Hotel 'junk fees' bill passes GOP-controlled House

A House bill to require full transparency of hotel rates received overwhelming bipartisan support and successfully passed the GOP-controlled chamber

The No Hidden FEES Act aims to establish a uniform standard for transparently displaying fees across the long- and short-term lodging industry. This legislation mandates that all additional fees, including "resort fees" even for hotels without resort amenities, be clearly listed and disclosed upfront. This ensures consumers have a clear understanding of lodging prices and can make informed comparisons.

Key takeaways

• The House bill, passed on June 11 with a 384-25 vote, was introduced by Young Kim (R-Calif.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) in December, following a similar effort by Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kans.) with the Hotel Fees Transparency Act in the Senate;
• These legislative efforts align with President Joe Biden’s crackdown on hidden fees, which initially targeted the airline industry in summer 2021;
• The House bill grants the Federal Trade Commission and individual states the power to enforce violations and failures to disclose hotel fees, categorizing them as unfair or deceptive business practices. It has received praise from key industry trade groups, including The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association.

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