Substitute House Bill No. 6052 seeks to amend the Home Solicitation Sales Act with a focus on enhancing consumer protection, particularly in relation to residential solar photovoltaic systems. The bill introduces new definitions, such as "business day," "consumer," and "solar seller," while reclassifying "home solicitation sale" to include various sales scenarios while excluding certain transactions. Key provisions include the prohibition of individuals with disqualifying offenses from engaging in in-person solicitations, the establishment of a "no home solicitation sales" listing managed by the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP), and the requirement for sellers to notify local authorities before soliciting. Additionally, sellers must regularly check this list and comply with strict solicitation hours.

The bill also modifies existing laws to clarify consumer rights, such as the right to cancel a home solicitation sale within three business days and the seller's obligation to return payments and goods promptly. It replaces the term "buyer" with "consumer" throughout the text to ensure clarity and consistency. Furthermore, it lowers penalties for violations from criminal to civil, with fines up to $20,000 for non-compliance with the no solicitation list. The DCP is tasked with creating consumer resources, including a handbook and guidelines for sellers, while also incurring costs for additional staffing to implement these changes. Overall, the bill aims to strengthen consumer protections in home solicitation sales and solar financing transactions.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 42-134a, 42-135a, 42-136, 42-137, 42-138, 42-139, 42-140, 42-141
GL Joint Favorable: 42-134a, 42-135a, 42-136, 42-137, 42-138, 42-139, 42-140, 42-141
File No. 616: 42-134a, 42-135a, 42-136, 42-137, 42-138, 42-139, 42-140, 42-141