MA S578

Bill

MA S578

Relative to fairness in debt collection

Introduced
01/22/2019

In Committee
01/22/2019

Crossed Over

Passed

Dead
12/31/2020

Introduced Session

191st General Court

Bill Summary

For legislation relative to fairness in debt collection. Financial Services.

AI Summary

This bill aims to introduce the Debt Collection Fairness Act, which establishes several key provisions to protect consumers from unfair debt collection practices. The bill sets limits on the amount of a consumer's earnings that can be garnished, establishes a 4-year statute of limitations for collecting consumer debt, prohibits imprisonment for failure to pay consumer debt, caps interest rates on consumer debt judgments, and regulates attorney's fees. The bill also allows consumers to file financial affidavits to demonstrate that their income and assets are exempt from collection, and imposes consequences on employers who take adverse actions against employees due to garnishments. The provisions of the bill will take effect on January 1, 2020, except for certain retroactive provisions.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry

Sponsors (11)

Mike Barrett (D), Paul Brodeur (D), Harriette Chandler (D), Mindy Domb (D), Jamie Eldridge (D), Anne Gobi (D), David LeBoeuf (D), Elizabeth Malia (D), Tram Nguyen (D), Denise Provost (D), José Tosado (D),

Last Action

Accompanied a new draft, see S2734 (on 06/02/2020)

Official Document

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S578

(8 Companion Bills)

Version:

Document Type	Source Location
State Bill Page	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S578
Bill	https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/S578.pdf

Bill	Bill Name	Last Action	Type
H1144	Relative to hospital profit transparency and fairness	Reporting date extended to Thursday December 31, 2020, pending concurrence	Similar To
H1674	Relative to ensuring fairness in public employee workers' compensation benefits	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means	Similar To
H2343	Relative to ensure fairness for certain employees of the department of corrections	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on House Ways and Means	Similar To
H919	Relative to fairness in debt collection	Accompanied a new draft, see H4694	Similar To
H939	Relative to greater fairness in insurance	Reporting date extended to Thursday December 31, 2020, pending concurrence	Similar To
S1500	Relative to fair worker representation on joint purchasing group committees	Accompanied a study order, see S2545	Similar To
S1623	To ensure fairness through the economic development tax increment financing program	Accompanied a study order, see H5080	Similar To
S2734	Relative to fairness in debt collection	Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means	Replaced by

Bill > S578

summary

Introduced Session

Bill Summary

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Sponsors (11)

Last Action

Official Document

bill text

bill summary

bill summary

bill summary