The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 9 : Commerce and Trade

Chapter 063 : Consumer Protection

Subchapter 004 : Prevention of Credit Card Company Unfair Business Practices

• § 2480q. Penalties

  (a) The following penalties shall apply to violations of this subchapter:

  (1) Any electronic payment system found to have violated section 2480p of this subchapter shall reimburse all affected merchants for all fines related to the prohibitions described in section 2480p of this subchapter that were collected from affected merchants directly or through any agent, processor, or member of the system during the period of time in which the electronic payment system was in violation and shall be liable for a civil penalty of $10,000.00 per fine levied in violation of section 2480p of this subchapter.

  (2) Any merchant whose rights under this subchapter have been violated may maintain a civil action for damages or equitable relief as provided for in this section, including attorney’s fees, if any.

  (3) A violation of section 2480p of this subchapter shall be deemed a violation of section 2453 of this title. The Attorney General has the same authority to conduct civil investigations, enter into assurances of discontinuance, and bring civil actions as provided under subchapter 1 of this chapter.

  (b) These penalties shall not apply to entities acting exclusively as agents, processors, or members that are not electronic payment systems. (Added 2009, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; amended 2011, No. 109 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 8, 2012; 2011, No. 136 (Adj. Sess.), § 1a, eff. May 18, 2012.)