Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of SB1692
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Full Text of SB1692  97th General Assembly

SB1692ham002 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Michael J. Zalewski

Filed: 4/27/2012

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1692

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1692 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Currency Exchange Act is amended by
5changing Section 3.1 as follows:
 
6    (205 ILCS 405/3.1)  (from Ch. 17, par. 4805)
7    Sec. 3.1. Nothing in this Act shall prevent a currency
8exchange from rendering State or Federal income tax service;
9nor shall the rendering of such service be considered a
10violation of this Act if such service be rendered either by the
11proprietor, any of his employees, or a licensed, regulated tax
12service approved by the Internal Revenue Service. For the
13purpose of this Section, "tax service" does not mean to make or
14offer to make a refund anticipation loan as defined by the Tax
15Refund Anticipation Loan Reform Disclosure Act.
16(Source: P.A. 97-315, eff. 1-1-12.)
 

 

 

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1    Section 10. The Residential Mortgage License Act of 1987 is
2amended by changing Section 5-8 as follows:
 
3    (205 ILCS 635/5-8)
4    Sec. 5-8. Prepayment penalties.
5    (a) No licensee may make, provide, or arrange a mortgage
6loan with a prepayment penalty unless the licensee offers the
7borrower a loan without a prepayment penalty, the offer is in
8writing, and the borrower initials the offer to indicate that
9the borrower has declined the offer. In addition, the licensee
10must disclose the discount in rate received in consideration
11for a mortgage loan with the prepayment penalty.
12    (b) If a borrower declines an offer required under
13subsection (a) of this Section, the licensee may include,
14except as prohibited by Section 30 of the High Risk Home Loan
15Act, a prepayment penalty that extends no longer than three
16years or the first change date or rate adjustment of a variable
17rate mortgage, whichever comes earlier, provided that, if a
18prepayment is made during the fixed rate period, the licensee
19shall receive an amount that is no more than:
20        (1) 3% of the total loan amount if the prepayment is
21    made within the first 12-month period following the date
22    the loan was made;
23        (2) 2% of the total loan amount if the prepayment is
24    made within the second 12-month period following the date

 

 

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1    the loan was made; or
2        (3) 1% of the total loan amount if the prepayment is
3    made within the third 12-month period following the date
4    the loan was made, if the fixed rate period extends 3
5    years.
6    (c) Notwithstanding any provision in this Section,
7prepayment penalties are prohibited in connection with the sale
8or destruction of a dwelling secured by a residential mortgage
9loan.
10    (d) This Section applies to loans made, refinanced,
11renewed, extended, or modified on or after the effective date
12of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly.
13(Source: P.A. 95-691, eff. 6-1-08.)
 
14    Section 15. The High Risk Home Loan Act is amended by
15changing Sections 10, 30, 55, 80, and 145 and by adding
16Sections 35, 35.5, 80.5, 80.6, and 90.5 as follows:
 
17    (815 ILCS 137/10)
18    Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
19    "Approved credit counselor" means a credit counselor
20approved by the Director of Financial Institutions.
21    "Bona fide discount points" means loan discount points that
22are knowingly paid by the consumer for the purpose of reducing,
23and that in fact result in a bona fide reduction of, the
24interest rate or time price differential applicable to the

 

 

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1mortgage.
2    "Borrower" means a natural person who seeks or obtains a
3high risk home loan.
4    "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Office of
5Banks and Real Estate.
6    "Department" means the Department of Financial
7Institutions.
8    "Director" means the Director of Financial Institutions.
9    "Good faith" means honesty in fact in the conduct or
10transaction concerned.
11    "High risk home loan" means a consumer credit transaction,
12other than a reverse mortgage, that is secured by the
13consumer's principal dwelling if: home equity loan in which (i)
14at the time of origination, the annual percentage rate exceeds
15by more than 6 percentage points in the case of a first lien
16mortgage, or by more than 8 percentage points in the case of a
17junior mortgage, the average prime offer rate, as defined in
18Section 129C(b)(2)(B) of the federal Truth in Lending Act, for
19a comparable transaction as of the date on which the interest
20rate for the transaction is set, yield on U.S. Treasury
21securities having comparable periods of maturity to the loan
22maturity as of the fifteenth day of the month immediately
23preceding the month in which the application for the loan is
24received by the lender or (ii) the loan documents permit the
25creditor to charge or collect prepayment fees or penalties more
26than 36 months after the transaction closing or such fees

