Title

Title. This article shall be known as the Commonwealth Disaster Price Freeze Act of 1996. Source: PL 10-17, § 2, modified. Commission Comment: PL 10-17 took effect June 21, 1996. According to PL 10-17, § 1: Section 1. Findings. The Legislature finds that there is a serious and continuing problem with retail stores raising the prices of certain vital items during and immediately after typhoons and other similar natural disasters. The Legislature further finds that the only law concerning such actions at the present time is [4 CMC § 5105(w)], which is vaguely worded and is not strongly enforced. The Legislature finds that it is necessary to introduce stronger legislation to deal with this problem. Because price freezes can have serious long-term economic effects, it is desirable that the price freezes should be kept to a carefully limited period of time, and should be restricted only to certain types of goods. This Act is intended to be separate from the Consumer Protection Act [4 CMC § 5101 et seq.], and bringing an action under this Act shall not exclude the possibility of bringing another action under [the] Consumer Protection [Act].