URGENT: Oppose Bill that Expands Wage Garnishment

Terrible idea for NC consumers and businesses

Last week Rep. Timothy Moore (R- 111th District, Shelby) introduced HB 30 - "Allow Wage Garnishment to Satisfy Judgments" - which was referred to House Judiciary Subcommittee A. This bill will cause great harm to many North Carolina families struggling to make ends meet, as well as to employers who will get caught in the middle of debt collection problems.

Please contact members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee A today. They will meet tomorrow morning, Wednesday, February 9th, 10am in 1327 LB, to consider this bill. See below for contact names, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Why are we concerned about HB30?

NC already allows wage garnishment for certain judgments such as child support. HB 30 drastically expands wage garnishment for other judgments, putting struggling families at severe financial risk.

This bill will increase the number of families:

Pushed into poverty and requiring public support (food stamps, Medicaid, etc.)
Falling behind on their mortgage, increasing the risk of default and foreclosure
Falling behind on their rent
Filing for bankruptcy (Based on the experience in other states, we predict that bankruptcy filings will at least double, possibly triple, if this bill passes).

In addition, this bill will:

Put employers in the business of debt collection, wasting their time and money garnishing wages
Force employees to leave their jobs as the only available way to escape the garnishment when they cannot make ends meet on their reduced take home pay
Lower the tax base by encouraging "cash only" employment arrangements in an attempt to avoid garnishments
Reduce the incentive high cost lenders have to carefully underwrite their loans, and
Impose a costly burden on our already underfunded court system.

Wage garnishment of this type is never a good idea, but particularly not in this time of severe financial stress for so many NC families, as well as workers trying to reenter the workforce after a period of unemployment, often at lower wages.

Please contact committee members, today!

House Judiciary Committees have been reorganized to have one Committee with several Subcommittees. Please contact all the members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee A today. They meet tomorrow morning, Wednesday, February 9th, 10am in 1327 LB to consider this bill.

Rep. John Blust (R), Chair, [email protected], 919-733-5781 (Raleigh office), 336-274-4658 Ext. 121, Greensboro (Guilford)
Rep. Martha Alexander (D), [email protected], 919-733-5807 (Raleigh office), 704-558-4670, Charlotte (Mecklenburg)
Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R), [email protected]t, 919-733-5805 (Raleigh office), 828-879-8454, Valdese (Burke)
Rep. James W. Crawford, Jr. (D), [email protected], 919-733-5824 (Raleigh office), 252-492-0185, Oxford (Granville, Vance)
Rep. Leo Daughtry (R), [email protected], 919-733-5605 (Raleigh office), 919-934-7265, Smithfield (Johnston)
Rep. Bill Faison (D), [email protected], 919-715-3019 (Raleigh office), 919-606-6700, Durham (Caswell, Orange)
Rep. Larry D. Hall (D), [email protected], 919-733-5872 (Raleigh office), 919-682-8823, Durham (Durham)
Rep. Julia Howard (R), [email protected], 919-733-5904 (Raleigh office), 336-751-3538, Mocksville (Davie, Iredell)
Rep. Darren Jackson (D), [email protected], 919-733-5974 (Raleigh office), 919 733-5974, Raleigh (Wake)
Rep. Ric Killian (R), [email protected], 919-733-5886 (Raleigh office), 919-733-5886, Raleigh (Wake)
Rep. Chuck McGrady (R), [email protected], 919-733-5956 (Raleigh office), 828-692-3696, Hendersonville (Henderson)
Rep. Grey Mills (R), [email protected], 919-733-5741 (Raleigh office), 704-664-0863, Mooresville (Iredell)
Rep. Shirley Randleman (R), [email protected], 919-733-5935 (Raleigh office), 336-921-2043, Wilkesboro (Wilkes)
Rep. Deborah Ross (D), [email protected], 919-733-5773 (Raleigh office), 919-832-6508, Raleigh (Wake)

Give them this message:

HB 30 is a terrible idea for NC consumers and businesses
This bill will hurt struggling families at the worst possible time
It will also hurt NC businesses, forcing them into the role of debt collectors

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact Susan Lupton at [email protected] or 919-313-8521 (office) or 919-698-2696 (cell).