 

 

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1exceed, in the aggregate, more than 2% of the amount prepaid,
2or (iii) the total points and fees payable in connection with
3the transaction, other than bona fide third-party charges not
4retained by the mortgage originator, creditor, or an affiliate
5of the mortgage originator or creditor, by the consumer at or
6before closing will exceed (1) the greater of 5% of the total
7loan amount in the case of a transaction for $20,000 or more or
8(2) the lesser of 8% of the total loan amount or $1,000 (or
9such other dollar amount as prescribed by federal regulation
10pursuant to the federal Dodd-Frank Act) in the case of a
11transaction for less than $20,000, except that, with respect to
12all transactions, bona fide loan discount points may be
13excluded as provided for in Section 35 of this Act. or $800.
14The $800 figure shall be adjusted annually on January 1 by the
15annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All
16Urban Consumers for all items published by the United States
17Department of Labor. "High risk home loan" does not include a
18loan that is made primarily for a business purpose unrelated to
19the residential real property securing the loan or to an
20open-end credit plan subject to 12 CFR 226 (2000, no subsequent
21amendments or editions are included).
22    "Home equity loan" means any loan secured by the borrower's
23primary residence where the proceeds are not used as purchase
24money for the residence.
25    "Lender" means a natural or artificial person who
26transfers, deals in, offers, or makes a high risk home loan.

 

 

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1"Lender" includes, but is not limited to, creditors and brokers
2who transfer, deal in, offer, or make high risk home loans.
3"Lender" does not include purchasers, assignees, or subsequent
4holders of high risk home loans.
5    "Office" means the Office of Banks and Real Estate.
6    "Points and fees" means all items considered required to be
7disclosed as points and fees under 12 CFR 226.32 (2000, or as
8initially amended pursuant to Section 1431 of the federal
9Dodd-Frank Act with no subsequent amendments or editions
10included, whichever is later); the premium of any single
11premium credit life, credit disability, credit unemployment,
12or any other life or health insurance that is financed directly
13or indirectly into the loan; and compensation paid directly or
14indirectly by a consumer or creditor to a mortgage broker from
15any source, including a broker that originates a loan in its
16own name in a table-funded transaction, not otherwise included
17in 12 CFR 226.4; the maximum prepayment fees and penalties that
18may be charged or collected under the terms of the credit
19transaction; all prepayment fees or penalties that are incurred
20by the consumer if the loan refinances a previous loan made or
21currently held by the same creditor or an affiliate of the
22creditor; and premiums or other charges payable at or before
23closing or financed directly or indirectly into the loan for
24any credit life, credit disability, credit unemployment,
25credit property, other accident, loss of income, life, or
26health insurance or payments directly or indirectly for any

 

 

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1debt cancellation or suspension agreement or contract, except
2that insurance premiums or debt cancellation or suspension fees
3calculated and paid in full on a monthly basis shall not be
4considered financed by the creditor. "Points and fees" does not
5include any insurance premium provided by an agency of the
6federal government or an agency of a state; any insurance
7premium paid by the consumer after closing; and any amount of a
8premium, charge, or fee that is not in excess of the amount
9payable under policies in effect at the time of origination
10under Section 203(c)(2)(A) of the National Housing Act (12
11U.S.C. 1709(c)(2)(A)), provided that the premium, charge, or
12fee is required to be refundable on a pro-rated basis and the
13refund is automatically issued upon notification of the
14satisfaction of the underlying mortgage loan.
15    "Reasonable" means fair, proper, just, or prudent under the
16circumstances.
17    "Servicer" means any entity chartered under the Illinois
18Banking Act, the Savings Bank Act, the Illinois Credit Union
19Act, or the Illinois Savings and Loan Act of 1985 and any
20person or entity licensed under the Residential Mortgage
21License Act of 1987, the Consumer Installment Loan Act, or the
22Sales Finance Agency Act who is responsible for the collection
23or remittance for, or has the right or obligation to collect or
24remit for, any lender, note owner, or note holder or for a
25licensee's own account, of payments, interest, principal, and
26trust items (such as hazard insurance and taxes on a

 

 

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1residential mortgage loan) in accordance with the terms of the
2residential mortgage loan, including loan payment follow-up,
3delinquency loan follow-up, loan analysis, and any
4notifications to the borrower that are necessary to enable the
5borrower to keep the loan current and in good standing.
6    "Total loan amount" has the same meaning as that term is
7given in 12 CFR 226.32 and shall be calculated in accordance
8with the Federal Reserve Board's Official Staff Commentary to
9that regulation.
10(Source: P.A. 93-561, eff. 1-1-04.)
 
