DENVER — A new bill proposed in the Colorado House would require anyone selling products or services to disclose any fees to the buyer up front.
The bill, aimed at eliminating so-called “junk fees,” would make it a deceptive trade practice for a seller to not disclose any fees charged to all consumers in an advertised price.
It would not apply to state and local taxes. And airlines would be exempt, as the bill’s proponents explained such a disclosure for airlines would require a change to federal law.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Naquetta Ricks (D-Aurora) said she was recently charged $200 more than what she expected to pay for a hotel room because of a hidden resort fee.
“I think it's this deception, right,” she said. “If I knew that I was going to pay $242 more, I would have made a different selection. So, I think it's like a bait-and-switch kind of deal."
During a hearing of the House Business and Labor Committee, critics of the legislation warned a state-specific ban could be costly for companies to implement the right technology to disclose the fees.
But the bill passed out of that committee Wednesday and now heads to the state House floor for a vote.
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