Solicitation of contributions; enforcement, creates private right of action.

Solicitation of contributions; enforcement; private right of action. Creates a private right of action for contributing individuals who were aggrieved by the actions of any charitable or civic organization, commercial co-venturer, professional fund-raising counsel, or professional solicitor that violated any provision of law relating to the solicitation of contributions. The bill provides that such individuals may initiate an action to recover (i) actual damages or $500, whichever is greater;

(ii) reasonable costs; and (iii) attorney fees. The bill also allows the trier of fact to increase damages to an amount not to exceed three times the actual damages sustained or $1,000, whichever is greater, if it finds that the violation was willful.