Clear rules, not lawsuits: Chamber statement on the Mayor’s consumer protection package
October 6, 2026
Today Mayor Zohran Mamdani and DCWP Commissioner Samuel Levine announced a package of three consumer protection bills. Council Member Harvey Epstein, Chair of the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection, will introduce them at the City Council's stated meeting on October 8.
The POWER Act (People and Organizations Winning Economic Relief) would create a municipal private right of action. Individuals, workers, tenants, small businesses, and nonprofits could sue companies directly over unfair methods of competition and over unfair, deceptive, abusive, or unlawful practices. Today, state law lets individuals sue only over deceptive practices. The bill would also let nonprofits, including tenant unions, bring claims on behalf of their members and the public.
The Truth in Pricing Act, sponsored by Chair Epstein and Council Member Carmen De La Rosa, would simplify the City's price display rules by letting businesses choose to post prices either on the item or on the shelf.
An amendment to the City's Consumer Protection Law, sponsored by Council Member Chi Ossé, would let DCWP act against unconscionable business practices without first completing rulemaking.
The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce will review the bill text and work with the Administration and the Council as the legislation moves forward.
Statement from Jessica Walker, President & CEO, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce
"We welcome the Truth in Pricing Act. Simpler, consistent pricing rules will save small businesses time and money while keeping prices clear for shoppers. That's exactly the kind of reform that helps everyone.
We share the Administration's goal of holding predatory actors accountable. But the POWER Act and the proposed change to the Consumer Protection Law need a close look. Most of the 125,000 businesses we represent are small and don't have legal departments. A broad private right of action covering 'unfair' and 'unlawful' practices, together with removing the requirement that DCWP define violations through rulemaking first, could leave a family-owned shop facing lawsuits and penalties over rules no one has clearly written down. Even one lawsuit can sink a small business that did nothing wrong.
We look forward to reviewing the bill text and working with the Administration, Chair Epstein, and Council Member Ossé on clear definitions, a chance to fix problems before anyone sues, and real protections for the small businesses this city depends on."
Read the Mayor's announcement: Mayor Mamdani to Introduce POWER Act Allowing New Yorkers to Sue Predatory Corporations for Unfair Business Practices
Business owners with questions about how these proposals could affect them can contact MCC's help desk at bizhelp.nyc.