HOUSE BILL No. 4701

 

May 2, 2007, Introduced by Rep. Virgil Smith and referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services.

 

     A bill to amend 1917 PA 273, entitled

 

"An act to regulate and license pawnbrokers in certain governmental

units of this state; and to prescribe certain powers and duties of

certain local governmental units and state agencies,"

 

by amending sections 8 and 9 (MCL 446.208 and 446.209), section 8

 

as amended by 2002 PA 469 and section 9 as amended by 2004 PA 585.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 8. A pawnbroker, at the time of a loan, shall deliver to

 

the person pawning or pledging any article a memorandum or note

 

signed by him or her, containing the substance of the entry

 

required to be made by him or her in his or her book by section 6.

 

A charge shall not be made or received by the pawnbroker for the

 

entry, memorandum, or note. The memorandum or note shall be

 

consecutively numbered and upon its back shall be printed in

 

English in 12-point type the following: "If interest or charges in


 

excess of 3% 5% per month, plus storage charges provided in this

 

document, are asked or received, this loan is void and of no

 

effect; and the borrower cannot be made to pay back the money

 

loaned, any interest on the loan, or any charges or any part of the

 

charges, and the pawnbroker loses all right to the possession of

 

the goods, article, or thing pawned, and shall surrender the item

 

to the borrower or pawner upon due demand for the item.".

 

     Sec. 9. (1) A licensed pawnbroker may charge upon any loan a

 

rate of interest not to exceed 3% 5% per month and is not required

 

to accept any interest less than 50 cents on a single loan. A

 

pawnbroker may also charge $1.00 per month or fraction of a month

 

for the storage of unencumbered personal property under any single

 

pledge or pawn.

 

     (2) A pawnbroker may charge $1.00 per month or fraction of a

 

month for a usage fee for unencumbered personal property pawned or

 

pledged and used by the pawner during the term of the pawn or

 

pledge. A usage fee charged under this subsection is not considered

 

interest.

 

     (3) A pawnbroker or the pawnbroker's agent or employee shall

 

not charge or receive interest on the loan in excess of the amounts

 

provided for in this act.

 

     (4) Interest on any loan is not payable in advance and shall

 

be computed on unpaid monthly balances without compounding.

 

     (5) A pawnbroker is not entitled to any examination fee and

 

shall not make any charge in excess of the amounts provided for in

 

this act.