11    (815 ILCS 137/30)
12    Sec. 30. No prepayment Prepayment penalty. A high risk home
13loan may not contain terms under which a consumer must pay a
14prepayment penalty for paying all or part of the principal
15before the date on which the principal is due. For purposes of
16this Section, any method of computing a refund of unearned
17scheduled interest is a prepayment penalty if it is less
18favorable to the consumer than the actuarial method as that
19term is defined by Section 933(d) of the federal Housing and
20Community Development Act of 1992, 15 U.S.C. 1615(d). For any
21loan that is subject to the provisions of this Act and is not
22subject to the provisions of the Home Ownership and Equity
23Protection Act of 1994, no lender shall make a high risk home
24loan that includes a penalty provision for payment made: (i)
25after the expiration of the 36-month period following the date

 

 

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1the loan was made; or (ii) that is more than:
2        (1) 3% of the total loan amount if the prepayment is
3    made within the first 12-month period following the date
4    the loan was made;
5        (2) 2% of the total loan amount if the prepayment is
6    made within the second 12-month period following the date
7    the loan was made; or
8        (3) 1% of the total loan amount if the prepayment is
9    made within the third 12-month period following the date
10    the loan was made.
11(Source: P.A. 93-561, eff. 1-1-04.)
 
12    (815 ILCS 137/35 new)
13    Sec. 35. Bona fide discount points. For the purposes of
14determining whether the amount of points and fees meets the
15definition of "high risk home loan" under this Act, either the
16amounts described in paragraph (1) or (2) of this Section, but
17not both, shall be excluded:
18        (1) Up to and including 2 bona fide discount points
19    payable by the consumer in connection with the mortgage,
20    but only if the interest rate from which the mortgage's
21    interest rate will be discounted does not exceed by more
22    than one percentage point:
23            (A) the average prime offer rate, as defined in
24        Section 129C of the federal Truth in Lending Act (15
25        U.S.C. 1639); or

 

 

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1            (B) if secured by a personal property loan, the
2        average rate on a loan in connection with which
3        insurance is provided under Title I of the National
4        Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1702 et seq.).
5        (2) Unless 2 bona fide discount points have been
6    excluded under paragraph (1), up to and including one bona
7    fide discount point payable by the consumer in connection
8    with the mortgage, but only if the interest rate from which
9    the mortgage's interest rate will be discounted does not
10    exceed by more than 2 percentage points:
11            (A) the average prime offer rate, as defined in
12        Section 129C of the federal Truth in Lending Act (15
13        U.S.C. 1639); or
14            (B) if secured by a personal property loan, the
15        average rate on a loan in connection with which
16        insurance is provided under Title I of the National
17        Housing Act (12 U.S.C. 1702 et seq.).
18    Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply to discount points
19used to purchase an interest rate reduction unless the amount
20of the interest rate reduction purchased is reasonably
21consistent with established industry norms and practices for
22secondary mortgage market transactions.
 
23    (815 ILCS 137/35.5 new)
24    Sec. 35.5. No balloon payments. No high risk home loan may
25contain a scheduled payment that is more than twice as large as

 

 

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1the average of earlier scheduled payments. This Section does
2not apply when the payment schedule is adjusted to the seasonal
3or irregular income of the consumer.
 
4    (815 ILCS 137/55)
5    Sec. 55. Financing of points and fees. No lender shall
6transfer, deal in, offer, or make a high risk home loan that
7finances, directly or indirectly, any points and fees. No
8lender shall transfer, deal in, offer, or make a high risk home
9loan that finances any prepayment fee or penalty payable by the
10consumer in a refinancing transaction if the creditor or an
11affiliate of the creditor is the noteholder of the note being
12refinanced in excess of 6% of the total loan amount.
13(Source: P.A. 93-561, eff. 1-1-04.)
 
