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HB0284 • 2023

Collection agency regulation-debt buyers.

AN ACT relating to collection agencies; specifying that debt buyers are collection agencies for purposes of regulation; making conforming amendments; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Representative Walters
Last action
2023-02-27
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
7/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not provide specific details on how existing operations will adapt to new regulations.

Regulating Debt Buyers as Collection Agencies

This law includes debt buyers under the regulation of the Collection Agency Board, requiring them to be licensed and follow rules set by the board.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines 'debt buyer' as someone regularly buying charged-off consumer debt for collection purposes.
  • Includes debt buyers in the definition of 'collection agency', meaning they must now follow rules set by the Collection Agency Board.
  • Requires debt buyers to get a license from the Collection Agency Board before collecting debts or acting as a debt collector.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Debt buyers who buy old consumer debts for collection purposes
  • The Collection Agency Board which will now regulate debt buyers

Terms To Know

Collection agency
A company that collects unpaid bills or debts from people.
Debt buyer
Someone who buys old debts to collect money from the person who owes it.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not affect any legal actions or judgments made by debt buyers before July 1, 2023.
  • It is unclear how existing debt buyer operations will adapt to new regulations starting in July 2023.

Bill History

  1. 2023-02-27 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 119

  2. 2023-02-27 Governor

    Governor Signed HEA No. 0058

  3. 2023-02-23 Senate

    S President Signed HEA No. 0058

  4. 2023-02-22 House

    H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0058

  5. 2023-02-22 LSO

    Assigned Number HEA No. 0058

  6. 2023-02-22 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 17-14-0-0-0

  7. 2023-02-21 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  8. 2023-02-17 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  9. 2023-02-16 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  10. 2023-02-16 Senate

    S07 - Corporations:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  11. 2023-02-13 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S07 - Corporations

  12. 2023-02-08 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  13. 2023-02-08 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 39-23-0-0-0

  14. 2023-02-07 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  15. 2023-02-06 House

    H COW:Passed

  16. 2023-02-03 House

    H Placed on General File

  17. 2023-02-03 House

    H02 - Appropriations:Recommend Do Pass 7-0-0-0-0

  18. 2023-01-30 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H02 - Appropriations

  19. 2023-01-26 House

    H Received for Introduction

  20. 2023-01-26 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 23LSO-0680
Bill No.:

HB0284

Effective:

7/1/2023

LSO No.:

23LSO-0680

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0058

Chapter No.:

119

Prime Sponsor:

Walters

Catch Title:

Collection agency regulation-debt buyers.

Subject:

Requiring debt buyers to be regulated by the Collection Agency Board.

Summary/Major Elements:

Under current law, the Collection Agency Board regulates collection agencies, which are entities that collect debts.

This act includes debt buyers in the definition of "collection agency." As a result, the Collection Agency Board will regulate debt buyers as collection agencies, and debt buyers will be required to be licensed by the Board to conduct collections or act as a debt collector.

Debt buyers are those persons who are regularly engaged in the business of purchasing charged-off consumer debt for collection purposes.

The act will not affect the validity of any civil action or arbitration filed or commenced by a debt buyer, or any judgment entered for a debt buyer, before July 1, 2023.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent. While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
23LSO-0680

ORIGINAL House

Bill No
.
HB0284

ENROLLED ACT NO. 58,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2023 General Session

AN ACT relating to collection agencies; specifying that debt buyers are collection agencies for purposes of regulation; making conforming amendments; specifying applicability; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 33
‑
11
‑
101(a)(iii)(E), (F) and by creating a new subparagraph (G), by creating a new paragraph (xv) and by renumbering (xv) as (xvi) is amended to read:

33
‑
11
‑
101.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this act:

(iii)

"Collection agency" means any person who:

(E)

Uses a fictitious name or any name other than their own name in the collection of their own accounts receivable;
or

(F)

Collects debts incurred in this state from debtors located in this state by means of interstate communications, including telephone, mail or facsimile or any other electronic method, from the debt collector's location in another state
;
.

or

(G)

Operates as a debt buyer.

(xv)

"Debt buyer" means any person that is regularly engaged in the business of purchasing charged
‑
off consumer debt for collection purposes, whether the person collects the debt, hires a third party for collection of the debt or hires an attorney for collection litigation;

(xv)
(xvi)

"This act" means W.S. 33
‑
11
‑
101 through 33
‑
11
‑
116.

Section 2.

This act shall not affect the validity of any civil action or arbitration filed or commenced by a debt buyer, or any judgment entered for a debt buyer, before July 1, 2023.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

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