The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio Senate Bill 117 establishes state registration, fee limits, and consumer protections for earned wage access services
Last action · February 26, 2025: Referred to Financial Institutions, Insurance and TechnologySponsor: George Lang
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Would Do
The General Assembly requires providers of to obtain a certificate of registration from the Division of Financial Institutions, maintain a minimum net worth of $50,000, and comply with strict limits on fees, debt collection, and credit reporting. Providers must offer at least one no-cost option for accessing unpaid earnings, reimburse consumers for overdraft fees caused by improper debit attempts, and refrain from treating wage access proceeds as loans or credit under state law.
Earned wage access providers operating in Ohio must undergo civil and criminal background checks, pay initial and annual registration fees, and follow statutory rules prohibiting late fees, credit score disclosures, and court-ordered debt collections on wage advances.
- Earned wage access services allow employees to access portions of their earned wages before their normal paydays, a financial product that has grown rapidly and prompted state-level regulatory efforts. context
- The Ohio General Assembly considers bills through committee referral processes before floor debate and chamber votes. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Consumers
Consumers receive statutory protections including guaranteed no-cost access options, prohibition of late fees and credit reporting, and mandatory overdraft fee reimbursements by providers.
Earned wage access service providers
Providers must secure state registration certificates, meet minimum net worth requirements, pay investigation and annual fees, and comply with operational restrictions.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is required for an earned wage access company to operate in Ohio under this bill?
Can earned wage access providers charge late fees or report unpaid balances to credit bureaus?
Are earned wage access advances considered loans under Ohio law?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Feb 26, 2025SenateCommitteeReferred to Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology
- Feb 25, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Exemption from traditional loan statutes
The bill carves out a distinct legal category for earned wage access, explicitly exempting providers from being classified as lenders or debt collectors under existing financial codes.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools