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H.R. No. 1242
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, With gasoline prices at record levels, Texans want
assurances that high prices are not the result of consumer fraud and
want information to help them find the lowest possible price for
gasoline in their community; and
WHEREAS, The average price of $2.157 per gallon that Texas
motorists paid in early April 2005 was the highest gasoline price in
Texas ever recorded by the American Automobile Association up to
that point; it also was 49.9 cents higher than last year's average
of $1.658 per gallon; less than a week later, the average price had
risen even higher, to $2.175 per gallon; and
WHEREAS, When gasoline prices go up, drivers pay more to get
where they are going, farmers pay more to run their tractors and
combines, and truckers pay more to transport goods; this ripple
effect of rising prices impacts all consumer goods and is
especially hard on Texans trying to make ends meet; and
WHEREAS, The Deceptive Trade Practices Act and other consumer
protection statutes are subject to action by the consumer
protection division of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas
to protect Texans against consumer fraud, including price gouging;
and
WHEREAS, Attorneys general in Texas and other states found
evidence of gasoline price gouging following the September 11,
2001, terrorist attacks and again in 2003; there is concern that
current market conditions may be used as a cover to excessively
raise prices once more; and
WHEREAS, To promote gasoline price competition, the Florida
attorney general launched a website in 2004 to allow citizens to
find and report the lowest gasoline prices in their community as
well as to report any suspicion of excessively high gasoline
prices; and
WHEREAS, Illinois is another state where the state attorney
general helps residents to check average gasoline prices in any
city or town in the state and to file a complaint if price gouging is
suspected; and
WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of the attorney general's
consumer protection division to investigate unexplained price
hikes that could be the result of consumer fraud; local gasoline
price monitoring would provide Texans with an extra level of
protection; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas
Legislature hereby direct the Office of the Attorney General of
Texas to conduct a study to ensure that high gasoline prices in
Texas are not the result of consumer fraud; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Office of the Attorney General of Texas
follow the lead of other state attorneys general and provide
information to help Texas consumers find the lowest possible price
for gasoline in their community; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of
Representatives forward an official copy of this resolution to the
attorney general of the State of Texas.
Edwards
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1242 was adopted by the House on May
27, 2005, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House