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(TRENTON) - The Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee today released legislation Assembly members Nilsa Cruz-Perez, Paul Moriarty, Jim Whelan, and Michael Panter sponsored to further protect the consumer from the strict law of the state of automobile lemon for consumer electronic products like plasma TVs and home entertainment systems.
"Many families spend much of their income on electronics as they do in a car," said Assemblywoman Cruz-Perez (D-Camden), chairman of the Committee on Consumer Assembly. "Given the escalation of people are investing in electronic products, not equal protection under the Lemon Law will be extended to protect these consumers?"
"The Consumer Electronics Warranty Lemon Law" (A-3978) reflects many of the protections it offers to car buyers in the State Automobile Lemon Law.
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Electronic devices as defined by the measure are products containing technology having electrical, digital, magnetic, wireless, 11 optical, electromagnetic or electronic capabilities that include the common, such as stereos, TV, iPods, computers and similar devices.
Under the measure, the following conditions must be met for an electronic product to qualify as a lemon
· Any electronic device that could not be repaired within three attempts that require a replacement of equal value and condition.
· Defective items would require a full refund of the total purchase price;
· Sellers who advertise on the service home electronics must provide that service and military within 72 hours of receipt of the request for service;
• The holder of the security and a retail representative must certify the condition of an item, in writing, before it is mailed or left out for repair;
• A warranty is still valid if the repair cost exceeds the original price and if there is a slight cosmetic defect that occurs with regular use;
· Extended warranties and service contracts must run consecutively with the manufacturer's warranty and can not annul or diminish any coverage provided by the manufacturer.
"Guarantees of Electronics and service contracts should be a source of confidence for consumers, not a headache," said Assemblyman Moriarty (D-Gloucester). "Extended warranties should not become simply an extra charge, but an iron clad agreement that guarantees a purchase."
"By extending the lemon law protections to consumer electronics, manufacturing of these products will be under greater pressure to ensure maximum quality control," said Assemblyman Whelan (D-Atlantic). "Too many consumers to keep foreign-made electronic devices that are faulty and irreparable."
Violations of the measure would be punishable under New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. First offenders would be fined up to $ 10,000. Subsequent violations would be subject to fines up to $ 20,000. Violators could be the subject of precautionary measures, triple damages, and restitution.
"We can not continue to allow some false electronics stores and manufacturers to take advantage of consumers in New Jersey," said Assemblyman Panter (D-Monmouth/Mercer). "Warranties and service contracts must be upheld, and violators should face harsh penalties for deceptive trade practices."
The measure was released from the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee by a vote of 5-0. Now goes to President of the Assembly, who decides if and when put to the vote ground.
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