A01113 Summary:

BILL NOA01113A
 
SAME ASSAME AS S03999-A
 
SPONSORHeastie (MS)
 
COSPNSRCrespo, Benedetto, Rodriguez, Camara, Lavine, Arroyo, Weprin, Clark
 
MLTSPNSRAubry, Borelli, Crouch, Farrell, Gjonaj, Pretlow, Raia, Scarborough
 
Amd SS18-a, 340 & 373, add SS373-a - 373-h, Bank L
 
Enacts the "short-term financial services loan act"; authorizes licensed cashers of checks to provide short-term loans under certain circumstances.
Go to top    

A01113 Actions:

BILL NOA01113A
 
01/09/2013referred to banks
03/06/2013amend and recommit to banks
03/06/2013print number 1113a
01/08/2014referred to banks
Go to top

A01113 Memo:

NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A1113A
 
SPONSOR: Heastie (MS)
  TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the banking law, in relation to enact- ing the "short-term financial services loan act"   PURPOSE: To provide consumers with additional options and choices by permitting licensed check cashers to make small-dollar installment loans, providing significant consumer protections and subject to several restrictions and requirements on this type of product.   SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS: Section 1: Creates the Short-Term Financial Services Loan Act. Section 2: Amends Banking Law section 18(a), as amended by chapter 155 of the laws of 2012 to provide that the expenses of the Loan Eligibility Registry established under this act shall be charged to those check cashers which offer small loans under the provisions of this act. Sections 3: Amends Banking Law section 18-a (5) as amended by chapter 155 of the laws of 2012 to establish license fees for check cashers that offer small loans under this act. Section 4: Amends Banking Law section 340 to create an exemption to the Licensed Lender Law to allow licensed check cashers to make financial services loans. Section 5: Amends Banking Law section 373(1) to create an exception to the provisions which currently prohibit licensed check cashers from making loans: language is added to enable licensed check cashers to make small financial services loans as authorized by the Banking Law and subject to the regulatory supervision of the Banking Department and the consumer protections provided in this bill. Section 6:. Adds new sections 373-a through 373-h to the Banking Law to authorize licensed check cashers to offer small denomination loans to consumers under certain circumstances. Limits the amount of such loans to a minimum of $300 and a maximum of either $2,000 or 25% of a borrow- er's gross monthly income, whichever is less. § 373-c entitled "Fees and Charges" allows for the licensee to charge, contract for and receive the following interest and fees in connection with a short-term financial services loan: Interest, at an annual percentage rate of no more than 25%; an "Application Fee" not to exceed $25.00 (this fee is deemed to be earned at the time the loan is made, but will be refunded in the event of rescission as provided in section 373-b(7)); and a "Monthly Mainte- nance Fee" not to exceed $15.00 per month of the loan term. The rate of interest provided in the bill is the same as is permitted to be charged by licensed lenders under Article 9 of the NY Banking Law. The fees provided by the bill. are reasonable to cover the lenders' costs to make the loans. Requirements are placed on licensees to lend money only to qualified borrowers based on income and their ability to repay such loans. The bill also provides that no licensee shall cause a borrower to be obligated on more than one such financial services loan at a time. A real-time database, which is accessible by the Superintendent of Banks and by other lenders, is established to track borrowing behavior and verify whether a financial services loan transaction is outstanding for a particular person. The bill minimizes the types of fees and actions that a lender may take against a borrower for non-payment of a loan. The bill also creates a "financial education fund" that will be funded by licensed check cashers which offer such financial service loans. This fund may be used to support financial education programs for public employees, or other directed groups. Adds new section 373-a(2) providing that any person not licensed here- under is prohibited from advertising or making a short-term financial services loan via the Internet.   