A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Star Print ordered on the reported bill.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
The Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025 aims to stop unfair and deceptive advertising regarding prices for hotel rooms and short-term lodging. It requires covered entities to clearly and prominently display the total services price when advertising or marketing these services. This total price must be shown from the first time a service is displayed throughout the entire purchasing process. Additionally, any government-imposed taxes or fees must be disclosed before a final purchase is made. The bill empowers the Federal Trade Commission and State attorneys general to enforce these rules.
Yes· 3 of 4
- Scored +5
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill enhances consumer protection by requiring clear and prominent disclosure of total service prices for lodging.
- Scored +2
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Price transparency helps low-income households budget more accurately for lodging costs.
- Scored +2
Would middle-income households be better off under this?
Consumers will benefit from seeing the true total price of services upfront.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
The bill includes preemption language that limits the ability of states to maintain certain disclosure laws.
- Scored -2
Would business owners be better off under this?
Lodging providers face new compliance requirements and potential legal risks regarding price disclosures.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Price Transparency: Customers will see the total services price, including service fees, clearly and prominently in advertisements and marketing rather than just the base price (Section 2(a)(1)(A)).
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Consistent Pricing Information: The law ensures that the total price is displayed to an individual from the moment they first see the service through the entire purchasing process (Section 2(a)(1)(B)).
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Advance Notice of Government Charges: Individuals will receive disclosure of any taxes, fees, or assessments imposed by government entities before they complete their final purchase (Section 2(a)(1)(C)).
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Strong Consumer Protections: The bill provides various ways to hold companies accountable, including enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and the ability for State attorneys general to bring civil actions on behalf of residents (Section 2(b)(1) and Section 2(b)(2)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Limited Local Regulation: States or local governments are prohibited from maintaining certain laws regarding how these fees are disclosed, unless those laws require the total services price to include all service fees (Section 2(c)(1)).
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Implementation Delay: The new rules do not take effect until 450 days after the Act is enacted, meaning consumers will not see these changes immediately (Section 2(e)).
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 give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill enhances consumer protection by requiring clear and prominent disclosure of total service prices for lodging.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Price transparency helps low-income households budget more accurately for lodging costs. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Consumers will benefit from seeing the true total price of services upfront. Would business owners be better off under this? — Lodging providers face new compliance requirements and potential legal risks regarding price disclosures.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands federal authority via the FTC to regulate pricing transparency in interstate commerce. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill includes preemption language that limits the ability of states to maintain certain disclosure laws.
- 5/14/2025
- Star Print ordered on the reported bill.
- 4/28/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment. With written report No. 119-15.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 49.
- 2/5/2025
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
- 1/29/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Shelley CapitoRepublican · West Virginia
Catherine Cortez MastoDemocrat · Nevada
Jerry MoranRepublican · Kansas