civil
 or crim9al law ( ! ,/ate4