JUSTIFICATION: This bill addresses the unfulfilled need of New Yorkers for an affordable, small-dollar, short-term installment credit product, to be provided by a strictly regulated lender with enhanced consumer protections. Many New Yorkers may find themselves in need of a small, short-term loan to address their financial situation, but they have few options avail- able to them. Affordable small dollar, short-term cash advances are unavailable for many people in this State. The reasons for the lack of such products include the absence of traditional lenders willing to provide small amounts of credit. Given the fixed costs involved in making and processing a loan, the cost of providing small amounts of credit can be proportionally high, however, the proposed loan product is significantly more reasonable in cost and repayment terms than any alternative. As a result, persons with' low or spotty credit ratings or thin credit files, who may need credit the most, are unable to obtain smaller loans, and instead find themselves subject to alternatives like high interest credit cards and overdraft protection products. Further, millions of New Yorkers each year are aggressively solicited to apply for unregulated payday loans being offered over the internet or by phone, from out-of- state companies, including companies formed off-shore or located on Native American reservations. These unregulated loans carry interest and fees far in excess of the loans proposed in this bill, with terms of two weeks and with none of the consumer protections provided by this bill. Notwithstanding the absence of appropriate small-dollar, short-term credit products, there is a demonstrated need for such products from regulated sources at affordable rates. Consumer demand and the incidence of high-cost borrowing in New York have been documented by consumer research studies. Accordingly, New Yorkers are satisfying their need for small, short term loans through high cost financial sources such as credit cards, overdraft protection, deferred/late payments, and unregu- lated "payday" loans. An estimated three million New Yorkers incurred overdraft protection. fees and nearly six million incurred late fees for paying their bills or credit card balances late. Furthermore, approximately one million New Yorkers obtain an estimated total of eight million payday loans each year from unlicensed and unregulated out-of-state lenders. These loans have an aggregate estimated value of between $4 to $5 billion. These lenders are charging New Yorkers exorbitant fees and interest rates to provide a cash advance until their next payday check is received. Further, such loans are being made with few or no consumer protections for the borrower. Recent studies also show that unregulated lenders engage in aggressive and often unscrupulous collection practices to collect these loans. This bill would also make it illegal for an unlicensed company to adver- tise, offer or make a payday loan over the Internet. In contrast, the regulated products created by this bill are not payday loans. Payday loans typically come due every two weeks, whereas this bill authorizes a longer term loan for at least between 90 and 180 days and provides for installment payments. The extension of small dollar, short-term credit by out-of-state compa- nies at extremely high costs is draining New York's economy of capital, removing tax revenue from the State, and causing the loss of jobs to other states. This bill can help to satisfy the financial needs of its citizens in these times of great financial stress and do so in a way that enhances consumer protections for some of our most vulnerable citi- zens. New York check cashers are in the singular business of offering consumer financial services. 'Existing regulatory oversight, coupled with an extensive network of convenient locations, make the licensed check cash- ers well-suited to offer a viable small dollar credit alternative to New Yorkers. These small dollar loans would be authorized in New York subject to strict restrictions. This bill also creates a financial education fund that will be funded entirely by licensed check cashers offering financial services loans. The need for financial education in the State of New York is acute, and this new fund will assist in addressing that need. The fund will be administered by the Department of Financial Services, in consultation with the check cashing industry.   LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: S.7043 of 2010 and A.7047 of 2011-2012 legisla- tive session   FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None   EFFECTIVE DATE: 180 days after it shall have become law
Go to top

