Section 21-M:9 Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau.
I. There is established in the division of public protection a consumer protection and antitrust bureau. The bureau shall be supervised by a senior assistant attorney general who shall be appointed by the attorney general in accordance with the provisions of RSA 21-M:3 and who shall carry out the provisions of this section under the supervision of the attorney general and do such other work as the attorney general may assign. The attorney general shall also appoint an investigator and such other staff as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section within the limits of the appropriations for the bureau.
II. The duties of the bureau shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) Receiving, investigating, and attempting to resolve complaints by individual consumers of unfair or deceptive business practices.
(b) Bringing civil and criminal actions in the name of the state to redress unfair or deceptive trade or business practices.
(c) [Repealed.]
(d) Administering and enforcing the provisions of the land sales full disclosure act, RSA 356-A.
(e) Administering and enforcing the provisions of the condominium act, RSA 356-B.
(f) Administering the provisions of RSA 356-C, relative to protection of tenants in conversion of rental units.
(g) [Repealed.]
(h) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-A, relative to regulation of business practices for consumer protection.
(i) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-B, relative to chain distributor schemes.
(j) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-C, relative to unfair, deceptive, or unreasonable collection practices.
(k) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-D, relative to regulation of motor vehicle repair facilities.
(l) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-E, relative to distributorship disclosure.
(m) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-F, relative to sale of unsafe used motor vehicles.
(n) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-G, relative to regulation of auctions.
(o) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-H, relative to regulation of rental referral agencies.
(p) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-I, relative to regulation of health clubs.
(q) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 358-J, relative to regulation of buying clubs.
(r) Administering and enforcing the provisions of RSA 359-B, relative to consumer credit reporting.
(s) Administering and enforcing antitrust laws, including the provisions of RSA 356, relative to combinations and monopolies.
(t) [Repealed.]
(u) Investigating and prosecuting disciplinary proceedings before state professional licensing boards.
III. The bureau may disclose to the public the number and type of complaints or inquiries filed by consumers against a particular person, as defined by RSA 358-A:1, I; provided, however, that no such disclosure shall abridge the confidentiality of consumer complaints or inquiries.
Source. 1985, 300:1. 1987, 406:7, 11. 1992, 272:4. 1994, 306:9, eff. June 8, 1994. 1996, 263:10, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.