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Pennsylvania Bill 801 Establishes Uniform Requirements for Consumer Debt Default Judgments and Mandatory Consumer Warnings

Original title: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in civil actions and proceedings, providing for consumer debt default judgments.

Last action · March 4, 2025: Referred to JUDICIARY, March 4, 2025Sponsors: Liz Hanbidge and 10 others

Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Would Do

House Bill 801 enacts the Uniform Consumer Debt s Act, requiring debt collectors to provide detailed itemized account histories, proof of debt ownership, and a formal consumer warning notice before a default judgment can be entered in court.

Why it matters

Consumers facing debt collection lawsuits will receive explicit warnings about potential wage and bank account garnishments, property liens, and credit impacts alongside resources for legal aid.

Background
  • House Bill 801 was introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on March 4, 2025, and referred to the Judiciary Committee. 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.

Directly affected

Consumers

Consumers named as defendants in debt collection actions will receive mandatory warning notices and detailed complaint disclosures regarding their debts and legal rights.

Directly affected

Creditors and Debt Collectors

Plaintiffs filing consumer debt collection actions must comply with strict complaint documentation and separate notice service requirements before a default judgment can be entered.

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 information must a debt collector include in a lawsuit complaint under this bill?
The complaint must include the consumer's contact info in the creditor's records, the creditor's name, the last four digits of the account number, the last payment date and amount, charge-off or default date, outstanding balances, itemized fees and interest, venue and statute of limitations facts, and debt ownership history if the plaintiff is not the original creditor.
Can a consumer waive their rights under this new chapter?
No, any waiver by a consumer of a requirement of this chapter is void.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Where This Stands

Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Procedural history

1 action
  1. Mar 4, 2025HouseCommittee
    Referred to JUDICIARY, March 4, 2025

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

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Standardization of Consumer Debt Collection Lawsuits

The bill introduces uniform rules across Pennsylvania requiring specific evidentiary attachments and mandatory warnings before courts can issue default judgments in consumer debt cases.

Connected Entities

Truth in Lending Act, Pennsylvania, Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act
otherTruth in Lending Act“Federal law referenced for finance charge definitions”Map →
locationPennsylvania“Commonwealth enacting the legislation”Map →
otherElectronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act“Federal law modified or superseded regarding specific notices”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.palegis.us

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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