republic-os/legislation/us/states/va/2020/hb-1553.md

type, title, description, jurisdiction, legislature, session, identifier, citation, classification, subjects, status, primary_sponsors, version_count, action_count, vote_count, first_action, last_action, source, source_identifier, source_url, source_hash, vintage, source_snapshot, retrieved_at, confidence, tags

type	title	description	jurisdiction	legislature	session	identifier	citation	classification	subjects	status	primary_sponsors	version_count	action_count	vote_count	first_action	last_action	source	source_identifier	source_url	source_hash	vintage	source_snapshot	retrieved_at	confidence	tags
Bill	Debt settlement services providers; licensure and regulation by State Corporation Commission.	Debt settlement services providers; penalties. Provides for the licensure and regulation of debt settlement services providers by the State Corporation Commission. The measure defines "debt settlement services" as any action or negotiation initiated or taken by or on behalf of any consumer with any creditor of the consumer for the purpose of obtaining debt forgiveness of a portion of the credit extended by the creditor to the consumer or reduction of payments, charges, or fees payable by the consumer. The measure prohibits licensees from accepting a fee from consumers prior to providing the consumers' requested debt settlement services. The requirements imposed by this measure on licensed providers of debt settlement services are similar to those applicable to agencies providing debt management plans. The measure provides for civil penalties against licensees that violate these requirements, grants consumers a private right of action against licensees, and makes a violation a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The licensing and regulation of debt settlement services providers has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2021. The measure directs the State Corporation Commission to establish a procedure to be in effect by March 1, 2021, for any person to apply prior to July 1, 2021, for a license that will become effective when the licensing requirements of this measure become effective on July 1, 2021.	us/states/va	Virginia General Assembly	2020	HB 1553	Virginia HB 1553 (2020)	bill		enacted	Rodney T. Willett	4	42	9	2020-01-11	2020-04-07	openstates	ocd-bill/e83adb81-3c38-4fd7-a407-82a7e63f50e7	https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?201+sum+HB1553	a32a05588304447c467cb7ee8602ef3f83c035544da2b52c5eb19c1c4a6e4fe0	2026-07-01	https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump	2026-07-06	reported	legislation bill us-va

Virginia HB 1553 (2020) — Debt settlement services providers; licensure and regulation by State Corporation Commission.

Debt settlement services providers; penalties. Provides for the licensure and regulation of debt settlement services providers by the State Corporation Commission. The measure defines "debt settlement services" as any action or negotiation initiated or taken by or on behalf of any consumer with any creditor of the consumer for the purpose of obtaining debt forgiveness of a portion of the credit extended by the creditor to the consumer or reduction of payments, charges, or fees payable by the consumer. The measure prohibits licensees from accepting a fee from consumers prior to providing the consumers' requested debt settlement services. The requirements imposed by this measure on licensed providers of debt settlement services are similar to those applicable to agencies providing debt management plans. The measure provides for civil penalties against licensees that violate these requirements, grants consumers a private right of action against licensees, and makes a violation a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The licensing and regulation of debt settlement services providers has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2021. The measure directs the State Corporation Commission to establish a procedure to be in effect by March 1, 2021, for any person to apply prior to July 1, 2021, for a license that will become effective when the licensing requirements of this measure become effective on July 1, 2021.

Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0785) (committee substitute) — source
2. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1553ER) (committee substitute) — source
3. Engrossed by House as amended HB1553E (committee substitute) — source
4. Impact statement from SCC (HB1553) (committee substitute) — source

Votes

• Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendments (18-Y 1-N) — 18–1 (pass) · lower
• Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N) — 38–0 (pass) · upper
• VOTE: Passage (86-Y 12-N) — 85–12 (pass) · lower
• Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment (6-Y 1-N) — 6–1 (pass) · lower
• Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) — 15–0 (pass) · upper
• Reported from Appropriations with amendment (17-Y 3-N) — 17–3 (pass) · lower
• Passed Senate with amendments (31-Y 9-N) — 31–9 (pass) · upper
• VOTE: Adoption (71-Y 23-N) — 70–23 (pass) · lower
• Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendments (13-Y 2-N) — 13–2 (pass) · upper

Sponsors

• Rodney T. Willett — primary (person)
• Ibraheem S. Samirah — cosponsor (person)
• Sam Rasoul — cosponsor (person)

Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

• 2020-01-11 Presented and ordered printed 20105424D introduction
• 2020-01-11 Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce referral-committee
• 2020-01-19 Impact statement from SCC (HB1553)
• 2020-01-23 House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
• 2020-01-23 Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendments (18-Y 1-N) committee-passage
• 2020-01-23 Referred to Committee on Appropriations referral-committee
• 2020-01-24 Assigned App. sub: Compensation & General Government referral-committee
• 2020-02-04 House subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered
• 2020-02-04 Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment (6-Y 1-N)
• 2020-02-05 House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
• 2020-02-05 Reported from Appropriations with amendment (17-Y 3-N) committee-passage
• 2020-02-06 Read first time reading-1
• 2020-02-07 Read second time reading-2
• 2020-02-07 Committee on Labor and Commerce amendments agreed to
• 2020-02-07 Committee on Appropriations amendment agreed to
• 2020-02-07 Engrossed by House as amended HB1553E
• 2020-02-07 Printed as engrossed 20105424D-E
• 2020-02-10 Read third time and passed House (86-Y 12-N) passage, reading-3
• 2020-02-10 VOTE: Passage (86-Y 12-N)
• 2020-02-11 Constitutional reading dispensed
• 2020-02-11 Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor referral-committee
• 2020-02-12 Impact statement from SCC (HB1553E)
• 2020-02-17 Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendments (13-Y 2-N) committee-passage
• 2020-02-17 Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations referral-committee
• 2020-02-18 Impact statement from VCSC (HB1553)
• 2020-02-18 Impact statement from VCSC (HB1553EH1)
• 2020-02-25 Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) committee-passage
• 2020-02-26 VOTE: Adoption (71-Y 23-N)
• 2020-02-26 Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N)
• 2020-02-26 Read third time reading-3
• 2020-02-26 Reading of amendments waived
• 2020-02-26 Committee amendments agreed to
• 2020-02-26 Engrossed by Senate as amended
• 2020-02-26 Passed Senate with amendments (31-Y 9-N) passage
• 2020-02-26 Senate amendments agreed to by House (71-Y 23-N)
• 2020-03-03 Enrolled
• 2020-03-03 Impact statement from SCC (HB1553ER)
• 2020-03-03 Signed by Speaker
• 2020-03-04 Signed by President
• 2020-03-12 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 12, 2020
• 2020-03-12 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 11, 2020
• 2020-04-07 Approved by Governor-Chapter 785 (effective 7/1/21-see bill) executive-signature

Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/e83adb81-3c38-4fd7-a407-82a7e63f50e7. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).