Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
House Judiciary reviews H.385 to bar 'coerced debt,' shift burden to creditors and add remedies
Summary
Lawmakers in the House Judiciary Committee reviewed draft H.385, which would add a subchapter to Vermont's Consumer Protection Act prohibiting coerced debt, require creditors to investigate sworn debtor claims and, if compelled, remove negative credit entries; the draft would let a debtor make a prima facie case that shifts the burden to the creditor to disprove coercion.
The House Judiciary Committee examined bill H.385 on Feb. 19, a draft measure intended to protect survivors of domestic abuse, human trafficking and vulnerable-adult exploitation from debts incurred through coercion or fraud.
Representative Edie Granning, who introduced the bill, said it grew from work with advocates and lending institutions and aims to help people reclaim financial standing after abusive or coercive situations. “For the people who can use it, it will change their lives accordingly,” Granning said.
Maria Loral, legislative counsel, described the draft as a new subchapter of Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act and reviewed core elements for the committee. She defined coerced debt as debt obtained without the debtor’s knowledge or…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
