HARRISBURG, April 14, 2025 – State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-Phila) and Senator Nick Pisciottano (D-Allegheny) today introduced legislation in the House and Senate to create price transparency for consumers in the commonwealth. The Pay the Price you See legislation, HB1216 and SB640, would require platforms for event tickets, lodging, and food delivery to list the full, final price of their products upfront, allowing consumers to make informed decisions.
Junk fees are the unexpected, mandatory fees added to the price of a good or service at checkout, often associated with online purchases for items like concert tickets. These fees can add up to 30% more to the original price, and they cost the average American family more than $3,000 per year.
“At a time when costs are rising nationwide, Pennsylvanians deserve the ability to see real prices upfront, so they can make informed decisions that work for their budgets,” Fiedler said. “Baseball season is back, and families like mine will be heading to the ballpark. We should all be able to make plans and have fun—whether it’s seeing a Phillies game or booking a vacation—without the fear of corporations slapping hidden fees on tickets.
This concept is common-sense legislation that would protect Pennsylvania consumers against these “bait and switch” pricing practices, while allowing small businesses to compete with the artificially lowered prices used by dominant, national corporations.
“As prices continue to rise it’s vital for consumers to have clear and accurate information upfront about the fees they are paying,” said Pisciottano. “Hidden and junk fees at the backend of transactions are hurting families and this is a reasonable consumer protection that creates needed price transparency. We don’t accept hidden fees in the bread aisle at grocery store, we shouldn’t stand for them elsewhere. Why is it so hard for companies to tell us the actual prices of items they’re selling?”
The legislation was authored by then-Rep. Pisciottano and passed the House with significant bipartisan support. It was also supported by stakeholders including Live Nation, the Federal Consumer Protection Bureau, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
On the federal level, the FTC enacted a similar rule around fee transparency in 2024. The FTC has since been supportive of state efforts to enact bans on junk fees, including supporting existing laws in California and Minnesota.