HARRISBURG – Entities would be banned from assessing an additional fee to customers who request a print version of a financial statement. Such fees are as high as $5 per month, and House Bill 81 would also specify that any person or entity would still be allowed to create incentives for a consumer to select an alternative to a paper statement. Bill sponsor, Dauphin County Rep. Tom Mehaffie says charging fees for consumers who want to use paper statements is an unnecessary, frustrating burden that becomes a tax on regular Pennsylvanians. Federal law allows companies to switch customers to electronic statements, but consumers must give their explicit consent to do so. Federal law is silent on the issue of whether consumers can be asked to pay to continue paper statements. The bill is before the PA House Consumer Protection, Technology, and Utilities Committee for consideration.
REP. TOM MEHAFFIE