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HB 1161: E-mail Your Legislators (If State Server Gets Fixed) to Vote No on Loan Sharking

Published 2016-02-19 by Cory Allen Heidelberger

The South Dakota state servers are broken again—I can’t access the Legislature’s website, the Secretary of State’s, the Governor’s, nada. So I can’t check right now whether House Bill 1161, the payday lenders’ fourth prong in their pitchfork attack on South Dakotans’ efforts to rein in their predatory practices, is on the House agenda this afternoon or Monday.

But I can publish this call to action from Rev. Steve Hickey, one of the sponsors of Initiated Measure 21, the real 36% rate cap that the payday lenders are spending millions of dollars to stop. Whenever the vote on HB 1161 may be happening, you’ll want to contact your legislators ASAP and tell them to vote on the side of voters and consumers, kill HB 1161, and allow voters to have their say on the payday lending industry in November.

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED

The Poverty Industry has NINE lobbyists working in Pierre. We only have YOU and a bunch of good people like you. And remember, the Representatives in Pierre work for you, not the payday lending industry. They need to hear from you this weekend.

HB1161 is a last-minute attempt by the poverty profiteers to create a loophole so payday loans would be exempt from the 36% rate cap we have placed on the November 2016 ballot. (link to the bill)

Your House reps need a personal email from you before this Monday (2/22) when the bill is up for likely debate. It is essential these emails go out Thursday, Friday and over the weekend. It will be too late Monday morning.

Instructions:

  1. Write BOTH reps from your district. Please express that you live in their district as those letters get read. They need to feel the heat on this one. Also, everyone should write the governor an email.

  1. The emails can be the same copy but it is vital they personally addressed to each Rep and the Governor. Example: Dear Rep. Smith, Dear Governor Daugaard.

  1. If you have extra time, also write to Speaker Wink, Leader Gosch, Assistant Leader Westra and Speaker Pro-Tem Mickelson and then any additional Reps you’d like.

  1. Be courteous and respectful. Thank them for considering your views. Keep it short: like 3-5 sentences long. Use your own words as form letters are quickly deleted.

  1. Reference the bill number (HB1161) and your real name.

  1. Some ideas for variety in the subject heading include:

-from a District __ constituent of yours 

-I’m in your district, 

-please represent me not the loan sharks

-close the loan shark loop hole 

-Please vote NO on HB116O

-let the voters decide this one 

–Re: the payday lenders end-run around the 36% rate cap

  1. The email addresses are below. Some have an additional notation under them indicating if they’re a sponsor of the bill, or how they voted on it in the State Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

  1. If your Rep is a SPONSOR or voted FOR it please encourage them to
    “    please reconsider and VOTE NO this time or at least stay seated during the debate.” It’s okay to say “I’ll be tuning in online.” They need to know they are being carefully watched.

  1. If your Rep voted NO, thank them and encourage them to rise and speak against the bill during the floor debate.

SIOUX FALLS AREA LEGISLATORS

OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE

Phone numbers:

  • House Lobby for messages/bill status: 605-773-3851
  • Senate Lobby for messages/bill status: 605-773-3821 [Steve Hickey, e-mail, 2016.02.18]

Published in South Dakota

4 Comments

  1. Lynn

    Presentation Sisters Lynn Marie Welbig and Kathleen Bierne gave powerful testimony against HB 1161 and just how badly the Payday Loan industry has negatively impacted South Dakotans. A few of the legislators and even lobbyists remarked in a good spirited way that they did not want to be on the wrong side of the Sisters.

    Unfortunately I listened as HB 1161 passed out of committee. That industry clearly showed they will use any means possible including making a mess of our legislative/legal system and to keep their business model intact here in South Dakota.

    2016-02-19
  3. caheidelberger

    Great link, and great post from the Sisters!

    2016-02-19

Comments are closed.