LD 494
pg. 1
LD 494 Title Page An Act To Enhance Consumer Protections in Relation to Certain Mortgages Page 2 of 4
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LR 1736
Item 1

 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

 
Sec. 1. 9-A MRSA §8-103, sub-§1, ¶F-1, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 326,
§2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

 
F-1.__"High-rate, high-fee mortgage" means a consumer
credit mortgage loan transaction, involving real property
located within this State, that is considered a "mortgage"
under Section 152 of the federal Home Ownership and Equity
Protection Act of 1994, 15 United States Code, Section
1602(aa) and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto by
the Federal Reserve Board, including 12 Code of Federal
Regulations,__Section 226.32__and the official staff
commentary to the regulations as each may be amended from
time to time.

 
Sec. 2. 9-A MRSA §8-206-A, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 326, §5,
is amended to read:

 
8. A high-rate, high-fee mortgage may not provide for an
interest rate applicable after default that is higher than the
interest rate that applies before default or for default
charges in excess of 5% of the amount in default. If the date
of maturity of such a mortgage is accelerated due to default
and the consumer is entitled to a rebate of interest, that
rebate must be computed by a method that is not less favorable
than the actuarial method, as that term is defined in the
federal Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, Public
Law No. 102-550, Section 933(d) 106 Stat. 3672, 3892 (1992).

 
Sec. 3. 9-A MRSA §8-206-A, sub-§11-A is enacted to read:

 
11-A.__A lender who makes a high-rate, high-fee mortgage
shall report both the favorable and unfavorable payment
history of the borrower to a nationally recognized consumer
credit reporting agency at least annually during the period
the lender holds or services the loan.

 
Sec. 4. 9-A MRSA §8-206-A, sub-§12, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 326,
§5, is amended to read:

 
12. A creditor may not engage in a pattern or practice of
extending credit to a consumer under a high-rate, high-fee
mortgage based on the consumer's collateral without regard to
the consumer's repayment ability, including the consumer's
current and expected income, current obligations and
employment. There is a presumption that a creditor has
violated this subsection if the creditor engages in a pattern
or practice of making loans without verifying and documenting
consumers' repayment ability.


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