A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Fair Prices for Local Businesses Act" aims to strengthen the prohibition on price discrimination under the Clayton Act. It expands the scope of the Act by replacing terms like "commodities" or "goods" with "products or services." The bill also broadens the jurisdictional reach to include activities affecting commerce. Additionally, it updates definitions for "purchase" and "purchaser" and modifies how damages are handled in legal actions. These changes are intended to enhance the legal framework regarding price discrimination.
Yes
- Scored +5
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill expands the scope of price discrimination protections to include services and broadens legal recourse for victims.
- Scored +5
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill provides stronger legal protections and easier damage recovery for businesses facing price discrimination.
- Scored +4
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill strengthens the ability of plaintiffs to seek damages for unlawful price discrimination through a conclusive presumption of injury.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Expanded Scope of Protection: By replacing "goods" and "commodities" with "products or services," the bill extends protections to a wider range of economic activities (Section 2(a)(1)(A)).
-
Increased Jurisdictional Reach: Changing the language from "in commerce" to "in commerce or in any activity affecting commerce" expands the reach of the law (Section 2(a)(1)(A), (C), (D), and (E)).
-
Stronger Legal Recourse for Victims: The bill introduces a provision where a plaintiff who proves they were unlawfully discriminated against is "conclusively presumed to have sustained injury and damages" equal to the amount of the discrimination (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(2)(c)).
-
Additional Damage Claims: Victims may now establish additional damages beyond the initial monetary amount of the discrimination if they can show they sustained such losses as a result of the discrimination (Section 2(a)(1)(B)(2)(c)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Increased Liability for Inducing or Receiving Benefits: The amendment makes it unlawful for any person engaged in commerce to induce or receive the benefit of a violation of this section (Section 2(a)(1)(F)(1)).
-
Burden on Small Retailers: While there is a provision for persons with annual retail sales not exceeding $100,000,000,000, the law still applies if those persons "knowingly induced or received the benefit of the violation" (Section 2(a)(1)(F)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill expands the scope of price discrimination protections to include services and broadens legal recourse for victims. Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill strengthens the ability of plaintiffs to seek damages for unlawful price discrimination through a conclusive presumption of injury.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill provides stronger legal protections and easier damage recovery for businesses facing price discrimination.
- 4/2/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Josh RileyDemocrat · New York