HB-6459, As Passed House, September 19, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE BILL No. 6459

September 12, 2006, Introduced by Rep. Pastor and referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services.

 

     A bill to amend 2004 PA 452, entitled

 

"Identity theft protection act,"

 

by amending section 11 (MCL 445.71).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 11. (1) A person shall not do any of the following in the

 

conduct of trade or commerce:

 

     (a) Deny credit or public utility service to or reduce the

 

credit limit of a consumer solely because the consumer was a victim

 

of identity theft, if the person had prior knowledge that the

 

consumer was a victim of identity theft. A consumer is presumed to

 

be a victim of identity theft for the purposes of this subdivision

 

if he or she provides both of the following to the person:

 

     (i) A copy of a police report evidencing the claim of the


 

victim of identity theft.

 

     (ii) Either a properly completed copy of a standardized

 

affidavit of identity theft developed and made available by the

 

federal trade commission pursuant to 15 USC 1681g or an affidavit

 

of fact that is acceptable to the person for that purpose.

 

     (b) Solicit to extend credit to a consumer who does not have

 

an existing line of credit, or has not had or applied for a line of

 

credit within the preceding year, through the use of an unsolicited

 

check that includes personal identifying information other than the

 

recipient's name, address, and a partial, encoded, or truncated

 

personal identifying number. In addition to any other penalty or

 

remedy under this act or the Michigan consumer protection act, 1976

 

PA 331, MCL 445.901 to 445.922, a credit card issuer, financial

 

institution, or other lender that violates this subdivision, and

 

not the consumer, is liable for the amount of the instrument if the

 

instrument is used by an unauthorized user and for any fees

 

assessed to the consumer if the instrument is dishonored.

 

     (c) Solicit to extend credit to a consumer who does not have a

 

current credit card, or has not had or applied for a credit card

 

within the preceding year, through the use of an unsolicited credit

 

card sent to the consumer. In addition to any other penalty or

 

remedy under this act or the Michigan consumer protection act, 1976

 

PA 331, MCL 445.901 to 445.922, a credit card issuer, financial

 

institution, or other lender that violates this subdivision, and

 

not the consumer, is liable for any charges if the credit card is

 

used by an unauthorized user and for any interest or finance

 

charges assessed to the consumer.


House Bill No. 6459 as amended September 19, 2006

     (d) Extend credit to a consumer without exercising reasonable

 

procedures to verify the identity of that consumer. Compliance with

 

regulations issued for depository institutions, and to be issued

 

for other financial institutions, by the United States department

 

of treasury under section 326 of the USA patriot act of 2001, 31

 

USC 5318, is considered compliance with this subdivision. This

 

subdivision does not apply to a purchase of a credit obligation in

 

an acquisition, merger, purchase of assets, or assumption of

 

liabilities or any change to or review of an existing credit

 

account.

 

     (e) If a consumer obtains goods or services from a person in a

 

transaction and pays with a credit card, retain all or any part of

 

the consumer's credit card or account number after the transaction

 

is completed for more than 4 years, or for more than the period

 

established for retention of that information in any agreement

 

between the person and the credit card issuer, whichever is longer,

 

unless the person requests and obtains the consumer's consent to

 

retention of that information for a longer period.  [This subdivision

 does not apply if the person from which the consumer obtains the goods or services is a financial institution or an affiliate of a financial institution and the consumer is an account holder of that financial institution.]

     (2) A person who knowingly or intentionally violates

 

subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by

 

imprisonment for not more than 30 days or a fine of not more than

 

$1,000.00, or both. This subsection does not affect the

 

availability of any civil remedy for a violation of this act, the

 

Michigan consumer protection act, 1976 PA 331, MCL 445.901 to

 

445.922, or any other state or federal law.