14    (815 ILCS 137/80)
15    Sec. 80. Late payment fee. A lender shall not transfer,
16deal in, offer, or make a high risk home loan that provides for
17a late payment fee, except under the following conditions:
18        (1) the late payment fee shall not be in excess of 4%
19    5% of the amount of the payment past due;
20        (2) the late payment fee shall only be assessed for a
21    payment past due for 15 days or more;
22        (3) the late payment fee shall not be imposed more than
23    once with respect to a single late payment;
24        (4) a late payment fee that the lender has collected

 

 

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1    shall be reimbursed if the borrower presents proof of
2    having made a timely payment; and
3        (5) a lender shall treat each payment as posted on the
4    same business day as it was received by the lender,
5    servicer, or lender's agent or at the address provided to
6    the borrower by the lender, servicer, or lender's agent for
7    making payments.
8(Source: P.A. 93-561, eff. 1-1-04.)
 
9    (815 ILCS 137/80.5 new)
10    Sec. 80.5. Coordination with subsequent late fees. If a
11payment is otherwise a full payment for the applicable period,
12is paid on its due date or within an applicable grace period,
13and the only delinquency or insufficiency of payment is
14attributable to any late fee or delinquency charge assessed on
15any earlier payment, no late fee or delinquency charge may be
16imposed on the payment.
 
17    (815 ILCS 137/80.6 new)
18    Sec. 80.6. Failure to make installment payment. If, in the
19case of a loan agreement the terms of which provide that any
20payment shall first be applied to any past principal balance,
21the consumer fails to make an installment payment and the
22consumer subsequently resumes making installment payments but
23has not paid all past due installments, the creditor may impose
24a separate late payment charge or fee for any principal due

 

 

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1(without deduction due to late fees or related fees) until the
2default is cured.
 
3    (815 ILCS 137/90.5 new)
4    Sec. 90.5. Modification and deferral fees prohibited. A
5lender, successor in interest, assignee, or any agent of any of
6the foregoing may not charge a consumer any fee to modify,
7renew, extend, or amend a high risk home loan or to defer any
8payment due under the terms of the loan.
 
9    (815 ILCS 137/145)
10    Sec. 145. Subterfuge prohibited. No lender, with the intent
11to avoid the application or provisions of this Act, shall (i)
12divide a loan transaction into separate parts, or (ii)
13structure a loan transaction as an open-end credit plan or
14another form of loan, or (iii) perform any other subterfuge.
15(Source: P.A. 93-561, eff. 1-1-04.)
 
16    Section 20. The Tax Refund Anticipation Loan Disclosure Act
17is amended by changing Sections 1, 5, 10, and 15 and by adding
18Sections 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 as follows:
 
19    (815 ILCS 177/1)
20    Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Tax
21Refund Anticipation Loan Reform Disclosure Act.
22(Source: P.A. 92-664, eff. 1-1-03.)
 

 

 

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1    (815 ILCS 177/5)
2    Sec. 5. Definitions. The following definitions apply in
3this Act:
4    "Consumer" means any natural person who, singly or jointly
5with another consumer, is solicited for, applies for, or
6receives the proceeds of a refund anticipation loan or refund
7anticipation check.
8    "Creditor" means any person who makes a refund anticipation
9loan or who takes an assignment of a refund anticipation loan.
10    "Facilitator" means a person who individually or in
11conjunction or cooperation with another person: (i) solicits
12the execution of makes a refund anticipation loan, processes,
13receives, or accepts for delivery an application or agreement
14for a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check;
15(ii) services or collects upon , issues a check in payment of
16refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check;
17proceeds, or (iii) in any other manner facilitates acts to
18allow the making of a refund anticipation loan or refund
19anticipation check. If there is no third party facilitator
20because a creditor directly solicits the execution of,
21receives, or accepts an application or agreement for a refund
22anticipation loan or refund anticipation check, that creditor
23shall be considered a facilitator. "Facilitator" does not
24include a bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, or
25credit union, or licensee under the Consumer Installment Loan

 

 

