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| 2 | 2 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1897 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 364 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | Michael J. Finn |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to the collection of debt. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Michael J. Finn6th Hampden1/15/2025 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1897 FILED ON: 1/15/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 364 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Representative Finn of West Springfield, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 364) of |
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| 19 | 19 | | Michael J. Finn relative to the collection of debt. Consumer Protection and Professional |
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| 20 | 20 | | Licensure. |
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| 21 | 21 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 22 | 22 | | _______________ |
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| 23 | 23 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 25 | 25 | | _______________ |
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| 26 | 26 | | An Act relative to the collection of debt. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 28 | 28 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 29 | 29 | | 1 SECTION 1: Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a debt collector |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2or creditor as defined by Section 24 of Chapter 93 of the General Laws, shall be permitted to |
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| 31 | 31 | | 3accept payment of a debt, or any portion thereof, by postdated check or other similar instrument |
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| 32 | 32 | | 4with the following exceptions: |
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| 33 | 33 | | 5 (1) A debt collector or creditor shall not accept from any person a check or other payment |
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| 34 | 34 | | 6instrument postdated by more than five days unless such person is notified in writing of the debt |
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| 35 | 35 | | 7collector's intent to deposit such check or instrument not more than ten, nor less than three, days, |
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| 36 | 36 | | 8excluding legal public holidays identified in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a), Saturdays, and Sundays, prior to |
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| 37 | 37 | | 9such deposit. |
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| 38 | 38 | | 10 (2) A debt collector or creditor shall not solicit any postdated check or other postdated |
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| 39 | 39 | | 11payment instrument for the purpose of threatening or instituting criminal prosecution. 2 of 2 |
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| 40 | 40 | | 12 (3) A debt collector or creditor shall not deposit or threaten to deposit any postdated |
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| 41 | 41 | | 13check or other postdated payment instrument prior to the date on such check or instrument. |
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