Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 94 Part 1.djvu/442

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PUBLIC LAW 96-000—MMMM. DD, 1980

94 STAT. 392 "Commission." "Funeral trade regulation rule."

Funds, use.

Publication in Federal Register.

PUBLIC LAW 96-252—MAY 28, 1980 (1) The term "Commission" means the Federal Trade Commission. (2) The term "funeral trade regulation rule" means the proposed trade regulation rule which was published in the Federal Register of August 29, 1975, beginning at page 39901, and which relates to the regulation of funeral industry practices. (b) Except as provided in subsection (c), the Federal Trade Commission shall not have any authority to use any funds which are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) for fiscal year 1980, 1981, or 1982, under section 24 of such Act, as amended by section 17 and as so redesignated in section 13, to issue— (1) the funeral trade regulation rule in final form; or (2) any other trade regulation rule, in proposed or final form, which sets forth rules substantially similar to the rules set forth in the funeral trade regulation rule. (c)(1) The Commission shall have authority to use the funds specified in subsection (b) to issue the funeral trade regulation rule in final form only to the extent that the funeral trade regulation rule (in its final form)— (A) requires persons, partnerships, and corporations furnishing goods and services relating to funerals to disclose the fees or prices charged for such goods and services in a manner prescribed by the Commission; and (B) prohibits or prevents such persons, partnerships, and corporations from— (i) engaging in any misrepresentation; (ii) engaging in any boycott against, or making any threat against, any other person, partnership, or corporation furnishing goods and services relating to funerals; (iii) conditioning the furnishing of any such goods or services to a consumer upon the purchase by such consumer of other such goods or services; or (iv) furnishing any such goods or services to a consumer for a fee without obtaining the prior approval of such consumer. (2)(A) The Commission, before issuing the funeral trade regulation rule in final form— (i) shall publish in the Federal Register for public comment a revised version of the funeral trade regulation rule which contains the provisions specified in subparagraph (A) and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1); (ii) shall allow interested persons to submit written data, views, and arguments relating to such revised version of the funeral trade regulation rule, and make all such submissions publicly available; and (iii) may permit interested persons, or, as appropriate, a single representative of each group of such persons having the same or similar interests with respect to such revised version of the funeral trade regulation rule, to present their position orally. (B) The requirements established in subparagraph (A) are in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other requirements established in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.), or in any other provision of law, and applicable to the promulgation of trade regulation rules by the Commission. The requirements established in subparagraph (A) shall not be construed to vacate or otherwise affect any proceedings conducted by the Commission before the date of the