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1Act operating under the laws of the United States or this State
2and does not include any person who acts solely as an
3intermediary and does not deal with the public in the making of
4the refund anticipation loan.
5    "Person" means an individual, a firm, a partnership, an
6association, a corporation, or another entity. "Person" does
7not, however, mean a bank, savings bank, savings and loan
8association, or credit union operating under the laws of the
9United States or this State.
10    "Refund anticipation check" means a check, stored value
11card, or other payment mechanism: (i) representing the proceeds
12of the consumer's tax refund; (ii) which was issued by a
13depository institution or other person that received a direct
14deposit of the consumer's tax refund or tax credits; and (iii)
15for which the consumer has paid a fee or other consideration
16for such payment mechanism.
17    "Borrower" means a person who receives the proceeds of a
18refund anticipation loan.
19    "Refund anticipation loan" means a loan that is secured by
20or that the creditor arranges arranged to be repaid directly
21from the proceeds of the consumer's a borrower's income tax
22refund or tax credits refunds. "Refund anticipation loan" also
23includes any sale, assignment, or purchase of a consumer's tax
24refund at a discount or for a fee, whether or not the consumer
25is required to repay the buyer or assignee if the Internal
26Revenue Service denies or reduces the consumer's tax refund.

 

 

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1    "Refund anticipation loan fee" means the charges, fees, or
2other consideration charged or imposed directly or indirectly
3by the creditor facilitator for the making of or in connection
4with a refund anticipation loan. This term includes any charge,
5fee, or other consideration for a deposit account, if the
6deposit account is used for receipt of the consumer's tax
7refund to repay the amount owed on the loan. A "refund
8anticipation loan fee" does not include charges, fees, or other
9consideration charged or imposed in the ordinary course of
10business by a facilitator for services that do not result in
11the making of a loan, including fees for tax return preparation
12and fees for electronic filing of tax returns.
13    "Refund anticipation loan interest rate" means the
14interest rate for a refund anticipation loan calculated as
15follows: the total amount of refund anticipation loan fees
16divided by the loan amount (minus any loan fees), then divided
17by the number of days in the loan term, then multiplied by 365
18and expressed as a percentage. The total amount of the refund
19anticipation loan fee used in this calculation shall include
20all refund anticipation loan fees as defined in this Section.
21If a deposit account is established or maintained in whole or
22in part for the purpose of receiving the consumer's tax refund
23to repay the amount owed on a refund anticipation loan: (i) the
24maturity of the loan for the purpose of determining the refund
25anticipation loan interest rate shall be assumed to be the
26estimated date when the tax refund will be deposited in the

 

 

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1deposit account; and (ii) any fee charged to the consumer for
2such deposit account shall be considered a loan fee and shall
3be included in the calculation of the refund anticipation loan
4interest rate. If no deposit account is established or
5maintained for the repayment of the loan, the maturity of the
6loan shall be assumed to be the estimated date when the tax
7refund is received by the creditor.
8(Source: P.A. 92-664, eff. 1-1-03.)
 
9    (815 ILCS 177/10)
10    Sec. 10. Disclosure requirements. At the time a consumer
11borrower applies for a refund anticipation loan or check, a
12facilitator shall disclose to the consumer borrower on a
13document that is separate from the loan application:
14        (1) the fee for the refund anticipation loan or refund
15    anticipation check fee schedule;
16        (1.5) for refund anticipation loans, disclosure of the
17    refund anticipation loan interest rate. The refund
18    anticipation loan interest rate shall be calculated as set
19    forth in Section 5 the Annual Percentage Rate utilizing a
20    10-day time period;
21        (2) the estimated fee for preparing and electronically
22    filing a tax return;
23        (2.5) for refund anticipation loans, the total cost to
24    the consumer borrower for utilizing a refund anticipation
25    loan;

 

 

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1        (3) for refund anticipation loans, the estimated date
2    that the loan proceeds will be paid to the consumer
3    borrower if the loan is approved;
4        (4) for refund anticipation loans, that the consumer
5    borrower is responsible for repayment of the loan and
6    related fees in the event the tax refund is not paid or not
7    paid in full; and
8        (5) for refund anticipation loans, the availability of
9    electronic filing for the income tax return of the consumer
10    borrower and the average time announced by the federal
11    Internal Revenue Service within which the consumer
12    borrower can expect to receive a refund if the consumer's
13    borrower's return is filed electronically and the consumer
14    borrower does not obtain a refund anticipation loan.
15(Source: P.A. 92-664, eff. 1-1-03; 93-287, eff. 1-1-04.)
 
