(k) If, as determined by the division, a licensee is unable to access the database due to technical difficulties occurring with the database, the licensee shall utilize the alternate process established under par. (d) 2.
(L) A licensee may rely on the information contained in the database as accurate and is not subject to any administrative forfeiture as a result of relying on inaccurate information contained in the database.
(m) Before entering into a payday loan, a licensee shall submit to the database provider the customer's name; unique identification number that is assigned in a manner specified by the division; address; driver license number or other method of state identification; the amount of the transaction; the customer's check number, if applicable; the date of the transaction; the maturity date of the loan; and any other information reasonably required by the division, in a format approved by the division.
(n) When a payday loan is closed, the licensee shall designate the transaction as closed and notify the database provider no later than 11:59 p.m. on the day on which the transaction is closed. The division shall assess an administrative forfeiture of $100 for each day that the licensee fails to notify the database provider that the payday loan has been closed. It is a defense to the assessment of an administrative forfeiture that notifying the database provider was not possible due to temporary technical problems with the database or to circumstances beyond the licensee's control.
(o) If the licensee stops making payday loans, the licensee shall provide to the division a plan acceptable to the division that outlines how the licensee will continue to update the database after it stops making payday loans. The division shall approve or disapprove the plan and within 5 business days notify the licensee of the decision. If a plan is disapproved, the licensee may submit a new or modified plan for the division to approve or disapprove.
(p) Any information in the database regarding any person's transactional history is confidential and is not subject to public copying or inspection under s. 19.35 (1).
(14m) Customer information. No licensee or person with whom the division contracts for operation of the database under sub. (14) (b) may sell to another person any information regarding a customer or a payday loan made to a customer.
(15) Penalties. (a) Any person, partnership, or corporation, or the officers or employees thereof, who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 6 months or both.
(b) If a person who is not licensed under this section makes a payday loan to a customer, the loan is void, the customer is not obligated to pay any amounts owed on the loan, and the customer may recover from the person all amounts the customer has paid to the person. An action to recover such amounts shall be commenced within one year after the date of the last scheduled payment on the loan or shall be barred.
(16) Private cause of action. If a person makes a payday loan to a customer in violation of this section, the customer may bring an action against the person for damages of $250 or the amount of the payday loan, whichever is greater, plus costs, and, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1), reasonable attorney fees.
405,14m
Section 14m. 138.16 of the statutes is created to read:
138.16 Title loans. (1)
Definitions. In this section:
(a) "Division" means the division of banking attached to the department of financial institutions.
(b) "Licensed lender" means a person licensed under s. 138.09.
(c) "Title loan" means a loan of $25,000 or less to a borrower, who obtains or seeks to obtain the loan for personal, family, or household purposes, that is, or is to be, secured by an interest, other than a purchase money security interest, in the borrower's motor vehicle
, and that has an original term of not more than 6 months .
(2) Loan principal and interest.
(a) No licensed lender may make a title loan to a borrower that results in the borrower having liability for the loan, in principal, of more than 50 percent of the value of the motor vehicle
used as security for the loan .
The division shall promulgate rules for determining the value of a motor vehicle for purposes of this paragraph, including rules specifying pricing guides that may be used for determining value.
(b) 1. This section imposes no limit on the interest that a licensed lender may charge before the maturity date of a title loan.
2. If a title loan is not paid in full on or before the maturity date, a licensed lender may charge, after the maturity date, interest at a rate not exceeding 2.75 percent per month. Interest earned under this subdivision shall be calculated at the rate of one-thirtieth of the monthly rate charged for each calendar day that the balance of the loan is outstanding. Interest may not be assessed on any interest earned under this subdivision.
(3) Rescission. A borrower may rescind a title loan, before the close of business on the next day of business after the loan is made, or, if the place of business where the loan is made is open 24 hours, before 5 p.m. on the next day of business after the loan is made, by returning to the licensed lender the proceeds of the loan. The licensed lender may not charge the borrower any fee for rescinding the title loan as provided in this subsection.
(4) Other requirements. (a) A licensed lender may not make a title loan to a borrower that is secured by an interest in a motor vehicle if the motor vehicle is subject to another security interest under another title loan made by the licensed lender or another licensed lender and the borrower is liable for repayment on the other title loan.
(b) A licensed lender may not require a borrower to provide the licensed lender with a key or copy of a key to a motor vehicle used as security for a title loan as a condition for making the title loan to the borrower.
(c) A licensed lender or person acting on behalf of a licensed lender may not take possession of a motor vehicle used as security for a title loan to a borrower without serving notice on the borrower at least 15 days prior to taking possession. The notice shall state the intent to take possession and describe the basis for the right to take possession. This paragraph does not apply to possession that is obtained by a borrower's voluntary surrender of a motor vehicle.
(d) A licensed lender or other person may charge a borrower a reasonable storage fee for a motor vehicle of the borrower of which the licensed lender or person acting on behalf of the licensed lender has obtained possession, including possession that is obtained by voluntary surrender.
(e) A licensed lender shall return to a borrower the amount of any proceeds from the disposition of a motor vehicle used as security for a title loan to the borrower that exceed the borrower's liability to the licensed lender for the loan.
