Two amendments to the Iowa Consumer Credit Code (ICCC) recently signed into law by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will go into effect July 1. The ICCC applies to, among others, consumer credit transactions, retail installment sales, lending transactions, and motor vehicle financing.

Senate File 502, which relates to banks, credit unions, and specific consumer credit transactions, adds a new subsection 2A to the ICCC, which states a supervised loan made in violation of subsection 2 is void and “the consumer is not obligated to pay either the amount financed or the finance charge.” Additionally, “[i]f the consumer has paid any part of the amount financed or the finance charge, the consumer has the right to recover the payment from the [lender] . . . or from an assignee . . . who undertakes direct collection of payments or enforcement of rights arising from the debt.” Open-end loans have a statute of limitations of two years from the date of the violation, and closed-end loans have a statute of limitations of one year after the due date of the last scheduled payment. Other changes under Senate File 502 include a removal of the ban prohibiting returned check fees, an increase in the maximum late fee applied to transactions, and a clause that allows credit reporting charges to be excluded from finance charges.

Senate File 503, which concerns “the deferral of unpaid installments and deferral charges for certain interest-bearing consumer credit transactions,” contains the following changes, among others: (i) parties may agree in writing to the deferral of unpaid installments before or after default, and (ii) deferral charges are permitted on closed-end, interest-bearing transactions and limited to $30.