16    (815 ILCS 177/15)
17    Sec. 15. Posting of fee schedule and disclosures. Penalty.
18    (a) A facilitator shall display a schedule showing the
19current fees for refund anticipation loans, if refund
20anticipation loans are offered, or refund anticipation checks,
21if refund anticipation checks are offered, facilitated at the
22office.
23    (b) A facilitator who offers refund anticipation loans
24shall display on each fee schedule examples of the refund
25anticipation loan interest rates for refund anticipation loans

 

 

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1of at least 5 different amounts, such as $300, $500, $1,000,
2$1,500, $2,000, and $5,000. The refund anticipation loan
3interest rate shall be calculated as set forth in Section 5 of
4this Act.
5    (c) A facilitator who offers refund anticipation loans
6shall also prominently display on each fee schedule: (i) a
7legend, centered, in bold, capital letters, and in one-inch
8letters stating: "NOTICE CONCERNING REFUND ANTICIPATION LOANS"
9and (ii) the following verbatim statement: "When you take out a
10refund anticipation loan, you are borrowing money against your
11tax refund. If your tax refund is less than expected, you will
12still owe the entire amount of the loan. If your refund is
13delayed, you may have to pay additional costs. YOU CAN GET YOUR
14REFUND IN 8 TO 15 DAYS WITHOUT PAYING ANY EXTRA FEES AND TAKING
15OUT A LOAN. You can have your tax return filed electronically
16and your refund direct deposited into your own financial
17institution account without obtaining a loan or paying fees for
18an extra product.".
19    (d) The postings required by this Section shall be made in
20no less than 28-point type on a document measuring no less than
2116 inches by 20 inches. The postings required by this Section
22shall be displayed in a prominent location at each office where
23the facilitator is facilitating refund anticipation loans.
24    (e) A facilitator may not facilitate a refund anticipation
25loan or refund anticipation check unless (i) the disclosures
26required by this Section are displayed and (ii) the fee

 

 

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1actually charged for the refund anticipation loan or refund
2anticipation check is the same as the fee displayed on the
3schedule.
4    Any person who violates this Act is guilty of a petty
5offense and shall be fined $500 for each offense. In addition,
6a facilitator who violates this Act shall be liable to any
7aggrieved borrower in an amount equal to 3 times the refund
8anticipation loan fee, plus a reasonable attorney's fee, in a
9civil action brought in the circuit court by the aggrieved
10borrower or by the Attorney General on behalf of the aggrieved
11borrower.
12(Source: P.A. 92-664, eff. 1-1-03.)
 
13    (815 ILCS 177/20 new)
14    Sec. 20. Advertising and marketing.
15    (a) A facilitator may not market or advertise a refund
16anticipation loan without including this language verbatim:
17    "(Name of product) is a loan. You can get your refund in 8
18to 15 days without a loan or extra fees if you use e-file and
19direct deposit.".
20    For print advertisements, this information must be printed
21in type size one-half as large as the largest type size in the
22advertisement. For radio and television advertisements, this
23information must receive at least 7 seconds of airtime.
24    (b) A facilitator may not market or advertise a refund
25anticipation check without including this language verbatim:

 

 

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1    "The (name of product) costs (fee for RAC). You can get
2your refund in the same amount of time without this fee if you
3use e-file and direct deposit.".
4    For print advertisements, this information must be in type
5size one-half as large as the largest type size in the
6advertisement. For radio and television advertisements, this
7information must receive at least 7 seconds of airtime.
 
8    (815 ILCS 177/25 new)
9    Sec. 25. Prohibited activities. No person, including any
10officer, agent, employee, or representative, shall:
11    (a) Charge or impose any fee, charge, or other
12consideration in the making or facilitating of a refund
13anticipation loan or refund anticipation check apart from the
14fee charged by the creditor or financial institution that
15provides the loan or check. This prohibition does not include
16any charge or fee imposed by the facilitator to all of its
17customers, such as fees for tax return preparation, if the same
18fee in the same amount is charged to the customers who do not
19receive refund anticipation loans, refund anticipation checks,
20or any other tax related financial product.
21    (b) Fail to comply with any provision of this Act.
22    (c) Directly or indirectly arrange for any third party to
23charge any interest, fee, or charge related to a refund
24anticipation loan or refund anticipation check, other than the
25refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation check fee

