2005 House Bill 4834 / Public Act 244

License and regulate “payday lenders”

Introduced in the House

May 26, 2005

Introduced by Rep. Bill McConico (D-5)

To require providers of a "deferred presentment service" (or "payday loan"), in which for a fee the lender accepts a post-dated check, or agrees to hold a check for a period of days prior to deposit, to be licensed and regulated by the state, with license fees and bonding requirements. The bill would cap the fee that can be charged for a “payday loan” transaction at 15 percent of the amount paid to the customer. Licensees would be required to display a warning on the written loan agreements that the loan is not intended to meet long-term needs and should be used only for short-term cash needs, and to post notices regarding fees and limitations. The bill contains other regulations, and would also require all payday lenders to utilize a database of all loan transactions, which would be maintained by a third-party private entity. The database would be accessible to the Office of Financial and Insurance Services (OFIS) for regulation purposes, and to payday loan providers to check whether a loan applicant has an outstanding payday loan at another lender. The bill limits the amounts and duration of such loans to a single person.

Referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services

June 16, 2005

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

June 29, 2005

Substitute offered

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that incorporates technical changes resulting from committee testimony and deliberation. This version was subsequently superceded by another substitute with substantive changes. See House-passed for details of these.

The substitute failed by voice vote

Substitute offered by Rep. Tupac Hunter (D-9)

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that embodies a deal struck between the House and the executive branch. See House-passed version for details.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Andy Dillon (D-17)

To insert a provision allowing payday lenders to use arbitration to settle disutes with borrowers, and establishing regulations on the arbitration procedures.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Bill McConico (D-5)

To revise the criteria for determining whether a person unable to repay a loan can make installment payments.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Leon Drolet (R-33)

To eliminate the provision establishing an on-line database to track "payday" loans.

The amendment failed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. David Robertson (R-51)

To clarify the requirement that payday lenders furnish a security bond so as to cover situations where a single person owns a piece of two or more lending operations.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. David Robertson (R-51)

To move back certain deadlines in the bill.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Passed in the House 99 to 7 (details)

To require licensure and impose regulations on providers of a "deferred presentment service" (or "payday loans"), including license fees and bonding requirements. The maximum allowable loan would be $600, and fees (interest) would be capped under a sliding scale of 11 percent to 15 percent depending on the size of the loan. Licensees would have to provide detailed warnings and notices about the loans, and use a real-time state database of all loan transactions to check whether an applicant has an outstanding payday loan elsewhere. The bill limits the duration of such loans, and prohibits "rollovers" and multiple loans.

Received in the Senate

June 30, 2005

Referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions

Which reported a version that delays the start of the reulation until 2007, and changes various details, but leaves the main provisions unchanged.

Sept. 13, 2005

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (S-7) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

Substitute offered

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that delays the start of the regulation until April 1, 2006, with some exceptions, and adds a misdemeanor and other penalties for misusing the data in the proposed payday loan customer database, including using the data for political campaign purposes.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Sen. Martha G. Scott (D-2)

To lower the maximum allowable payday loan to $500, and cap the interest rate at 10 percent plus a $5 fee.

The amendment failed 16 to 21 (details)

Passed in the Senate 31 to 6 (details)

To require licensure and impose regulations on providers of a "deferred presentment service" (or "payday loans"), including license fees and bonding requirements. The maximum allowable loan would be $600, and fees (interest) would be capped under a sliding scale of 11 percent to 15 percent depending on the size of the loan. Licensees would have to provide detailed warnings and notices about the loans, and use a real-time state database of all loan transactions to check whether an applicant has an outstanding payday loan elsewhere. The bill limits the duration of such loans, and prohibits "rollovers" and multiple loans.

Received in the House

Sept. 13, 2005

To concur with a Senate-passed version of the bill. The vote sends the bill to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences.

Failed in the House 48 to 59 (details)

Received in the Senate

Sept. 14, 2005

Received in the House

Sept. 15, 2005

Nov. 8, 2005

Passed in the House 98 to 6 (details)

To adopt a compromise version of the bill reported by a House-Senate conference committee. This makes minor changes to various timelines and deadlines related to starting up the new system.

In the Senate

Nov. 9, 2005

Passed in the Senate 34 to 4 (details)

Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm

Nov. 26, 2005