AN ACT RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS -- UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES (Requires any business entity that makes automatic renewal offers or memberships or subscriptions that are available on-line, also make the canceling such agreements for goods, services, memberships or subscriptions equally accessible on-line.)

S2768

2026 -- S 2768
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LC005854
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS --
UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES

Introduced By:
Senators Thompson, and Murray

Date Introduced:
March 04, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Commerce
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 6-13 of the General Laws entitled "Unfair Sales Practices" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following section:
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6-13-14.1. Unlawful retention policy – canceling of subscriptions, memberships.

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(a) Any business entity that makes automatic renewal offers or continuous service offers
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for goods, services, memberships or subscriptions to consumers shall:
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(1) Provide an acknowledgment to a consumer disclosing the automatic renewal offer terms
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or continuous service offer terms, the cancellation policy and information regarding how to cancel
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the goods or services in a manner that is capable of being retained by the consumer. If the automatic
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renewal offer or continuous service offer includes a free gift or trial, the acknowledgment shall
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include a clear and conspicuous explanation of the price that will be charged after the trial ends or
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the manner in which the pricing will change upon conclusion of the trial, disclose how to cancel
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the goods or services, provide the deadline by which the consumer must act to stop or prevent
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charges and allow the consumer to cancel the goods or services before the consumer pays for the
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goods or services.
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(2) Disclose the automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer to a consumer in a
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contract, or a contract offer in a clear and conspicuous manner.
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(3) Allow a consumer who accepts the automatic renewal offer or a continuous service
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offer online to terminate the acceptance of the goods or services online with no further action

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required by the consumer.
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(4) In the case of a material change in the terms of the automatic renewal offer or
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continuous service offer, provide a consumer with clear and conspicuous notice of the material
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change and information regarding how to cancel the goods or services in a manner that is capable
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of being retained by the consumer.
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(5) Not intentionally misrepresent the terms of the automatic renewal offer or continuous
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service offer or any material fact related to the underlying good or service.
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(b) A business entity shall allow a consumer who accepted an automatic renewal or
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continuous service offer to terminate the automatic renewal offer or continuous service offer under
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this clause by electronic mail formatted and provided by the business entity without additional
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information, or through a link to a website or other online service the consumer can use to cancel.
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(c) A violation of this section shall constitute a deceptive trade practice in violation of
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chapter 13.1 of title 6 and shall be subject to the enforcement provisions of § 6-13.1-5 and private
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rights of action pursuant to the provisions of § 6-13.1-5.2.
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(d) As used in this section:
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(1) "Clear and conspicuous" means, in reference to text, type larger than the surrounding
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text, or in contrasting type, font, or color to the surrounding text of the same size, or set off from
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the surrounding text of the same size by symbols or other marks, in a manner that clearly calls
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attention to the language.
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(2) "Consumer" means an individual who obtains or has obtained goods or services,
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memberships or subscriptions primarily for personal, family or household purposes.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC005854
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LC005854 - Page 2 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO COMMERCIAL LAW -- GENERAL REGULATORY PROVISIONS --
UNFAIR SALES PRACTICES
***
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This act would require any business entity that makes automatic renewal offers or
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continuous service offers for goods, services, memberships or subscriptions that are available on-
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line, also make the canceling such agreements for goods, services, memberships or subscriptions
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equally accessible on-line.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005854
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LC005854 - Page 3 of 3