s_jud_2017a_2017-04-03t14:02:10z0 Hearing Summary

Date: 04/03/2017

Location: SCR 352

02:02 PM



Senator Gardner, chair, called the committee to order. He discussed the order of business for the meeting.





02:03 PM



The committee recessed.





02:04 PM -- SB17-216



The committee returned to order. Senator Gardner, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 17-216, concerning continuation of the regulation of collection agencies under the Colorado Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and, in connection therewith, implementing the recommendations of the 2016 sunset report of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). He explained the interests involved with the bill.



Consumers United for Action distributed written information to the committee (Attachment A).



17SenateJud0403AttachA.pdf



02:08 PM -- Mr. Tom Romola, representing the Associated Collections Agencies of Colorado, testified on the bill. He discussed his work on the bill, and potential amendments to the bill that would address certain issues. Mr. Romola responded to questions concerning the type of oversight board authorized by the bill. Senator Gardner commented. Mr. Romola and the committee discussed governance of the state's central collections service. Mr. Romola responded to a question concerning the definition of "debt" included in the bill and in a forthcoming amendment. Senator Gardner commented.



02:20 PM -- Mr. Rich Jones, representing the Bell Policy Center, testified on the bill. He discussed the regulation of debt buyers. He responded to questions concerning the effect of the bill on court judgments concerning debtors.



02:29 PM -- Ms. Julie Meade, representing the Colorado Attorney General's Office, testified on the bill. She distributed information to the committee (Attachment B). She explained existing practices, and provided information relating to debt collection.



17SenateJud0403AttachB.pdf



02:38 PM



Ms. Meade responded to questions concerning the definition of "debt" in the bill, complaints received by the Attorney General's Office, and oversight boards.



02:46 PM -- Ms. Ellen Harnick, representing the Center for Responsible Lending, testified on the bill. She distributed to the committee a copy of her testimony (Attachment C) and a research report (Attachment D). Ms. Harnick discussed debt buying practice. She responded to a question concerning her recommendations for regulating certain debt collection practices. In response to a question, Senator Gardner discussed requirements for debt buyers.



17SenateJud0403AttachC.pdf 17SenateJud0403AttachD.pdf



02:55 PM -- Ms. T.A. Taylor-Hunt, representing the National Association for Consumer Advocates, testified on the bill. She discussed oversight boards. Ms. Taylor-Hunt discussed practices and procedures under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. She discussed the effect of debt collection on specific citizen groups. Senator Kagan commented.



03:07 PM -- Ms. Sonia Gibson, representing Encore Capital Group, testified on the bill. Ms. Gibson discussed the statute of limitations on collection actions and the documentation required for debt sales. She responded to a question about the types of debts covered by the bill. Senator Gardner commented on the bill's provisions concerning statutes of limitations.





03:15 PM



Senator Gardner provided closing remarks on the bill. Senator Cooke, chair, laid over the bill for action at a future meeting.