Penalty Amount
$5,000,000
The Connecticut Attorney General obtained a $5 million stipulated judgment against Vision Solar for alleged deceptive sales practices, including high-pressure tactics, misrepresentations, and performing unpermitted work. Although the company is bankrupt and cannot pay, the judgment establishes binding operational standards for solar companies in Connecticut regarding disclosures, contracting, permitting, and use of licensed contractors.
The judgment imposes a $5 million civil penalty and includes injunctive relief requiring: clear disclosure of solar generation estimates and costs; itemization of all services; prohibition on using tablets/phones for signatures and same-day contract signing after first visit; prohibition on work before obtaining permits; and requirement to use licensed electricians for electrical work.
In-house legal teams should review all customer-facing agreements, particularly residential solar sales contracts and installation service agreements. Key clauses to examine include: disclosure statements (ensuring no misrepresentations about costs, performance, or permits), contract execution terms (prohibiting same-day signing after first visit and restricting electronic signatures via tablets/phones), permitting responsibilities (requiring contractor to obtain all permits before work begins), and contractor licensing mandates (verifying use of licensed contractors). Agreements may need amendments to add a mandatory cooling-off period, explicit affordability/credit checks, and strengthened representations/warranties regarding permit acquisition and system activation.
Entity
Vision Solar
Industry
OtherOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2024-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-announces-5-million-judgment-against-bankrupt-vision-solar
vision solar motion for judgment w exhibit.pdf?rev=a97cfa248
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2024/vision-solar-motion-for-judgment-w-exhibit.pdf?rev=a97cfa248c1545109cb915273b8f35ea&hash=8CBD2E884B72B6E834114C46C6F74217
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
$2.0M
Attorney General Tong and a coalition of four other states and the FTC sued Zillow and Redfin after Zillow paid Redfin $100 million to shut down its multifamily rental advertising business and transfer clients to Zillow. The settlement requires the companies to restore competition, with Redfin rebuilding its apartment advertising business, and pay $2 million to the coalition.
Attorney General William Tong sent a letter to the Connecticut Insurance Department urging rejection of double-digit rate increases sought by Anthem, ConnectiCare, and UnitedHealthcare for individual and small group health insurance plans covering about 220,000 people. The letter argues the rates exceed inflationary measures and criticizes the carriers for failing to control costs and for poor claims system management, particularly ConnectiCare's transition to Molina Healthcare.
$275K
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a $275,000 settlement with TaxAct, an online tax preparation company, over allegations that between January 2018 and December 2022, TaxAct improperly disclosed detailed customer financial information to Meta and Google through third-party tracking technologies without notifying taxpayers. The settlement requires TaxAct to pay $275,000 and implement new third-party tracking compliance measures, including a review committee, written policies, a tag monitoring system, and two independent third-party audits.
$4.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and the Federal Trade Commission announced a $4 million settlement with Manchester City Nissan (Chase Nissan LLC) resolving allegations that the dealership double-charged for 'certified pre-owned' vehicles and collected unauthorized junk fees. The settlement requires payment for consumer redress, prohibits misrepresentations, mandates clear disclosure of the maximum total price, and requires express informed consent for all charges.
Attorney General Tong and a coalition of 21 attorneys general and Pennsylvania filed lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Transportation, FMCSA, and DHS to block demands for the personal information of 17 million CDL drivers. The lawsuits allege violations of federal privacy laws and the Administrative Procedure Act, and seek an emergency order to prevent the data transfer.
Attorney General William Tong and a coalition of 10 attorneys general filed a lawsuit challenging a new OCC rule that preempts state laws requiring national banks to pay interest on homeowners' mortgage escrow accounts. The lawsuit argues the OCC ignored federal court decisions and bypassed safeguards, and seeks to block the rule.