The Attorney General of Washington state is seeking to increase the penalty for violating the state’s consumer protection act by more than 500%, claiming that the increase is overdue because the fine limit has not been increased since the state law went into effect five decades ago.
The proposed legislation put forth by Attorney General Bob Ferguson and introduced in the state legislature by Sen. Christine Rolfes, a Democrat, would increase the penalty for each unfair or deceptive act to $13,500 per violation, up from $2,000 per violation currently. Only five states have penalties for similar violations that are lower than Washington state, Ferguson noted, and most states have penalties that exceed $10,000 per violation.
“My office enforces and defends state law — and we also work to improve state law to benefit Washingtonians,” Ferguson said in a statement. “Every session my office is successful in partnering with the Legislature to pass important, bipartisan legislation that improves the lives of Washingtonians. I look forward to continuing this work.”
In addition, Ferguson is seeking extra fines for violations that target vulnerable communities, a provision that half of the states across the country have enacted. The proposed legislation would also not make the state automatically responsible for a defendant’s legal bills in the event of an unsuccessful litigation.
“Washingtonians are more vulnerable than ever to scams and deceptive business practices both in person and online, yet the Consumer Protection Act penalties have not increased in decades,” according to a press release touting Ferguson’s legislative agenda for 2021. “Strong penalties provide accountability, deter future violations and ensure a level playing field for business.”
