Low-income Californians would finally get the protection they need from debt collectors who are attempting to zero-out their checking accounts with a bill introduced Friday, February 22, by Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont). SB 616 prevents collectors from taking the last $2,000 from an individual’s account, ensuring that people have some minimal money to pay for daily living expenses.
…“In over 10 years as a legal aid attorney, I saw how many families are one financial set back away from crisis. California’s bank levy laws allow creditors to empty people’s bank accounts down to the last penny, meaning no money for rent, transportation to work, or child care,” said Rebecca Miller, an attorney with the Western Center on Law and Poverty. “California should join other states that protect a minimal amount in a person’s bank accounts so they can afford their basic needs.”
