ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 18, 1996 TAG: 9601180098
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: Associated Press
Retailers would be prohibited from artificially inflating prices during blizzards, hurricanes and other emergency situations under legislation introduced in the General Assembly.
Bills introduced in the Senate and House of Delegates would make it a misdemeanor offense for retailers to jack up prices on shovels, bottled water, fuel and other items in heavy demand during times of disaster.
The legislation, timely because of last week's blizzard, was sparked by the actions of some retailers in the Virginia Beach area during recent hurricane scares, said Sen. Kenneth Stolle, R-Virginia Beach.
``Everyone should be coming together at times like these,'' Stolle said. ``This type of gouging is unfair to people.''
The legislation would require retailers, upon the declaration of an emergency, to sell merchandise at the same average price as it was sold during the 30 days immediately preceding the emergency declaration. The law also would apply to repair shops, hotels and other relevant service providers.
Businesses could increase prices on essential items only for cost increases they had to incur from their suppliers, such as extra shipping costs because of bad weather. The price controls would last for 30 days after the emergency is declared.
Not everyone thinks the legislation is a good idea.
William H. Coiner, president of the Virginia Retail Merchants Association, said he has not seen the bill, but thinks it might fly in the face of capitalism.
``I still believe that we have to recognize that our system of free enterprise, supply and demand, works best,'' Coiner said.
LENGTH: Short : 40 linesby CNB