A01113 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         1113--A
 
                               2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                       (Prefiled)
 
                                     January 9, 2013
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced   by   M.   of   A.   HEASTIE,   GIBSON,  CRESPO,  BENEDETTO,
          PEOPLES-STOKES, STEVENSON, RODRIGUEZ, ESPINAL, CAMARA, LAVINE, ARROYO,
          WEPRIN -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of  A.  BORELLI,  CROUCH,  FARRELL,
          PRETLOW,  RAIA, SCARBOROUGH -- read once and referred to the Committee

          on Banks -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered  reprinted  as
          amended and recommitted to said committee
 
        AN ACT to amend the banking law, in relation to enacting the "short-term
          financial services loan act"
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
     2  the "short-term financial services loan act".
     3    §  2.  Subdivision 4 of section 18-a of the banking law, as amended by
     4  chapter 155 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read as follows:
     5    4. The fee which shall be imposed for any application for  an  initial
     6  license,  registration,  incorporation or for the formation of any other
     7  entity pursuant to this chapter, or for a merger, acquisition,  purchase

     8  or  sale  of  assets,  change  of  control, or for any other application
     9  requiring the approval of the superintendent that  may  necessitate,  as
    10  determined  by the superintendent, a determination regarding the charac-
    11  ter or fitness and/or the safety and soundness of such  applicant  or  a
    12  similar investigative undertaking by the department, shall be:
    13    (a) twelve thousand five hundred dollars when such application relates
    14  to  a  banking organization, bank holding company or, except as provided
    15  in paragraph (b) of this subdivision, a foreign banking corporation;
    16    (b) seven thousand five hundred dollars when such application  relates
    17  to  licensing  a  branch,  agency  or representative office of a foreign
    18  banking corporation;
    19    (c) one thousand five hundred dollars when the application relates  to
    20  a mortgage broker; [or]
 

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04943-05-3

        A. 1113--A                          2
 
     1    (d)  three  thousand five hundred dollars when the application relates
     2  to licensing a casher of checks when the applicant intends to engage  in
     3  short-term financial services loan transactions. Five hundred dollars of
     4  such  fee  shall be retained by the department to be used solely for the
     5  purpose  of operating the loan eligibility registry established pursuant
     6  to section three hundred seventy-three-d of this chapter; or
     7    (e) three thousand dollars for all other such applications.

     8    § 3. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 5 of section  18-a  of  the  banking
     9  law,  as  amended by chapter 155 of the laws of 2012, is amended to read
    10  as follows:
    11    (b) two thousand dollars when the application relates to the licensing
    12  of an additional location or change of location or the  licensing  of  a
    13  mobile  unit  of  a  licensed casher of checks. An additional fee of two
    14  hundred fifty dollars shall be imposed upon a licensed casher of  checks
    15  if  it  engages in short-term financial services loan transactions. Such
    16  additional fee shall be retained by the department to be used solely for
    17  the purpose of  operating  the  loan  eligibility  registry  established
    18  pursuant to section three hundred seventy-three-d of this chapter; or

    19    §  4.  The  third undesignated paragraph of section 340 of the banking
    20  law, as added by chapter 22 of the laws of 1990, is amended to  read  as
    21  follows:
    22    Nothing  in  this  article  shall  apply  to  licensed collateral loan
    23  brokers or licensed cashers of checks.
    24    § 5. Subdivision 1 of section 373 of the banking law,  as  amended  by
    25  chapter 432 of the laws of 2004, is amended to read as follows:
    26    1. [No] Except as otherwise authorized by the provisions of this arti-
    27  cle,  no licensee shall engage in the business of making loans of money,
    28  credit, goods or things or discounting  of  notes,  bills  of  exchange,
    29  checks, or other evidences of debt pursuant to the provisions of article
    30  nine  of  this  chapter, nor shall a loan business or the negotiation of

    31  loans or the discounting of notes, bills of exchange,  checks  or  other
    32  evidences  of  debt be conducted on the same premises where the licensee
    33  is conducting business pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  this  article,
    34  unless  such  activity  is  specifically authorized by the provisions of
    35  this article.  Except as otherwise provided by regulation of the  super-
    36  intendent, all checks, drafts and money orders shall be deposited in the
    37  licensee's  bank account not later than the first business day following
    38  the day on which they were cashed. No licensee shall at any time cash or
    39  advance any moneys on a post-dated check or draft or engage in the busi-
    40  ness  of  transmitting  money  or  receiving  money  for   transmission;
    41  provided, however, that a licensee may cash a check payable on the first

    42  banking  business day following the date of cashing (a) if such check is
    43  drawn by the United States, the state of  New  York,  or  any  political
    44  subdivision  of  the  state  of  New York, or by any department, bureau,
    45  agency, authority, instrumentality or officer, acting  in  his  official
    46  capacity,  of  the  United  States or of the state of New York or of any
    47  political subdivision of the state of New York, or (b) if such check  is
    48  a  payroll  check  drawn  by an employer to the order of its employee in
    49  payment for services performed by such employee. No licensee shall  cash
    50  any check, draft or money order if the face amount for which it is drawn
    51  is  in  excess of fifteen thousand dollars; provided, however, that this
    52  restriction shall not apply to the cashing of checks,  drafts  or  money
    53  orders  drawn  by  the United States, any state thereof or any political

