Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=SB563%20SUB1.htm&yr=2017&sesstype=RS&i=563
Timestamp: 2019-07-22 11:36:28
Document Index: 263805160

Matched Legal Cases: ['§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46', '§46']

SB 563 Text
SB563 SUB1 Senate Bill 563 History
Senate Bill 563
By Senator Trump
[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary; reported on March 27, 2017]
A BILL to amend and reenact §46A-2-105, §46A-2-122 and §46A-2-128 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §46A-2-140; to amend and reenact §46A-5-10 and §46A-5-102 of said code; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §46A-5-108; and to amend and reenact §46A-8-101 of said code, all relating to the Consumer Credit and Protection Act; modifying requirements for contracts allowing for balloon payments; establishing that agreements allowing for balloon payments shall contain certain language in form and substance substantially similar to existing requirements; modifying and clarifying definitions; excluding attorneys from the definition of “debt collector” under certain circumstances; changing the time period where direct contact with a consumer must cease after receipt of notice of representation from seventy-two hours to three business days; establishing means of notice to a debt collector of a consumer’s representation by legal counsel; requiring notice of representation to a debt collector be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested; establishing that contents of a pleading do not provide the basis for a claim of a violation of the Consumer Credit and Protection Act under certain circumstances; establishing exceptions for when a pleading may form the basis of a claim under the Consumer Credit Protection Act; providing for statutes of limitation in foreclosure matters; providing that counterclaims are subject to the appropriate statute of limitations; adopting a right to cure under articles two, three, four and five of this chapter; establishing procedures and remedies for the right to cure; addressing awards of attorney fees in certain circumstances involving the right to cure; and providing for applicability and effective dates of these amendments to the Consumer Credit Protection Act.
That §46A-2-105, §46A-2-122 and §46A-2-128 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted; that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §46A-2-140; that §46A-5-101 and §46A-5-102 of said code be amended and reenacted; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §46A-5-108; and that §46A-8-101 of said code be amended and reenacted, all to read as follows:
(2) With respect to a consumer credit sale or consumer loan whenever any scheduled payment is at least twice as large as the smallest of all earlier scheduled payments other than any down payment, any writing purporting to contain the agreement of the parties shall contain the following language in form and substance substantially similar to the following: typewritten or printed in a conspicuous manner. THIS CONTRACT IS NOT PAYABLE IN INSTALLMENTS OF EQUAL AMOUNTS: Followed, if there is only one installment which is at least twice as large as the smallest of all earlier scheduled payments other than any down payment, by: AN INSTALLMENT OF $..... WILL BE DUE ON ..........
(e) Any communication with a consumer made more than three business days seventy-two hours after the debt collector receives written notice, either on paper or electronically, from the consumer or his or her attorney that the consumer is represented by an attorney specifically with regard to the subject debt. To be effective under this subsection, such notice must clearly state the attorney’s name, address and telephone number and be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the debt collector’s registered agent, identified by the debt collector at the office of the West Virginia Secretary of State or, if not registered with the West Virginia Secretary of State, then to the debt collector’s principal place of business. Communication with a consumer is not prohibited under this subsection if the attorney fails to answer correspondence, return phone calls or discuss the obligation in question, or if the attorney consents to direct communication with the consumer. Regular account statements provided to the consumer and notices required to be provided to the consumer pursuant to applicable law shall not constitute prohibited communications under this section; and
(f) When the debt is beyond the statute of limitations for filing a legal action for collection, failing to provide the following disclosure informing the consumer in its initial all written communication with such consumer that:
Nothing contained in or omitted from a pleading filed in a court of this state shall be the basis of a cause of action under this chapter, nor shall the act of filing a civil action be the basis of a cause of action under this chapter unless the pleading or the filing of the civil action constitutes a material violation of sections 124(f), 127(d), 128(c), or 128(d) of this article: Provided, a demand in a pleading to award costs authorized by the applicable rules of civil procedure shall not be the basis of a cause of action under this chapter. For purposes of this section, a pleading shall have the same definition as provided in the Rules of Civil Procedure applicable in the court where the action is filed. Further, nothing contained in this section is intended to abrogate or abolish common law causes of action for malicious prosecution, abuse of process, harassment or frivolity, but in no case shall the contents of pleadings in a civil action nor the institution of a civil action in any court be the basis for a claim of a violation of the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act except as set forth above.
