,i #aaf? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cief ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,july #bd1 #bjai,mr4 ,wel* 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,bilirakis1 & ,ms4 ,frankel7 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 ( #bjai4 #b4 ,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 #c4 ,requirem5ts = ?ird p>ty onl9e hotel res]vation sell]s 7a7 ,requirem5t ,x %all be unlawful = a ?ird p>ty onl9e hotel res]vation sell] to adv]tise1 m>ket1 or promote ! sale ( a hotel room res]vation or *>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]net1 if ! ?ird p>ty onl9e hotel res]vation sell] /ates or implies t x is1 or is affiliat$ )1 ! p]son :o owns ! hotel or provides ! hotel s]vices or accommodations4 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