Payday News, December 11-22

December 21
CBS Dallas-Forth Worth
New Ordinance In Mequite For Payday Lending Companies
Mesquite joins 29 other Texas cities to pass ordinances regulating payday and title loans.

For more coverage:
NBC Dallas-Forth Worth | Mesquite Approves New Policies for Payday Lenders


December 21
Connecticut Post
Connecticut probes Oklahoma tribe’s payday loan businesses
The state Department of Banking is investigating small loans with interest rates far exceeding the state cap that are based in out-of-state tribes.

December 20
Salt Lake Tribune
Payday lenders sued 7,927 Utahns last year
A new report details lawsuits by lenders against nearly eight thousand people in Utah during the 2015 fiscal year.

December 18
Pawn shop chain drops payday lending business after investigation of in-person debt collection visits
Crackdown on abusive practices pulls firm out of payday lending.

December 17
WAMU
THE DEBT TRAP: INSIDE VIRGINIA’S CAR-TITLE LOAN INDUSTRY
In this series of articles, Michael Pope explores the strength of the car-title lending industry in Virginia.

December 17
Wall Street Journal
Consumer Watchdog Targets Payday Lenders for Enforcement Actions
The CFPB engaged in a string of enforcement actions this week as the bureau gears up to issue its federal rules governing payday lenders.

December 17
ABC Waco
Temple City Council votes yes to regulations for payday loan companies
Temple joins 28 other Texas cities to pass ordinances regulating payday loans.

December 17
LETTER TO CONGRESS: 212 GROUPS CALL ON YOU TO OPPOSE HR 4018 AND SUPPORT A STRONG PAYDAY RULE
US PIRG’s news release for the recent letter opposing HR 4018.

December 17
The Examiner
Guest column: Educate yourself to avoid payday loan trap
This Missouri op-ed discusses the problems of payday lending and calls for further reform of the industry.

December 17
Payday lender should let damaged building be demolished
Article discusses how a payday lender is trying to circumvent city regulations on lenders by preserving a badly damaged storefront.

December 16
Consumerist
Lender EZCORP Must Pay $10M In Refunds, Fines For Illegal In-Person Debt Collection Practices
A small-dollar lender has been slammed with a top-dollar penalty by federal regulators who say that the company’s debt collection practices violated the law.

For more coverage:
Austin American-Statesman | Austin’s EZCorp to pay 10.5 million to settle federal claims
Consumer Affairs | EZCORP to pay millions for illegal debt collection tactics

December 16
Dallas Morning News
Jerry Allen: Texas needs a one-two punch against payday lending
Regulations should curb abusive loan practices and encourage lower-cost alternatives from banks, credit unions, and community organizations.

December 15
Austin American-Statesman
Austin City Council to consider tightening payday lender rules
Austin officials are proposing strengthening the city’s 4-year-old regulations for payday and auto title lenders.

December 14
San Francisco Gate
State identifies 14 marketplace lenders subject to inquiry

December 13
Waco Tribune-Herald
Bill Whitaker: Pondering viable community options to payday lending
A Waco town hall on payday lending regulations created space to talk about viable alternatives.

December 11
Consumerist
Millions In Campaign Contributions Enable The Title Loan Cycle Of Debt
Lenders donate to campaigns to curry favor against regulations.