Briel Bills Outlawing Price Raising Schemes Now Law

OTTAWA, Ill. – Major affordability measures cracking down on hidden junk fees and price gouging schemes are now law thanks to the support of state Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa.

“Grocery trip receipts shouldn’t climb week by week for the same products. A price tag shouldn’t double after you’ve hit checkout. These are all commonsense ideas, yet families statewide are footing enormous costs that just aren’t normal—and by no means tenable,” said Briel. “Deceptive practices like these have far too long pushed Illinois shoppers around with hidden fees and price gouging that burn our wallets and stretch our savings. This set of laws puts control back where it belongs—in the hands of Illinois consumers, not billionaire corporations.”

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

Briel worked to crack down on these hidden fees with 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.

Briel also supported greater 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.