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Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Chapter 110 — Online Shopper Protection

§ 8405. Enforcement by State attorneys general

Statutory text

(a)

Right of action

Except as provided in subsection (e), the attorney general of a State, or other authorized State officer, alleging a violation of this chapter or any regulation issued under this chapter that affects or may affect such State or its residents may bring an action on behalf of the residents of the State in any United States district court for the district in which the defendant is found, resides, or transacts business, or wherever venue is proper under section 1391 of title 28, to obtain appropriate injunctive relief.

(b)

Notice to Commission required

A State shall provide prior written notice to the Federal Trade Commission of any civil action under subsection (a) together with a copy of its complaint, except that if it is not feasible for the State to provide such prior notice, the State shall provide such notice immediately upon instituting such action.

(c)

Intervention by the Commission

The Commission may intervene in such civil action and upon intervening—

(1)

be heard on all matters arising in such civil action; and

(2)

file petitions for appeal of a decision in such civil action.

(d)

Construction

Nothing in this section shall be construed—

(1)

to prevent the attorney general of a State, or other authorized State officer, from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general, or other authorized State officer, by the laws of such State; or

(2)

to prohibit the attorney general of a State, or other authorized State officer, from proceeding in State or Federal court on the basis of an alleged violation of any civil or criminal statute of that State.

(e)

Limitation

No separate suit shall be brought under this section if, at the time the suit is brought, the same alleged violation is the subject of a pending action by the Federal Trade Commission or the United States under this chapter.

Legislative history

Reconstructed from this section’s Code source credit and amendment notes, resolved against the local Statutes at Large. Editorial notes are evidence, not the law that made the change.

  1. Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act

    Pub. L. 111–345 § 6 · 124 Stat. 3618

    Enacted · 15 U.S.C. § 8405

    (Pub. L. 111–345, § 6, Dec. 29, 2010, 124 Stat. 3621.)

    Source evidence

    Code source credit
    (Pub. L. 111–345, § 6, Dec. 29, 2010, 124 Stat. 3621.)

    Enacted provision · exact public law section
    SEC. 6. ENFORCEMENT BY STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL. (a) Right of Action.— Except as provided in subsection (e), the attorney general of a State, or other authorized State officer, alleging a violation of this Act or any regulation issued under this Act that affects or may affect such State or its residents may bring an action on behalf of the residents of the State in any United States district court for the district in which the defendant is found, resides, or transacts business, or wherever venue is proper under section 1391 of title 28, United States Code, to obtain appropriate injunctive relief. (b) Notice to Commission Required.— A State shall provide prior written notice to the Federal Trade Commission of any civil action under subsection (a) together with a copy of its complaint, except that if it is not feasible for the State to provide such prior notice, the State shall provide such notice immediately upon instituting such action. (c) Intervention by the commission.— The Commission may intervene in such civil action and upon intervening— (1) be heard on all matters arising in such civil action; and (2) file petitions for appeal of a decision in such civil action. (d) Construction.— Nothing in this section shall be construed— (1) to prevent the attorney general of a State, or other authorized State officer, from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general, or other authorized State officer, by the laws of such State; or (2) to prohibit the attorney general of a State, or other authorized State officer, from proceeding in State or Federal court on the basis of an alleged violation of any civil or criminal statute of that State. (e) Limitation.— No separate suit shall be brought under this section if, at the time the suit is brought, the same alleged violation is the subject of a pending action by the Federal Trade Commission or the United States under this Act.

1 of 1 references resolved to an enrolled provision

Credits

(Pub. L. 111–345, § 6, , 124 Stat. 3621.)

Parsed from the official OLRC USLM XML in data/usc_all/usc15.xml · release point 119-108 · OLRC build 2026-09-09

USLM identifier /us/usc/t15/s8405