**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
May 6, 2015
More Information: Megan Howard, 703.850.8618
SUROVELL
RECEIVES CONSUMER PROTECTION AWARD
Mt. Vernon, VA- Delegate Scott Surovell
(D-44) was presented with the "Champions of Consumer Rights" Award by
the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) over the
weekend. The award recognizes his years of advocacy to protect consumers, push
back against predatory lending and House Bill 2015 which seeks to provide
exemptions related to child care support.
NACBA President Edward Boltz stated, “We
are pleased to recognize Delegate Scott Surovell with the award in recognition
of his tireless advocacy for consumers, including his work in combatting abuses
by payday lenders and car title lenders, and particularly his successful
effort, working with NACBA members in Virginia, to enact legislation to protect
Virginians in bankruptcy from having their child support, spousal support, and
earned income tax credits taken by bankruptcy trustees.”
The legislation,
House Bill 2015, provides modifications to bankruptcy exemptions related to child care
support and allows an individual filing bankruptcy or subject to
judgment collections to exempt child and spousal support arrearages from
actions to collect debts by creditors. It also allowed debtors to spread
existing exemptions for individual vehicles or firearms among multiple assets
instead of having to claim only one car of firearm as exempt.
The award also
recognized Delegate Surovell’s work to restrict car title lenders in Virginia.
Ten car title lender locations have opened on the U.S. 1 Corridor between the
beltway and Fort Belvoir since 2011. These predatory lenders target low
income families in severe financial distress and active duty military service
members. They charge interest rates up to 30% per month and annual
percentage rates of nearly 300% per year. The proliferation of these
businesses acts as a hindrance to high quality development and targets the most
vulnerable in the community.
Delegate Surovell's effort to combat
predatory lending was also featured in the December 26, 2014 issue of the New York Times regarding the explosion of subprime
consumer lending in the United States.
Delegate Surovell stated, “I am proud to
have successfully passed legislation to protect families during bankruptcy
proceedings. Child support is paid to support children, not creditors.
The earned income tax credit is not a refund of taxes paid and is an effective
anti-poverty program. It is not a creditor's lottery ticket. I will
continue to push back against those who target consumers and cause a cycle of
debt for low income families in Virginia. Thank you to the NACBA for their consumer
advocacy and for recognizing me with the Champion of Consumer Rights Award.”
The award is given in recognition of and
appreciation for extraordinary service in protecting American Consumers and, in
particular, the recipient’s critical role in preserving the rights of consumer
debtors in need of bankruptcy relief. This year's award recipients also
included Rohit Chopra, Assistant Director and Student Loan Ombudsman,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD).
interstate construction services
ReplyDeleteinterstate building maintenance