(1) If a creditor or debt collector has violated the provisions of this chapter applying to collection of excess charges, security in sales and leases, disclosure with respect to consumer leases, receipts, statements of account and evidences of payment, limitations on default charges, assignment of earnings, authorizations to confess judgment, illegal, fraudulent or unconscionable conduct, any prohibited debt collection practice, or restrictions on interest in land as security, assignment of earnings to regulated consumer lender, security agreement on household goods for benefit of regulated consumer lender, and renegotiation by regulated consumer lender of a loan discharged in bankruptcy, the consumer has a cause of action to recover: (a) Actual damages; and (b) a right in an action to recover from the person violating this chapter a penalty of $1,000 per violation: Provided, That the aggregate amount of the penalty awarded shall not exceed the greater of $175,000 or the total alleged outstanding indebtedness: Provided, however, That in a class action the aggregate limits on the amount of the penalty set forth above shall be applied severally to each named plaintiff and each class member such that no named plaintiff nor any class member may recover in excess of the greater of $175,000 or the total alleged outstanding indebtedness. With respect to violations arising from consumer credit sales, consumer leases or consumer loans, or from sales as defined in article six of this chapter, no action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than four years after the violations occurred: Provided further, That no action pursuant to this subsection to set aside a foreclosure sale of any real estate securing a consumer loan may be brought more than one year after the foreclosure sale is final. This limitations period shall apply to all actions filed on or after September 1, 2015.
(2) If a creditor has violated the provisions of this chapter respecting authority to make regulated consumer loans, the loan is void and the consumer is not obligated to pay either the principal or the loan finance charge. If he has paid any part of the principal or of the finance charge, he has a right to recover in an action the payment from the person violating this chapter or from an assignee of that person’s rights who undertakes direct collection of payments or enforcement of rights arising from the debt. With respect to violations arising from regulated consumer loans made pursuant to revolving loan accounts, no action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than four years after the violation occurred. With respect to violations of the provisions of this chapter respecting the authority to make arising from other regulated consumer loans, no action pursuant to this subsection may be brought more than four years after the violation occurred: This limitations period shall apply to all actions filed on or after September 1, 2015: Provided, That no action pursuant to this subsection to set aside a foreclosure sale of any real estate securing a consumer loan may be brought more than one year after the foreclosure sale is final.
(3) A consumer is not obligated to pay a charge in excess of that allowed by this chapter and if he has paid an excess charge, he has a right to a refund. A refund may be made by reducing the consumer’s obligation by the amount of the excess charge. If the consumer has paid an amount in excess of the lawful obligation under the agreement, the consumer may recover in an action the excess amount from the person who made the excess charge or from an assignee of that person’s rights who undertakes direct collection of payments from or enforcement of rights against the consumer arising from the debt.
(4) If a creditor or debt collector has contracted for or received a charge in excess of that allowed by this chapter, the consumer may, in addition to recovering such excess charge, also recover from the creditor or the person liable in an action a penalty of $1,000 per violation: Provided, That the aggregate amount of the penalty awarded shall not exceed the greater of $175,000 or the total alleged outstanding indebtedness: Provided, however, That in a class action the aggregate limits on the amount of the penalty set forth above shall be applied severally to each named plaintiff and each class member such that no named plaintiff nor any class member may recover in excess of the greater of $175,000 or the total alleged outstanding indebtedness: Provided further, That no action pursuant to this subsection to set aside a foreclosure sale of any real estate securing a consumer loan may be brought more than one year after said foreclosure sale is final. This limitations period shall apply to all actions filed on or after September 1, 2015.
(7) A creditor or debt collector has no liability for a penalty under subsection (1) or (4) of this section if, after discovering an error and prior to the institution of an action under this section or the receipt of written notice of the error, the creditor notifies the person concerned of the error and corrects the error: (a) Within fifteen days if the error affects no more than two persons; or (b) within sixty days if the error affects more than two persons. If the violation consists of a prohibited agreement, giving the consumer a corrected copy of the writing containing the error is sufficient notification and correction. If the violation consists of an excess charge, correction shall be made by an adjustment or refund.
46A-5-102. Assertion of rights.
Rights granted by this chapter may be asserted as a defense, claim for setoff or counterclaim defense to an action against a consumer without regard to any limitation of actions. Any counterclaim is subject to the appropriate limitation of actions set forth in this chapter.
§46A-5-108. Right to cure.
