Chapter
116
2006 -- S 2880
Enacted 06/16/06
A N A
C T
RELATING TO
BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DATING SERVICES
Introduced By: Senator
Michael J. McCaffrey
Date Introduced: March 01,
2006
It is
enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION
1. Title 5 of the General Laws entitled "BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS"
is
hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER 78
DATING SERVICES
5-78-1.
Definitions. – As used in this chapter:
(a)
"Buyer" means any person entering into a social referral services
contract with a
seller;
(b)
"Person" means a natural person, partnership, corporation,
association or any other
legal
entity;
(c)
"Seller" means any person offering social referral services; and
(d)
"Social referral services" means dating, matrimonial or personal
referral services by
any
of the following means:
(1)
an exchange of names, telephone numbers, addresses and statistics;
(2)
a photograph or video selection process;
(3)
personal introductions provided by the seller of the seller's place of
business; or
(4)
a social environment provided by the seller intended primarily as an
alternative to
singles'
bars or club type environments.
5-78-2.
Contract requirements. – (a) Each contract for social referral
services shall
provide
that such contract may be cancelled at anytime up until midnight of the third
(3rd)
business
day after the date of receipt by the buyer of a copy of the written contract,
by written
notice,
delivered by certified or registered United States mail to the seller at an
address which
shall
be specified in the contract.
(b)(1)
In every contract for social referral services, the seller shall furnish to the
buyer a
fully
completed copy of the contract at the time of its execution, which shows the
date of the
transaction
and contains the name and address of the seller, and in the immediate proximity
to the
space
reserved in the contract for the signature of the buyer and in not less than
ten (10) point
bold
face type, a statement in substantially the following form:
"You,
the buyer, may cancel this contract at any time prior to midnight of the third
business
day after your receipt of this contract. See the attached notice of
cancellation for an
explanation
of this right."
(2)
At the time the buyer signs the social referral services contract, a statement
captioned
"Notice
of Cancellation" shall be contained in the contract and shall contain, in
not less than ten
(10)
point bold face type, the following information and statements:
"Notice of Cancellation"
"____________________________________
____ (Date of Transaction)
You
may cancel this contract, without any penalty or obligation, at any time prior
to
midnight
of the third business day after your receipt of this contract by mailing this
signed and
dated
notice of cancellation by certified or registered United States mail to the
seller at the following
address:
________________ If you cancel, any payments made by you under the contract
will be
returned
within ten (10) business days following receipt by the seller of your
cancellation notice."
(3)
All moneys paid pursuant to any contract for social services shall be refunded
within
ten
(10) business days of receipt of the notice of cancellation.
(c)
The consumer's right of rescission shall not be waived, sold or abrogated in
any way
or
manner.
5-78-3.
Unfair trade practice. – Any violation of any provision of section
5-78-2 shall
be
deemed an unfair or deceptive trade practice under chapter 6-13.1.
SECTION
2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC02046
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