    54  subdivision of any such state, or by  any  department,  bureau,  agency,
    55  authority,  instrumentality or officer, acting in his official capacity,
    56  of the United States, any state thereof or any political subdivision  of

        A. 1113--A                          3
 
     1  any  such  state,  or  any banking institution, or to any check or draft
     2  drawn by any insurance company, any broker or dealer registered with the
     3  securities and exchange commission, or any attorney for  the  settlement
     4  of  claims,  or  to  any  check  which has been certified by the banking
     5  institution on which it has been drawn; provided further, however,  that
     6  any  such restriction upon the maximum face amount that may be cashed by
     7  a licensee shall not apply to the cashing of  checks,  drafts  or  money
     8  orders  by  licensees  for payees of such checks, drafts or money orders

     9  that are other than natural persons. For purposes of  this  subdivision,
    10  "banking  institution"  means  any  bank,  trust  company, savings bank,
    11  savings and loan association or  credit  union  which  is  incorporated,
    12  chartered  or  organized under the laws of this state or any other state
    13  or the United States.
    14    § 6. The banking law is amended by adding eight  new  sections  373-a,
    15  373-b, 373-c, 373-d, 373-e, 373-f, 373-g and 373-h to read as follows:
    16    §   373-a.  1.    Short-term  financial  services  loan  transactions.
    17  Notwithstanding any provision of section three hundred seventy-three  of
    18  this article to the contrary, a licensee may engage in short-term finan-
    19  cial  services  loan  transactions  at the licensee's place of business,
    20  provided that such transactions are conducted pursuant to the provisions

    21  of this article.
    22    2. Any person not licensed in accordance with the provisions  of  this
    23  chapter  shall  be  prohibited  from  advertising or making a short-term
    24  financial services loan via the internet.
    25    § 373-b. Terms of short-term financial services loan transactions.  1.
    26  No  licensee shall engage in the business  of offering short-term finan-
    27  cial services loans in amounts of less than three  hundred  dollars  nor
    28  more  than two thousand dollars, or more than twenty-five percent of the
    29  borrower's gross monthly income, whichever shall  be  less.  A  licensed
    30  casher  of  checks shall not contract for, exact or receive, directly or
    31  indirectly, on or in connection with any loan, any charges  whether  for

    32  interest,  compensation,  consideration,  expense  or any other purpose,
    33  which in the aggregate are greater than authorized in this article.
    34    2. The term of a short-term financial services loan shall be not  less
    35  than ninety days nor more then one hundred eighty days. A licensee which
    36  makes  a short-term financial services loan shall offer the borrower the
    37  opportunity to pay the principal, fees and interest authorized  by  this
    38  article  in  substantially  equal installments over the term of the loan
    39  with the exception of the first payment. Such installments shall be  due
    40  not  more  than two days after the date on which the borrower receives a
    41  regularly scheduled income payment; provided, however, that there  shall

    42  be  at  least  a thirteen day period between each installment.  Further-
    43  more, the first installment shall not be due before the borrower's  next
    44  pay  date  that is at least thirteen days after the short-term financial
    45  services loan transaction is  consummated.  Every  short-term  financial
    46  services  loan  shall  have not less than two scheduled installments. No
    47  scheduled installment payment shall exceed ten percent of the borrower's
    48  gross monthly income.
    49    3. A licensee may provide  the  proceeds  of  a  short-term  financial
    50  services  loan  to  the borrower in the form of a negotiable instrument,
    51  money order, cash or reasonable electronic payment method. No additional
    52  fee may be charged to the borrower by the licensee making  the  loan  in

    53  order for the borrower to gain access to the proceeds of such a loan.
    54    4.  Short-term financial services loans, whether in scheduled install-
    55  ments or in whole, may be repaid by the  borrower  in  cash,  electronic
    56  funds  transfer from the borrower's bank account or any other reasonable