 

 

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1imposed by the creditor, including but not limited to: (i)
2charges for insurance; (ii) attorneys fees or other collection
3costs; or (iii) check cashing.
4    (d) Include any of the following provisions in any document
5provided or signed in connection with a refund anticipation
6loan or refund anticipation check, including the loan
7application or agreement:
8        (i) A hold harmless clause;
9        (ii) A waiver of the right to a jury trial, if
10    applicable, in any action brought by or against the
11    consumer;
12        (iii) Any assignment of wages or of other compensation
13    for services;
14        (iv) A provision in which the consumer agrees not to
15    assert any claim or defense arising out of the contract, or
16    to seek any remedies pursuant to Section 35 of this Act;
17        (v) A waiver of any provision of this Act. Any such
18    waiver shall be deemed null, void, and of no effect;
19        (vi) A waiver of the right to injunctive, declaratory,
20    or other equitable relief; or
21        (vii) A provision requiring that any aspect of a
22    resolution of a dispute between the parties to the
23    agreement be kept confidential. This provision shall not
24    affect the right of the parties to agree that certain
25    specified information is a trade secret or otherwise
26    confidential, or to later agree, after the dispute arises,

 

 

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1    to keep a resolution confidential.
2    (e) Take or arrange for a creditor to take a security
3interest in any property of the consumer other than the
4proceeds of the consumer's tax refund to secure payment of a
5refund anticipation loan.
6    (f) Directly or indirectly, individually or in conjunction
7or cooperation with another person, engage in the collection of
8an outstanding or delinquent refund anticipation loan for any
9creditor or assignee, including soliciting the execution of,
10processing, receiving, or accepting an application or
11agreement for a refund anticipation loan or refund anticipation
12check that contains a provision permitting the creditor to
13repay, by offset or other means, an outstanding or delinquent
14refund anticipation loan for that creditor or any creditor from
15the proceeds of the consumer's tax refund.
16    (g) Facilitate any loan that is secured by or that the
17creditor arranges to be repaid directly from the proceeds of
18the consumer's State tax refund from the Illinois State
19treasury.
 
20    (815 ILCS 177/30 new)
21    Sec. 30. Rate limits for non-bank refund anticipation
22loans.
23    (a) No person shall make or facilitate a refund
24anticipation loan for which the refund anticipation loan
25interest rate is greater than 36% per annum. The refund

 

 

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1anticipation loan interest rate shall be calculated as set
2forth in Section 5. Any refund anticipation loan for which the
3refund anticipation loan interest rate exceeds 36% per annum
4shall be void ab initio.
5    (b) This Section does not apply to persons facilitating for
6or doing business as a bank, savings bank, savings and loan
7association, or credit union chartered under the laws of the
8United States or this State.
 
9    (815 ILCS 177/35 new)
10    Sec. 35. Applicability to certain entities. No obligation
11or prohibition imposed upon a creditor, a person, or a
12facilitator by this Act shall apply to a bank, savings bank,
13savings and loan association, or credit union operating under
14the laws of the United States or this State.
 
15    (815 ILCS 177/40 new)
16    Sec. 40. Violation. A violation of this Act constitutes an
17unlawful practice under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive
18Business Practices Act.
 
19    Section 25. The Interest Act is amended by changing Section
204.1a as follows:
 
21    (815 ILCS 205/4.1a)  (from Ch. 17, par. 6406)
22    Sec. 4.1a. Charges for and cost of the following items paid

 

 

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1or incurred by any lender in connection with any loan shall not
2be deemed to be charges for or in connection with any loan of
3money referred to in Section 6 of this Act, or charges by the
4lender as a consideration for the loan referred to in this
5Section:
6        (a) hazard, mortgage or life insurance premiums,
7    survey, credit report, title insurance, abstract and
8    attorneys' fees, recording charges, escrow and appraisal
9    fees, and similar charges.
10        (b) in the case of construction loans, in addition to
11    the matters referred to in clause (a) above, the actual
12    cost incurred by the lender for services for making
13    physical inspections, processing payouts, examining and
14    reviewing contractors' and subcontractors' sworn
15    statements and waivers of lien and the like.
16        (c) in the case of any loan made pursuant to the
17    provisions of the Emergency Home Purchase Assistance Act of
18    1974 (Section 313 of the National Housing Act, Chapter B of
19    Title 12 of the United States Code), in addition to the
20    matters referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
21    Section all charges required or allowed by the Government
22    National Mortgage Association, whether designated as
23    processing fees, commitment fees, loss reserve and
24    marketing fees, discounts, origination fees or otherwise
25    designated.
26        (d) in the case of a single payment loan, made for a

