Law would protect consumers in crises.

Legislators should overturn Gov. Mark Sanford's veto of legislation that would give the attorney general greater authority to investigate price gouging.

The legislation would allow the attorney general to investigate and prosecute price gougers by issuing a "notice of abnormal disruption of the market" when a state of emergency declared by the president creates a dramatic change in the market price for commodities. In pushing for the legislation, Attorney General Henry McMaster also stressed the need to preserve the free market.

Sanford's main objection to the law is that it would have given the attorney general too much power. In his veto message Sanford wrote, "having both the emergency declaration and prosecutorial decision made by the same person is fraught with the potential for abuse."

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Had this process been in place in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, McMaster would have been able to more easily investigate high gasoline prices. Seven gas station owners earlier this year reached a civil settlement with the state after charging an average of $4.59 a gallon for gasoline after the storms.

Sanford's veto assumes misuse by the attorney general. It also ignores how difficult this law would be to abuse: Circumstances that create an abnormal market disruption would, by their definition, be plainly evident and difficult to fabricate. This bill would rob the governor of no authority and would put businesses in no jeopardy.

Most importantly, Sanford ignored how this bill would further protect consumers from vultures who might capitalize on miserable circumstances.