        A. 1113--A                          4
 
     1  payment mechanism. If an electronic funds transfer or  other  reasonable
     2  payment  mechanism  is  elected  as the method for repaying a short-term
     3  financial services loan, the borrower may make any scheduled payment  to
     4  the  licensee  at any time, in whole or in part, of any payment install-
     5  ment. Every licensee shall provide a borrower with a dated receipt show-

     6  ing the amount paid and the balance due on the loan after each payment.
     7    5. No short-term financial services loan  shall  be  provided  to  any
     8  person,  until  the licensee shall have provided such person with a copy
     9  of a written agreement relating to such loan, which shall be  signed  by
    10  the licensee and the borrower, and which shall include:
    11    (a) the name and address of the borrower;
    12    (b)  the  name,  address and telephone number of the licensee, and the
    13  name and title of the agent of the licensee who signs the  agreement  on
    14  behalf of the licensee;
    15    (c) the date of the agreement;
    16    (d)  a  schedule  or  description  of  required  installment payments,

    17  including the principal amount of the loan, applicable  interest  rates,
    18  fees charged and method of payment;
    19    (e)  notice  that the borrower shall have the right to prepay the loan
    20  prior to maturity by paying the licensee the principal  amount  and  all
    21  accrued and unpaid interest, fees and charges;
    22    (f)  notice  that the borrower has the right to rescind the short-term
    23  financial services loan pursuant to subdivision seven of this section;
    24    (g) notice that the borrower may not take out more than one short-term
    25  financial services loan at a time; and
    26    (h) the following statement in at least fourteen point bold face type:
    27    (i) CREDIT COUNSELING AVAILABILITY. You, the borrower, should consider

    28  contacting  an  independent,  not-for-profit  credit  counseling  agency
    29  approved by the superintendent of financial services.
    30    (ii)  NO  CRIMINAL  PROSECUTION  OR SECURITY INTEREST.   You cannot be
    31  prosecuted in criminal court to collect any  outstanding  debt  on  this
    32  loan,  and the lender may not take or attempt to take an interest in any
    33  of your real or personal property to secure this loan.
    34    The superintendent may, by rule and regulation, promulgate the contact
    35  information and other disclosures to be provided in the notices required
    36  under this paragraph.
    37    6. Every licensee shall make readily available to each borrower, in  a
    38  form  prescribed  by the superintendent, a full and accurate schedule of

    39  charges on all short-term financial services loans.
    40    7. A borrower may rescind a short-term financial services loan  trans-
    41  action for any reason, not later than the close of business on the busi-
    42  ness  day  next succeeding the day on which such transaction was entered
    43  into, by informing the licensee in writing that such borrower  wants  to
    44  rescind  the  transaction and delivering the full amount of the proceeds
    45  of such transaction to the licensee. Upon the delivery of  the  proceeds
    46  of  a  loan  to  the borrower pursuant to this subdivision, all fees and
    47  charges imposed by the licensee upon the borrower shall be refunded. The
    48  licensee shall provide the borrower with a receipt  as  proof  that  the
    49  transaction has been rescinded.

    50    8.  Upon  the  completion  of  all  payments on a short-term financial
    51  services loan by a borrower, any licensee may enter into  a  new  short-
    52  term financial services loan transaction with such borrower.
    53    9.  A  borrower  may  refinance a short-term financial services loan a
    54  single time prior to the maturity of such loan if the borrower has  made
    55  not less than three consecutive installment payments thereon in a timely
    56  manner.  No  additional  application fee shall be charged for such refi-

        A. 1113--A                          5
 
     1  nance of the short-term financial services  loan.  A  borrower  who  has
     2  refinanced  a  short-term  financial services loan shall not be eligible

     3  for a new or additional credit advance from any licensee until such loan
     4  is paid in full.
     5    §  373-c. Fees and charges. 1. A licensee may charge, contract for and
     6  receive the following interest and fees in connection with a  short-term
     7  financial services loan:
     8    (a)  interest at an annual percentage rate of no more than twenty-five
     9  percent;
    10    (b) an application fee not to exceed twenty-five dollars.  Such fee is
    11  deemed to be earned at the time the  loan  is  made  and  shall  not  be
    12  subject  to  refund,  except for the full refund of all fees and charges
    13  after recission as  provided  in  subdivision  seven  of  section  three
    14  hundred seventy-three-b of this article; and

