15 U.S.C. § 1691d (COMMERCE AND TRADE)
§ 1691d. Applicability of other laws
(a) Requests for signature of husband and wife for creation of valid lien, etc.
A request for the signature of both parties to a marriage for the purpose of creating a valid lien, passing clear title, waiving inchoate rights to property, or assigning earnings, shall not constitute discrimination under this subchapter: Provided, however, That this provision shall not be construed to permit a creditor to take sex or marital status into account in connection with the evaluation of creditworthiness of any applicant.
(b) State property laws affecting creditworthiness
Consideration or application of State property laws directly or indirectly affecting creditworthiness shall not constitute discrimination for purposes of this subchapter.
(c) State laws prohibiting separate extension of consumer credit to husband and wife
Any provision of State law which prohibits the separate extension of consumer credit to each party to a marriage shall not apply in any case where each party to a marriage voluntarily applies for separate credit from the same creditor: Provided, That in any case where such a State law is so preempted, each party to the marriage shall be solely responsible for the debt so contracted.
(d) Combining credit accounts of husband and wife with same creditor to determine permissible finance charges or loan ceilings under Federal or State laws
When each party to a marriage separately and voluntarily applies for and obtains separate credit accounts with the same creditor, those accounts shall not be aggregated or otherwise combined for purposes of determining permissible finance charges or permissible loan ceilings under the laws of any State or of the United States.
(e) Election of remedies under subchapter or State law; nature of relief determining applicability
Where the same act or omission constitutes a violation of this subchapter and of applicable State law, a person aggrieved by such conduct may bring a legal action to recover monetary damages either under this subchapter or under such State law, but not both. This election of remedies shall not apply to court actions in which the relief sought does not include monetary damages or to administrative actions.
(f) Compliance with inconsistent State laws; determination of inconsistency
This subchapter does not annul, alter, or affect, or exempt any person subject to the provisions of this subchapter from complying with, the laws of any State with respect to credit discrimination, except to the extent that those laws are inconsistent with any provision of this subchapter, and then only to the extent of the inconsistency. The Bureau is authorized to determine whether such inconsistencies exist. The Bureau may not determine that any State law is inconsistent with any provision of this subchapter if the Bureau determines that such law gives greater protection to the applicant.
(g) Exemption by regulation of credit transactions covered by State law; failure to comply with State law
The Bureau shall by regulation exempt from the requirements of sections 1691 and 1691a of this title any class of credit transactions within any State if it determines that under the law of that State that class of transactions is subject to requirements substantially similar to those imposed under this subchapter or that such law gives greater protection to the applicant, and that there is adequate provision for enforcement. Failure to comply with any requirement of such State law in any transaction so exempted shall constitute a violation of this subchapter for the purposes of section 1691e of this title.
(Pub. L. 90–321, title VII, § 705, as added Pub. L. 93–495, title V, § 503, Oct. 28, 1974, 88 Stat. 1523; amended Pub. L. 94–239, § 5, Mar. 23, 1976, 90 Stat. 253; Pub. L. 111–203, title X, § 1085(1), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2083.)
heading: Amendments
text: 2010—Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 111–203 substituted “Bureau” for “Board” wherever appearing.
1976—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–239, § 5(1), substituted provisions requiring an election of remedies in legal actions involving the recovery of monetary damages, for provisions specifying a general election of remedies.
Subsecs. (f), (g). Pub. L. 94–239, § 5(2), added subsecs. (f) and (g).
heading: Effective Date of 2010 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective on the designated transfer date, see section 1100H of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 552a of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
heading: Effective Date of 1976 Amendment
text: Amendment by Pub. L. 94–239 effective Mar. 23, 1976, see section 708 of Pub. L. 90–321, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1691 of this title.