75th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2009 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 479
 
                         House Bill 2301
 
Ordered printed by the Speaker pursuant to House Rule 12.00A (5).
  Presession filed (at the request of House Interim Committee on
  Judiciary for Oregon Collectors Association)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  Raises allowable fee for dishonored check from $25 to $35.
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to fees for dishonored checks; creating new provisions;
  and amending ORS 30.701.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1. ORS 30.701 is amended to read:
  30.701. (1) In any action against a maker of a dishonored
check, a payee may recover from the maker statutory damages in an
amount equal to $100 or triple the amount for which the check is
drawn, whichever is greater. Statutory damages awarded under this
subsection are in addition to the amount for which the check was
drawn and may not exceed by more than $500 the amount for which
the check was drawn. The court shall allow reasonable attorney
fees at trial and on appeal to the prevailing party in an action
on a dishonored check and in any action on a check that is not
paid because payment has been stopped.
  (2) Statutory damages and attorney fees under subsection (1) of
this section may be awarded only if the payee made written demand
of the maker of the check not less than 30 days before commencing
the action and the maker failed to tender to the payee before the
commencement of the action an amount of money not less than the
amount for which the check was drawn, all interest that has
accrued on the check under ORS 82.010 as of the date of demand
and any charges imposed under subsection (5) of this section.
  (3) Statutory damages under subsection (1) of this section
  { - shall - }  { +  may + } not be awarded by the court if
after the commencement of the action but before trial the
defendant tenders to the plaintiff an amount of money equal to
the amount for which the check was drawn, all interest that has
accrued on the check under ORS 82.010 as of the date of payment,
any charges imposed under subsection (5) of this section, costs
and disbursements and the plaintiff's reasonable attorney fees
incurred as of the date of the tender.
  (4) If the court or jury determines that the failure of the
defendant to satisfy the dishonored check at the time demand was
made under subsection (2) of this section was due to economic
hardship, the court or jury has the discretion to waive all or
part of the statutory damages provided for in subsection (1) of
this section. If all or part of the statutory damages are waived
under this subsection, judgment shall be entered in favor of the
plaintiff for the amount of the dishonored check, all interest
that has accrued on the check under ORS 82.010, any charges
imposed under subsection (5) of this section, the plaintiff's
reasonable attorney fees and costs and disbursements.
  (5) If a check is dishonored, the payee may collect from the
maker a reasonable fee representing the cost of handling and
collecting on the check. The total fee for any single check may
not exceed   { - $25 - }  { +  $35 + }. Any award of statutory
damages under subsection (1) of this section must be reduced by
the amount of any charges imposed under this subsection that have
been paid by the maker or that are entered as part of the
judgment.
  (6) The provisions of this section apply only to a check that
has been dishonored because of a lack of funds or credit to pay
the check, because the maker has no account with the drawee or
because the maker has stopped payment on the check without good
cause. A plaintiff is entitled to the remedies provided by this
section without regard to the reasons given by the drawee for
dishonoring the check.
  (7) For the purposes of this section:
  (a) 'Check' means a check, draft or order for the payment of
money.
  (b) 'Drawee' has that meaning given in ORS 73.0103.
  (c) 'Payee' means a payee, holder or assignee of a check.
  SECTION 2.  { + The amendments to ORS 30.701 by section 1 of
this 2009 Act apply to checks made or drawn on or after the
effective date of this 2009 Act. + }
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