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2010 General Assembly Roundup

Marylanders are facing many challenges, including saving their homes, securing jobs, and building and protecting their assets. MCRC advocated in Annapolis for policies and programs to help consumers achieve these goals.

 
Lawmakers took several steps forward in protecting consumers from predatory financial products and mitigating foreclosures. However, the General Assembly stalled on several fronts, including making auto insurance more attainable for low-income and working families, regulating debt settlement, and ensuring affordable utility rates for families that need assistance. Maryland legislators also failed to take steps to increase consumer protections and provide needed enforcement measures. 

Debt Settlement
In what was a huge missed opportunity to protect vulnerable consumers, the General Assembly failed to pass legislation regulating the practice of debt settlement. In the face of heavy industry lobbying, the bill (HB392/SB701) was amended to form a working group of relevant stakeholders to study the issue and prepare legislation for next session. MCRC was formally named to the working group.

Debt settlement is a system that promises to reduce and pay off consumers’ debts, but instead often leaves them in worse shape than before. Instead of helping consumers negotiate lower rates for their debt and then pay it off in a timely manner – as a credible debt management firm would do – many debt settlement companies instead collect huge upfront fees, encourage consumers to stop paying their creditors, and typically perform no real service but still walk away with thousands of dollars in profit. The consumer is left with less money, a worse credit score, angrier creditors, and dwindling options. MCRC’s recent report, Debt Settlement in Maryland, explained this scheme and set out policy recommendations to protect consumers. Click here to read the full session summary.