|
Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Gov. Beshear extends statewide price-gouging protections at Attorney General’s request
FRANKFORT, Ky. - At the request of Attorney General Jack Conway, Gov. Steve Beshear today signed a consumer protection executive order to extend Kentucky’s statewide price-gouging protection laws an additional thirty days. The initial statewide price-gouging protections, implemented by Gov. Beshear on April 25 due to severe storms and flooding across the Commonwealth, will expire on May 26.
The order’s extension will allow for investigation into any complaints of price gouging that may occur relative to gas, building supplies, hotels and other goods and services.
Many Kentuckians are in the process of repairing property damage from the storm’s aftermath and are still awaiting individual financial assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). To date, FEMA has determined 11 counties, from both Eastern and Western Kentucky, are eligible for individual assistance to repair private property, and additional counties are being considered for approval. 71 counties have declared states of emergency.
“My administration has worked hard to provide assistance to and protect citizens and communities around the state after these storms,” said Gov. Beshear. “This extension will protect potential victims from price-gouging by contractors and suppliers of building services as citizens begin rebuilding their homes and businesses.”
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.
###
|