S. 3426 (112th): SAFE Lending Act of 2012

Introduced:
Jul 24, 2012 (112th Congress, 2011–2013)
Sponsor:
Sen. Jeff Merkley [D-OR]
Status:
Died (Referred to Committee)
See Instead:
This bill was re-introduced as S. 172 on Jan 29, 2013. See S. 172 for current action on this subject.

The bill’s title was written by the bill’s sponsor. S. stands for Senate bill.

GovTrack’s Bill Summary

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Library of Congress Summary

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress.


7/24/2012--Introduced.
Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic Lending Act of 2012 or SAFE Lending Act of 2012 - Amends the Electronic Fund Transfer Act to authorize the issuance of remotely created checks only if the consumer has designated in writing a person to issue them.
Defines a "remotely created check" as one that:
(1) is not created by the financial institution that holds the customer account from which the check is to be paid; and
(2) does not bear a signature applied, or purported to be applied, by the person from whose account the check is to be paid.
Treats as a preauthorized electronic fund transfer (EFT) subject to the protections of such Act any voluntary repayment by a consumer of an extension of a small-dollar ($5,000 or less) consumer credit transaction by means of an EFT. Amends the Truth in Lending Act to require any small-dollar consumer credit transaction made over the Internet, telephone, FAX, mail, electronic mail, or other electronic communication, as well as any conducted by an insured depository institution, to comply with the laws of the state in which the consumer resides with respect to annual percentage rates, interest, fees, charges, and such other matters as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) may determine.
Prohibits persons engaged in the business of facilitating, brokering, arranging, gathering applications for, distributing sensitive personal financial information, or extending credit in connection with a small-dollar consumer credit transaction unless that person is directly extending the small-dollar consumer credit to the consumer.
Subjects violators of this Act to civil liability.
Empowers the CFPB to investigate violations of this Act. Sets forth investigative and cease-and-desist enforcement procedures, particularly with respect to offshore persons conducting business directed to U.S. residents but from a location outside any U.S. judicial district.
Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the availability of capital on Indian reservations and the impact that small-dollar consumer credit extended through Internet and non-Internet means to members of Indian tribes has had upon economic opportunity and wealth for tribal members.

House Republican Conference Summary

The summary below was written by the House Republican Conference, which is the caucus of Republicans in the House of Representatives.


No summary available.

House Democratic Caucus Summary

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The bill contains the following citations to other parts of U.S. law:

United States Code

The United States Code is the compilation of permanent laws enacted by Congress. Temporary and other non-permanent laws do not appear in the United States Code. (About half of the United States Code is the law itself, called positive law. The other half is merely a compilation of the laws but has no legal significance.)