- Mar 16
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2026
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Sen. Sonya Halpern Introduces Legislative Package to Strengthen Fair Markets and Consumer Transparency
Atlanta, GA — Sen. Sonya Halpern (D-Atlanta) unveiled a legislative package last week aimed at strengthening consumer transparency and ensuring fair competition in Georgia’s marketplace.
Sen. Halpern’s SB 583 would require clearer price transparency and prohibit businesses from adding hidden or misleading charges commonly known as “junk fees.” The bill is designed to help consumers control everyday costs by ensuring businesses advertise the true cost of goods and services upfront, helping consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
In addition, Sen. Halpern introduced SR 890, which would create the Senate Study Committee on Protecting Free and Fair Markets. The study committee would examine state antitrust laws and whether they adequately address modern market conditions, including increasing concentration in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and the growing presence of out-of-state private equity firms in Georgia’s housing markets.
“Georgia has built one of the strongest business climates in the country, and maintaining that reputation requires markets that are transparent, competitive, and fair,” said Sen. Halpern. “As we have seen across a number of industries, when competition decreases, consumers often feel the effects through higher prices and fewer options.”
“At a time when families are paying close attention to every dollar they spend, transparent pricing and healthy competition help ensure Georgians can make informed choices and keep more of their hard-earned money,” Halpern added.
“SR 890 would give Georgia an opportunity to take a thoughtful look at whether our laws are keeping pace with today’s marketplace,” Halpern continued. “Strong markets depend on trust. When consumers know prices are clear and competition is real, it strengthens the entire business environment.”
Recent developments at the federal level have renewed attention to questions of competition and market concentration across several industries. Federal regulators have examined consolidation in sectors ranging from live entertainment to media, where proposed mergers — including Paramount and Warner Brothers Discovery, which would combine nearly half of the top 50 television channels and merge two major news organizations — could significantly reshape the competitive landscape.
Consumer advocates and antitrust experts have increasingly raised concerns that when markets become overly concentrated, consumers may face higher prices, fewer choices, and less transparency in pricing.
While SB 583 did not cross over to the House, the measure remains available for consideration in the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee. SR 890 remains eligible for hearing and passage in the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee. Earlier this week, Economic Development and Tourism heard Sen. Halpern’s SB 416, another consumer protection bill that stops fraudulent third-party hotel booking services from misleading customers into believing they have booked hotel rooms with a service associated with the hotel.
Sen. Halpern is available for comment.
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