    15    (c) a monthly maintenance fee not to exceed fifteen dollars per month,
    16  for the duration of the loan term.
    17    2.  In  the event there are insufficient funds to honor any negotiable
    18  instrument, electronic funds transfer debit or  other  reasonable  elec-
    19  tronic  payment  mechanism provided to a licensee for a schedule payment
    20  on behalf of a borrower, such licensee may impose a processing fee  upon
    21  the  borrower  pursuant to section 5-328 of the general obligations law.
    22  Only one such fee may be imposed with respect to each dishonored negoti-
    23  able instrument, electronic funds transfer  debit  or  other  reasonable
    24  electronic payment mechanism.
    25    3.  The provisions of section 5-501 of the general obligations law and

    26  sections 190.40, 190.42 and 190.45 of the penal law shall not  apply  to
    27  the  provision  of  short-term financial services loans pursuant to this
    28  article.
    29    4. Interest on short-term financial services loans shall not be  paid,
    30  deducted   or  received  in  advance.  Nor  shall  interest  thereon  be
    31  compounded, however interest on an extension of credit shall:
    32    (a) be computed and paid only as a percentage of the unpaid  principal
    33  balance or portion of the unpaid principal balance; and
    34    (b)  be  computed on the basis of the number of days actually elapsed.
    35  All such interest shall be paid before such a loan may be paid in full.
    36    § 373-d. Loan eligibility registry. 1. The superintendent shall estab-

    37  lish and maintain a registry which shall be accessible by  licensees  by
    38  telephone  and  the  internet.  The purpose of such registry shall be to
    39  enable licensees to verify whether any person has an outstanding  short-
    40  term  financial  services loan. Each licensee shall submit to the super-
    41  intendent, prior to entering into any short-term financial services loan
    42  transaction, data relating to such transaction, in such  format  as  the
    43  superintendent  shall determine, which shall include, but not be limited
    44  to, the borrower's name, employment authorization alien number, address,
    45  driver's license number, amount of loan, date of loan  transaction,  the
    46  schedule  of installment payments and the date that the transaction will

    47  be closed. Every licensee may rely on the information in the loan eligi-
    48  bility registry as accurate and not be  subject  to  any  administrative
    49  penalty  or  civil  liability  as  the result of relying upon inaccurate
    50  information contained in such registry.
    51    2. Prior to entering into any short-term financial services loan tran-
    52  saction, a licensee shall query the loan eligibility registry and  shall
    53  retain  evidence  of  such  query for review by the superintendent for a
    54  period of five years. Such registry shall only authorize a  licensee  to
    55  enter into a short-term financial services loan transaction if the tran-
    56  saction  is  authorized  pursuant  to this article. During any period of


        A. 1113--A                          6
 
     1  time that the information on the loan eligibility registry  is  unavail-
     2  able  for  any  reason,  a  licensee may rely on the applicant's written
     3  representations to verify that  entering  into  a  short-term  financial
     4  services loan transaction with the applicant is permissible.
     5    3. The superintendent and department shall maintain the loan eligibil-
     6  ity registry and take all actions necessary to protect the confidential-
     7  ity  and  security  of  the information and data contained therein. Such
     8  registry may be utilized by the department for the purpose of  enforcing
     9  the  provisions  of  this  article. Information and data in the registry
    10  shall not be distributed to any person or entity for profit nor sold  to

    11  any party or entity.
    12    4.  Upon a licensee's query of the registry, such registry shall indi-
    13  cate whether an applicant for a short-term financial  services  loan  is
    14  eligible for such a loan and, if the applicant is ineligible, the reason
    15  for  such  ineligibility.  The loan eligibility registry shall be deemed
    16  confidential and not subject to the provisions of  article  six  of  the
    17  public officers law.
    18    5.  All expenses of the department for the establishment and operation
    19  of the loan eligibility registry established pursuant to  section  three
    20  hundred  seventy-three-d  of this article shall be charged and allocated
    21  among all licensed cashers of checks which engage in  short-term  finan-
    22  cial services loan transactions.