 

 

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1    period of 6 months or less, a regulated financial
2    institution or licensed lender may contract for and receive
3    a maximum charge of $15 in lieu of interest. Such charge
4    may be collected when the loan is made, but only one such
5    charge may be contracted for, received, or collected for
6    any such loan, including any extension or renewal thereof.
7        (e) if the agreement governing the loan so provides, a
8    charge not to exceed the rate permitted under Section 3-806
9    of the Uniform Commercial Code-Commercial Paper for any
10    check, draft or order for the payment of money submitted in
11    accordance with said agreement which is unpaid or not
12    honored by a bank or other depository institution.
13        (f) if the agreement governing the loan so provides,
14    for each loan installment in default for a period of not
15    less than 10 days, a charge in an amount not in excess of
16    5% of such loan installment. Only one delinquency charge
17    may be collected on any such loan installment regardless of
18    the period during which it remains in default. Payments
19    timely received by the lender under a written extension or
20    deferral agreement shall not be subject to any delinquency
21    charge.
22    Notwithstanding items (k) and (l) of subsection (1) of
23Section 4 of this Act, the lender, in the case of any nonexempt
24residential mortgage loan, as defined in Section 1-4 of the
25Residential Mortgage License Act of 1987, other than a high
26risk home loan as defined in Section 10 of the High Risk Home

 

 

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1Loan Act, shall have the right to include a prepayment penalty
2that extends no longer than the fixed rate period of a variable
3rate mortgage provided that, if a prepayment is made during the
4fixed rate period and not in connection with the sale or
5destruction of the dwelling securing the loan, the lender shall
6receive an amount that is no more than:
7        (1) 3% of the total loan amount if the prepayment is
8    made within the first 12-month period following the date
9    the loan was made;
10        (2) 2% of the total loan amount if the prepayment is
11    made within the second 12-month period following the date
12    the loan was made; or
13        (3) 1% of the total loan amount if the prepayment is
14    made within the third 12-month period following the date
15    the loan was made, if the fixed rate period extends 3
16    years.
17    This Section applies to loans made, refinanced, renewed,
18extended, or modified on or after the effective date of this
19amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly.
20    Where there is a charge in addition to the stated rate of
21interest payable directly or indirectly by the borrower and
22imposed directly or indirectly by the lender as a consideration
23for the loan, or for or in connection with the loan of money,
24whether paid or payable by the borrower, the seller, or any
25other person on behalf of the borrower to the lender or to a
26third party, or for or in connection with the loan of money,

 

 

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1other than as hereinabove in this Section provided, whether
2denominated "points," "service charge," "discount,"
3"commission," or otherwise, and without regard to declining
4balances of principal which would result from any required or
5optional amortization of the principal of the loan, the rate of
6interest shall be calculated in the following manner:
7    The percentage of the principal amount of the loan
8represented by all of such charges shall first be computed,
9which in the case of a loan with an interest rate in excess of
108% per annum secured by residential real estate, other than
11loans described in paragraphs (e) and (f) of Section 4, shall
12not exceed 3% of such principal amount. Said percentage shall
13then be divided by the number of years and fractions thereof of
14the period of the loan according to its stated maturity. The
15percentage thus obtained shall then be added to the percentage
16of the stated annual rate of interest.
17(Source: P.A. 95-691, eff. 6-1-08.)
 
18    Section 30. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business
19Practices Act is amended by adding Section 2NNN as follows:
 
20    (815 ILCS 505/2NNN new)
21    Sec. 2NNN. Violations of the Tax Refund Anticipation Loan
22Reform Act. Any person who violates the Tax Refund Anticipation
23Loan Reform Act commits an unlawful practice within the meaning
24of this Act.
 

 

 

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1    Section 97. Severability. The provisions of this Act are
2severable under Section 1.31 of the Statute on Statutes.
 
3    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
4becoming law.".