Cooley partner Kate Goodman recently attended the National Association of Attorneys General’s Fall Consumer Protection Conference in Washington, DC. The annual conference for attorneys general and staff, consumer advocates and industry stakeholders, explores hot topics in consumer protection, with the first day open to the public and the remaining days exclusive to attorneys general and their staff.
One of the central themes was price transparency – and the growing concern over hidden or excessive “junk fees.” Attorneys general emphasized the need for greater transparency in pricing to ensure that consumers are not misled or unfairly charged. To this end, states – including Minnesota and California – are ramping up efforts to address these practices through new laws that require clear advertising of the final price (including fees) for goods and services, such as concert tickets (thank you, Taylor Swift!), hotel rooms and third-party deliveries.
Data privacy remains a top priority, especially as more scams originate from foreign actors and technology rapidly evolves. One panel highlighted New Hampshire’s recent legislative efforts to bolster data privacy protections through its new comprehensive data privacy statute. To enforce the new law, the state announced the creation of a new Data Privacy Unit within the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau. This reflects a broader national trend toward stronger privacy supervision and enforcement.
Student loans were another area of focus, as panelists discussed the ongoing challenges facing borrowers. With federal policy in flux – such as changes in loan forgiveness policies and less payment flexibility – and economic pressures mounting, state attorneys general offices are taking steps to increase transparency and clarity for borrowers, including by creating or ramping up student loan ombudspersons.
Thanks for a great conference!