Ability to Repay Verification Enabling Act
The source supplies the latest action, but no lifecycle stage.
Latest action (23 Mar 2015): Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
What this bill does
H.R. 1539, the Ability to Repay Verification Enabling Act, was introduced in the House on March 23, 2015, by Rep. Keith Ellison, with Rep. Renacci as a cosponsor, and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. The bill would bar the Secretary of Labor from enforcing a specific 2012 Department of Labor policy directive (Unemployment Insurance Program Letter No. 19-12) that requires certain consumer reporting agencies to obtain and keep an individual's signed consent before accessing that person's confidential state unemployment compensation data. The prohibition applies only to reporting agencies that act solely as a secure data pass-through between state unemployment agencies and lenders, and are not otherwise acting as the individual's agent. It also blocks Labor from issuing similar rules or guidance in the future.
The bill would primarily affect lenders and consumer reporting agencies involved in verifying borrowers' income and employment using state unemployment records, as well as the Department of Labor's authority to regulate that verification process. The bill's findings state that such data access can speed loan approvals and support lender assessments of borrowers' ability to repay, and note that eleven states have already enacted laws enabling this kind of data sharing.
As of the information provided, the bill had only been introduced and referred to committee; it received no further votes or action in the 114th Congress and did not become law.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Ability to Repay Verification Enabling Act
Prohibits the Secretary of Labor from implementing, enforcing, or administering the requirement in the Unemployment Insurance Program Letter No. 19-12, dated May 23, 2012, that a third-party consumer reporting agency obtain an informed consent agreement from an individual in order to obtain from a state agency confidential unemployment compensation information about the individual, if the consumer reporting agency: (1) serves only as a secure conduit to data from state unemployment compensation agencies, and (2) is not an agent of the individual.
Timeline
23 Mar 2015
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 1539 do?
- H.R. 1539, the Ability to Repay Verification Enabling Act, was introduced in the House on March 23, 2015, by Rep. Keith Ellison, with Rep. Renacci as a cosponsor, and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. The bill would bar the Secretary of Labor from enforcing a specific 2012 Department of Labor policy directive (Unemployment Insurance Program Letter No. 19-12) that requires certain consumer reporting agencies to obtain and keep an individual's signed consent before accessing that person's confidential state unemployment compensation data. The prohibition applies only to reporting agencies that act solely as a secure data pass-through between state unemployment agencies and lenders, and are not otherwise acting as the individual's agent. It also blocks Labor from issuing similar rules or guidance in the future. The bill would primarily affect lenders and consumer reporting agencies involved in verifying borrowers' income and employment using state unemployment records, as well as the Department of Labor's authority to regulate that verification process. The bill's findings state that such data access can speed loan approvals and support lender assessments of borrowers' ability to repay, and note that eleven states have already enacted laws enabling this kind of data sharing. As of the information provided, the bill had only been introduced and referred to committee; it received no further votes or action in the 114th Congress and did not become law.
- Has H.R. 1539 become law?
- The source does not supply a confirmed lifecycle stage for H.R. 1539. Check the latest action and official source below.
- Who sponsored H.R. 1539?
- H.R. 1539 was sponsored by Rep. Ellison, Keith [D-MN-5] (D-MN), with 1 cosponsor.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 1539?
- Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. (23 Mar 2015).
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