Pending legislation may harm consumers.

• Position: Debt - For-profit debt settlement - Brief article

Ohio HB 173 and Pennsylvania SB 622 are intended to impose increased regulation of for-profit debt settlement industry practices. However, the proposed legislation, while providing some protections, does not address some of the more unscrupulous practices that may continue to harm consumers.

"We have written to the state legislators sponsoring this legislation in both Ohio and Pennsylvania outlining our concerns on a number of consumer issues," notes David Jones, president of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies, Fairfax, Va.

"Recent actions taken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau against abusive--and even criminal--debt settlement abuses would indicate that many individuals are still suffering because of the...