(a) No action may be brought pursuant to this article and articles two, three and four of this chapter until the consumer has informed the creditor or debt collector in writing and by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the creditor’s or debt collector’s registered agent identified by the creditor or debt collector at the office of the West Virginia Secretary of State or, if not registered with the West Virginia Secretary of State, then to the creditor’s or debt collector’s principal place of business, of the alleged violation and the factual basis for the violation and provide the creditor or debt collector forty-five days from receipt by the agent or at the principal place of business referenced above of the notice of violation but twenty days in the case a cause of action has already been filed to make a cure offer, which shall be provided to the consumer’s counsel or, if unrepresented, to the consumer by certified mail, return receipt requested: Provided, That the consumer shall have twenty days from receipt of the cure offer to accept the cure offer or it is deemed refused and withdrawn. When a claim under the provisions set forth in section one hundred one is presented as a counterclaim, cross-claim or third party claim, the notice of right to cure shall be served with the counterclaim, cross claim or third party claim in any manner permitted by the Rules of Civil Procedure.
(b) If a cure offer is accepted, the creditor or debt collector has twenty days to begin effectuating the agreed upon cure and the cure must be completed within a reasonable time.
(c) Any applicable statute of limitations is tolled for the 45-day period set forth in subsection (a) of this section or for the period the effectuation of the cure offer is being performed, whichever is longer.
(d) Nothing in this section prevents a consumer that has accepted a cure offer from bringing a civil action against a creditor or debt collector for failing to timely effect the cure offer.
(e) Where an action is brought under this article or article two, three or four of this chapter, it is a complete defense that a cure offer was made, accepted and the agreed upon cure was performed. If the finder of fact determines that the cure offer was accepted and the agreed upon cure performed, the creditor or debt collector is entitled to reasonable attorney fees and costs attendant to defending the action.
(f) No cure offer is admissible in any proceeding initiated pursuant to the provisions of this article unless the cure offer is delivered by a creditor or debt collector to the person claiming loss or to any attorney representing such person prior to the filing of the creditor or debt collector’s initial responsive pleading in such proceeding. If the cure offer is timely delivered by the creditor or debt collector, then the creditor or debt collector may introduce the cure offer into evidence at trial. The creditor or debt collector is not liable for the consumer’s attorney’s fees and court costs incurred following delivery of the cure offer unless the actual damages, civil penalties and any other monetary or equitable relief provided for under this article and articles two, three and four of this chapter are found to have been sustained and awarded, without consideration of attorney fees and court costs, to exceed the value of the cure offer.
ARTICLE 8. OPERATIVE DATE AND PROVISIONS FOR TRANSITION.
§46A-8-101. Time of becoming operative; provisions for transition; enforceability of prior transactions; applicability and effective dates of amendments.
(1)(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this chapter shall become operative at 12:01 a.m. on September 1, 1974.
(2)(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) (a) of this section, in order to allow sufficient time to prepare for the implementation and operation of this chapter and to act on applications for licenses to make regulated consumer loans under this chapter as amended, the provisions of article four of this chapter, relating to regulated consumer lenders, and the provisions of article seven of this chapter, relating to their administration, shall, to the extent necessary, become operative for such purposes at 12:01 a.m. on September 1, 1996.
(3)(c) Transactions entered into before this chapter becomes operative and the rights, duties and interests flowing from them thereafter may be terminated, completed, consummated or enforced as required or permitted by any statute, rule of law or other law amended, repealed or modified by this chapter as though the repeal, amendment or modification had not occurred, but this chapter applies to:
(a)(1) Refinancings and consolidations made after this chapter becomes operative of consumer credit sales, consumer leases and consumer loans whenever made;
(b)(2) Consumer credit sales or consumer loans made after this chapter becomes operative pursuant to revolving charge accounts or revolving loan accounts entered into, arranged or contracted for before this chapter becomes operative; and
(c)(3) All consumer credit transactions made before this chapter becomes operative insofar as this chapter limits the remedies of creditors.
(d) Applicability. — The amendments made during the 2017 regular session of the Legislature to section one hundred five, article two of this chapter shall apply to consumer credit sales or consumer loans entered into on after the effective date of those amendments. The amendments made during the 2017 regular session of the Legislature to sections one hundred twenty-eight and one hundred forty, article two of this chapter, shall apply to all causes of accruing on or after the effective date of those amendments. The amendments made during the 2017 regular session of the Legislature to section one hundred twenty-two, article two and sections one hundred one and one hundred eight, article five of this chapter shall apply to all causes of action filed on or after the effective date of those amendments.