Amending Terms Consumer Lending Laws

The bill amends the Colorado "Uniform Consumer Credit Code" to change the terms and interest rates that a lender may charge in a consumer credit transaction.

The bill amends the calculation of the total amount of the finance charge that a supervised lender or seller may contract for and receive to include the total cost of specific additional charges in connection with a consumer credit transaction.

The bill modifies the requirements for alternative charges for loans not exceeding $1,000 as follows:

• Reduces the permissible acquisition charge on the original loan or any refinanced loan to 5% of the amount financed;
• Reduces the permissible amount for a monthly installment account handling charge;
• Increases the minimum loan term;
• Eliminates delinquency charges for the loan;
• Amends the conditions upon which an acquisition charge must be refunded to the consumer;
• Details the requirements for an application for the loan and specifies how the loan application requirements impact a determination of unconscionability of the loan; and
• Limits the number of times a lender may refinance a consumer loan to once in a year.

The bill also opts Colorado out of the amendments to the "Federal Deposit Insurance Act", the federal "National Housing Act", and the "Federal Credit Union Act" and specifies that rates established in the Colorado "Uniform Consumer Credit Code" apply to consumer credit transactions in this state.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)