SENATE BILL REPORT

ESSB 5978

As Passed Senate, March 6, 2009

Title: An act relating to consumer rebates.

Brief Description: Establishing certain consumer rebate requirements.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection (originally sponsored by Senators Haugen and Kohl-Welles).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection: 2/23/09, 2/24/09 [DPS].

Passed Senate: 3/06/09, 45-0.

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5978 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Keiser, Vice Chair; Holmquist, Ranking Minority Member; Franklin, Honeyford, King and Kline.

Staff: Alison Mendiola (786-7483)

Background: Consumer rebates are a type of sales promotion used by marketers, used primarily as incentives to product sales. Mail-in rebates are a common type of rebate which requires the consumer to submit information such as a coupon or receipt in order to receive a check for a particular amount, depending on factors such as the particular product, time, and place of purchase.

Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill: Any person who offers a consumer rebate is to allow a minimum of fourteen days from the date the consumer purchases the product, or becomes eligible for the rebate upon satisfying the terms and conditions of the offer, for the submission of a request for redemption by the customer.

The rebate is to be sent to the customer within ninety days and if the rebate is sent as a check, the check is to be mailed in a way that identifies the piece of mail as the anticipated rebate.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony: None.

Persons Testifying: No one.