(f) A borrower is not liable to a licensed lender for any deficiency resulting from the licensed lender's disposition of a motor vehicle used as security for a title loan, unless the borrower has done any of the following:
1. Impaired the licensed lender's security interest by intentionally damaging or destroying the motor vehicle.
2. Intentionally concealed the motor vehicle.
3. Pledged to the licensed lender a motor vehicle that is already encumbered by an undisclosed prior lien.
4. Subsequent to obtaining the title loan, pledged or sold to a third party a motor vehicle used as security for a title loan without the licensed lender's written consent.
405,15
Section
15. 220.02 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
220.02 (2) (b) The lending of money under s. 138.09 or 138.14, or those relating to finance companies, motor vehicle dealers, adjustment service companies, community currency exchanges and collection agencies under ch. 218.
405,16
Section
16. 220.04 (10) of the statutes is amended to read:
220.04 (10) If it appears to the division that a person has engaged or is about to engage in an act or practice constituting a violation of the laws of this state relating to banks and banking, including this chapter, chs. 217, 218 and 221 to 224 and ss. 138.09 and, 138.12, and 138.14, or a rule promulgated or order issued under those laws, the division may bring an action in the name of the state in the circuit court of the appropriate county to enjoin the acts or practices and to enforce compliance with the laws, rules or orders, or the division may refer the matter to the district attorney of the appropriate county or, if the alleged violation may be enforced by the attorney general under sub. (12) or s. 220.12, 221.1005 or 224.06 (7) or is statewide in nature, to the attorney general. Upon a proper showing, the court may grant a permanent or temporary injunction or restraining order, appoint a receiver for the defendant or the defendant's assets or order rescission of any acts determined to be unlawful. The court may not require the division to post a bond.
220.285 (1) Any state bank, trust company bank, licensee under ss. 138.09, 138.12, 138.14, 218.0101 to 218.0163, 218.02, 218.04, 218.05, 224.72, or 224.725 or ch. 217 may cause any or all records kept by such bank, licensee, or registered person to be recorded, copied or reproduced by any photostatic, photographic or miniature photographic process or by optical imaging if the process employed correctly, accurately and permanently copies, reproduces or forms a medium for copying, reproducing or recording the original record on a film or other durable material. A bank, licensee, or registered person may thereafter dispose of the original record after first obtaining the written consent of the division. This section, excepting that part of it which requires written consent of the division, is applicable to national banking associations insofar as it does not contravene federal law.
321.60 (1) (a) 12. A license or certificate of registration issued by the department of financial institutions, or a division of it, under ss. 138.09, 138.12, 138.14, 217.06, 218.0101 to 218.0163, 218.02, 218.04, 218.05, 224.72, 224.725, or 224.93 or subch. IV of ch. 551.
405,19
Section
19. 403.414 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:
403.414 (7) A person who issues a check or other draft that is not honored upon presentment, because the drawer does not have an account with the drawee or because the drawer does not have sufficient funds in his or her account or sufficient credit with the drawee, is liable for all reasonable costs and expenses in connection with the collection of the amount for which the check or draft was written, except recovery is not permitted under this section if a person licensed under s. 138.09 or 138.14 or any other person collected or could have collected a charge for that check or other draft under s. 422.202 (1) (d) or (2m).
405,20
Section
20. 422.201 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
422.201 (3) For licensees under s. 138.09 and or 138.14 or under ss. 218.0101 to 218.0163, the finance charge, calculated according to those sections, may not exceed the maximums permitted in ss. 138.09, 138.14, and 218.0101 to 218.0163, respectively.
405,21
Section
21. 425.301 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
425.301 (4) The liability of a merchant under chs. 421 to 427 is in lieu of and not in addition to any liability under the federal consumer credit protection act and ss. 138.09, 138.14, or 218.0101 to 218.0163. An action by a person alleging a violation under chs. 421 to 427 may not be maintained if a final judgment has been rendered for or against that person with respect to the same violation under the federal consumer credit protection act or ss. 138.09, 138.14, or 218.0101 to 218.0163. If a final judgment is entered against any merchant under chs. 421 to 427 and the federal consumer credit protection act or ss. 138.09, 138.14, or 218.0101 to 218.0163 for the same violation, the merchant has a cause of action for appropriate relief to the extent necessary to avoid double liability.
405,22
Section
22. 812.35 (1a) of the statutes is created to read:
812.35 (1a) No earnings garnishment action may be brought to recover the amount owed by a debtor for the payment of a payday loan, as defined in s. 138.14 (1) (k).
405,23
Section
23.
Initial applicability.
(1) The treatment of section 812.35 (1a) of the statutes first applies to payday loans, as defined in section 138.14 (1) (k) of the statutes, as created by this act, made on the effective date of this subsection.
(2m) The treatment of section 138.14 of the statutes first applies to payday loans, as defined in section 138.14 (1) (k) of the statutes, as created by this act, made on the effective date of this subsection.
(3m) The treatment of section 138.16 of the statutes first applies to title loans, as defined in section 138.16 (1) (c) of the statutes, as created by this act, made on the effective date of this subsection.
405,24
Section
24.
Effective date.
(1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 7th month beginning after publication.
