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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Gov. Beshear issues consumer protection executive order activating price gouging statute
FRANKFORT, Ky.--After days of severe storms which caused threats of historic flooding across the state, Gov. Steve Beshear today signed a consumer protection executive order at the request of Attorney General Jack Conway to implement Kentucky’s price-gouging laws statewide as of Monday, April 25.
The executive order will allow for investigation into any complaints of price gouging that may occur relative to gas, building supplies, hotels and other goods and services in the aftermath of the weekend’s storms.
“We expect continued rain and flooding over the next couple of days, and the Ohio and Mississippi rivers may continue to rise well into next week,” said Gov. Beshear. “With gas prices already painfully high, activating the price-gouging laws now ensures Kentuckians are protected from predatory pricing as the state recovers from this disaster.”
“I appreciate Gov. Beshear triggering the price-gouging provision,” General Conway said. “This law helps protect consumers during emergencies because it stops businesses from raising prices on things people need to weather a storm or cleanup from a natural disaster. I encourage anyone with specific information regarding possible price-gouging to email pricecomplaints@ag.ky.gov or call my Consumer Protection Hotline at 888-432-9257.”
Heavy rains and multiple rounds of severe weather occurred over much of Kentucky and surrounding states over the weekend, with more rain in the forecast through Thursday. As a result, sharp rises have occurred on the minor rivers and tributaries across most of the Commonwealth; minor to moderate flooding is expected on these water courses.
The Ohio and Mississippi rivers are forecast to have major flooding with the possibility of historic flooding along the rivers from the Kentucky/Tennessee line on the Mississippi through the Cairo confluences and north on the Ohio River to Smithland, Ky. Moderate flooding on the Ohio is expected from Smithland upstream to Louisville.
Gov. Beshear activated the same price gouging statutes after earlier disasters, including Hurricane Ike in September 2008, the January 2009 ice storm, and severe winter storms in December 2009. After Hurricane Ike, the Attorney General fined several gas retailers $100,000 for violating the price gouging statute.
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