    23    §  373-e. Prohibited acts. 1. No licensee shall cause a borrower to be
    24  obligated on more than one short-term financial  services  loan  at  any
    25  single time.
    26    2.  No licensee shall take an assignment of the earnings of a borrower
    27  for the payment or as security for the payment of any short-term  finan-
    28  cial  services  loan.  Every assignment of earnings in violation of this
    29  subdivision shall be void and unenforceable by the assignee.
    30    3. No licensee shall renew or extend any short-term financial services
    31  loan for a fee, except as provided in subdivision nine of section  three
    32  hundred seventy-three-b of this article.
    33    4.  No  licensee  shall  threaten  or  cause  to be filed any criminal

    34  complaint against a borrower who fails to make any scheduled payment.
    35    5. A short-term  financial  services  loan  agreement  shall  only  be
    36  enforceable,  with  regard  to  a default by the borrower, to the extent
    37  that the borrower fails to make a scheduled  payment  pursuant  to  such
    38  agreement.
    39    6.  No  short-term financial services loan agreement shall provide for
    40  the payment by the borrower of the licensee's attorneys fees.
    41    7. No licensee shall require the borrower to agree to or  execute  any
    42  confession  of judgment or power of attorney in favor of any licensee or
    43  in favor of any other person, and such  confession  shall  be  void  and
    44  unenforceable.

    45    8.  No  short-term  financial  services  loan  shall  in any manner be
    46  secured by personal or real property.
    47    9. No licensee  shall  advertise,  display,  distribute,  telecast  or
    48  broadcast,  or cause or permit to be advertised, displayed, distributed,
    49  telecast or broadcast, in any manner whatsoever, any  false,  misleading
    50  or  deceptive  statement with regard to the rates, terms, fees or condi-
    51  tions for short-term financial services loan transactions.
    52    § 373-f. Financial education fund. A financial education fund is here-
    53  by created in the state treasury, which  shall  be  funded  by  licensed
    54  check  cashers  offering financial services loans. Funding of the finan-

    55  cial education fund will consist of licensees contributing  fifty  cents
    56  from  the application fee prescribed in subdivision one of section three

        A. 1113--A                          7
 
     1  hundred seventy-three-c of this article upon full re-payment of a finan-
     2  cial services loan.  The  superintendent  shall  collect  the  financial
     3  education  assessment from licensees as part of the annual assessment of
     4  the  industry and said funds shall be deposited by the superintendent in
     5  the state treasury. Beginning within ninety days after the first  annual
     6  assessment,  the financial education fund shall be used to support vari-
     7  ous financial education programs developed or implemented by the  super-

     8  intendent after consulting with the licensed check cashing industry. The
     9  fund  shall  be administered by the superintendent who shall adopt regu-
    10  lations for the distribution of  the  funds.  The  superintendent  shall
    11  adopt  regulations  to  require  that at least one-half of the financial
    12  education programs developed or implemented pursuant  to  this  section,
    13  and offered to the public, be presented by or available at public commu-
    14  nity  colleges  or  state institutions throughout the state.  The super-
    15  intendent shall also adopt regulations to require that a portion of  the
    16  financial education programs developed or implemented be used to support
    17  financial  education  programs  for  public  employees or other directed

    18  groups. The superintendent shall  deliver  to  the  governor  an  annual
    19  report  that  includes  an  outline  of each financial education program
    20  developed or implemented, the number of individuals who were educated by
    21  each program, and an accounting for all funds distributed.
    22    § 373-g. Licensee books and records. Every licensee shall maintain all
    23  such books, accounts and records as will enable  the  superintendent  to
    24  enforce the provisions of this article.
    25    §  373-h.  Examination  of short-term financial services transactions.
    26  The superintendent, or his or her designee, may from time to time inves-
    27  tigate the short-term financial services transactions and business,  and

    28  examine  the  books,  accounts,  and  records  relating thereto of every
    29  licensee.
    30    § 7. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    31  it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediate-
    32  ly, any rules and regulations necessary to implement the  provisions  of
    33  this  act  on its effective date shall be added, amended and/or repealed
    34  on or before such date.
Go to top