DeLaRosa Pushes Back Against Junk Fees, Price Gouging Schemes with New Affordability Laws

LOMBARD, Ill. – Major affordability measures addressing hidden junk fees and price gouging schemes are now law due to the work of state Rep. Margaret DeLaRosa, D-Lombard.

“The cost of living is at the forefront of everyone’s minds,” said DeLaRosa. “Basic necessities keep getting more expensive, and family budgets keep tightening. Relieving some of that financial burden was our number one priority in the General Assembly this year, and a big part of that is price transparency and business accountability. I look forward to seeing how these bills will benefit the people of Illinois.”

Often disguised as “convenience” or “processing” fees, hidden junk fees cost families over $3,000 every year, according to consumer reports, driving the affordability crisis and making everyday purchases more expensive.

DeLaRosa worked to crack down on these hidden fees by co-sponsoring House Bill 228, which is now law. The measure requires businesses to display all mandatory fees and charges they are adding on top of a purchase price and gives the attorney general’s office more authority to hold businesses accountable for not disclosing surprise fees.

DeLaRosa also worked to expand protections for people buying tickets to concerts and sporting events. In response to high-profile reports of abusive practices perpetrated by ticket resellers and AI-powered “bot farms” purchasing mass amounts of event tickets to be resold at two or three times the face value, she passed House Bill 4984, which bans resellers from offering the sale of tickets they do not actually possess. Additionally, Senate Bill 318 bans the use of bots to buy tickets in excess of posted limits of online ticket sales or to circumvent electronic queues and other waiting periods. 

These measures are now law.