(a) As used in this section:
(1) “Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act” means 15 USC Sections 2301 to 2312, inclusive, as amended, and includes rules, regulations, statements and interpretations issued by the Federal Trade Commission under said act.
(2) “Service contract” means a contract in a record to perform, over a fixed period or for a specified duration, services relating to the maintenance or repair, or both, of leased goods.
(3) “Supplier” means any person engaged in the business of making leased goods directly or indirectly available to lessees through consumer leases.
(4) “Written warranty” means:
(A) An affirmation of fact in a record or promise in a record made in connection with a consumer lease of goods by a supplier to a lessee, which relates to the nature of the material or workmanship, affirms or promises that the material or workmanship is defect-free or will meet a specified level of performance over a specified period, and becomes part of the basis of the bargain between the supplier and the lessee; or
(B) An undertaking in a record in connection with the lease by a supplier of goods to refund, repair, replace or take other remedial action with respect to the leased goods if the leased goods fail to meet the specifications set forth in the undertaking, which becomes part of the basis of the bargain between the supplier and the lessee.
(b) A supplier may not disclaim or, except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, modify an implied warranty to a lessee with respect to leased goods if:
(1) The supplier makes a written warranty to the lessee with respect to the leased goods; or
(2) At the time the lessee signs the lease, or within ninety days thereafter, the supplier enters into a service contract with the lessee which applies to the leased goods.
(c) Unless a supplier has made a warranty that would qualify as a full warranty under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act if made in connection with a sale of goods, the supplier may limit the duration of implied warranties to the duration of a written warranty of reasonable duration, if the limitation is conscionable and conspicuously displayed on the face of the warranty.
(d) A disclaimer, modification or limitation made in violation of this section is not enforceable.
(e) A term in a consumer lease that attempts to exclude or modify an implied warranty of merchantability or fitness or to exclude or modify a remedy for breach of such warranties is not enforceable.
(P.A. 02-81, S. 27.)
History: P.A. 02-81 effective July 1, 2003.