LEGISLATIVE REPORT
to work with the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau, the Department
of Treasury, and others, to help us
accomplish our goals.
We also have provided significant
assistance to the effort in California to
support S.B. 308, legislation that would
vastly improve the exemptions available
to millions of Californians trying to save
their homes and other basic property
when they file for bankruptcy. Though it
was approved by the Senate Judiciary
Committee, Senate Appropriations
Committee, the full Senate, and by
the by the Assembly Judiciary and
Appropriations Committees, S.B. 308
ultimately faltered on the Assembly
floor. The bill had the support not only
of NACBA and its CA members, but also
of CA Attorney General Kamala Harris,
CA Treasurer John Chiang, AARP-CA,
California Labor Federation, Center for
Responsible Lending (CRL), Coalition
for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los
Angeles, East Bay Community Law
Center, Public Counsel, and the South
Bay Labor Council. But, as it came
closer to final passage, it attracted the
aggressive opposition of the California
Bankers Association, the California
Credit Union League and the California
Association of Collectors, representing
the debt collectors/debt buyers.
A number
National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys
of
NACBA’s
California
Winter 2015
members gave extraordinary support
to the effort, generating dozens and
even hundreds of letters to lawmakers,
making calls and holding meetings with
Senators and Assembly Members.
These members include, but are
not limited to Ike Shulman, Norma
Hammes, John Colwell, Ray Schimmel,
Erik Clark, Nancy Clark, Jenny Doling
and Cathy Moran. The bill would not
have made it as far as it did without
the time, energy, strategic input and
passion for the cause demonstrated by
these and other NACBA members. It
is expected that the bill will come back
up when the Legislature reconvenes in
January 2016.
CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY JOURNAL
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