AG Yost’s Price Gouging Bill Gets Mixed Reviews

This week, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and others provided testimony in support of Senate Bill 301. The bill, as outlined in the attorney general’s testimony, would do two things:

1. Gives the attorney general’s office explicit authority to go after the most egregious price gougers — those who sell items at prices “grossly in excess” of the regular price of an item before the declaration of an emergency.
2. Gives the attorney general’s office permissive authority to establish statewide and uniform per-consumer, per-transaction quantity limitations on items related to an emergency or necessary to protect the health and safety of Ohioans.

Several senators expressed skepticism regarding the proposal, but changes to the bill could be coming. The OMA will review this legislation at the next Government Affairs Committee meeting, set for June 3. 5/14/2020