Fair Debt Collections Practices Clarification Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-5796
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-17]
Introduced: 2016-07-14
Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
Subjects: Civil actions and liability

Consumer credit

Debt collection

Legal fees and court costs
Latest action: action_date: 2016-08-11
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-07-14
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Fair Debt Collections Practices Clarification Act of 2016</strong></p> <p>This bill amends the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to permit the award of court costs and attorney fees to the defendant in an action to enforce liability for violating such Act only after finding that the action was brought in bad faith and for the purpose of harassment.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5796 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 14, 2016 Mr. Cartwright introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services , and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary , for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To amend the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to prohibit a court from making an award of costs to a defendant except on a finding that an action was brought in bad faith.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Fair Debt Collections Practices Clarification Act of 2016 . 2. Clarification that no award of costs may be made against consumers except where action brought in bad faith Section 813(a)(3) of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ( 15 U.S.C. 1692k(a)(3) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: A court may make an award of costs or attorney fees to the defendant only after finding that an action under this section was brought in bad faith and for the purpose of harassment, and may not make an award of costs or attorney fees otherwise. .