February 1, 2002





SENATE BILL No. 374

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DIGEST OF SB 374 (Updated January 29, 2002 12:34 PM - DI 75)



Citations Affected: IC 24-4.6.

Synopsis: Coalition to support Indiana seniors. Establishes the coalition to support Indiana seniors. Provides that membership in the coalition is granted to businesses that create a process that provides for an alternative payment date on which senior citizens may pay bills that are in conflict with Social Security, pension, or other retirement benefits.

Effective: July 1, 2002.





Lewis, Server, Mrvan




    January 10, 2002, read first time and referred to Committee on Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
    January 31, 2002, reported favorably _ Do Pass.






February 1, 2002

Second Regular Session 112th General Assembly (2002)


PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts between statutes enacted by the 2001 General Assembly.

SENATE BILL No. 374



    A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning trade regulations; consumer sales and credit.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

    SECTION 1. IC 24-4.6-4 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2002]:
     Chapter 4. Coalition to Support Indiana Seniors
    Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "alternative payment date process" refers to the process described in section 4(d) of this chapter.
    Sec. 2. As used in this chapter, "coalition" means the coalition to support Indiana seniors established by section 4(a) of this chapter.
    Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "senior citizen" means a resident of Indiana who is at least sixty (60) years of age.
    Sec. 4. (a) The coalition to support Indiana seniors is established.
    (b) The coalition consists of businesses that meet the requirements of this chapter.
    (c) To be admitted as a member of the coalition, a business must

provide written notification to the lieutenant governor that the business seeks membership and that the business meets the requirements of subsection (d).
    (d) A business is eligible for membership in the coalition if the business creates a process that allows a senior citizen to have an alternative payment date for all amounts due to the business that does not conflict or pose an undue hardship with the date the senior citizen receives payments from the Social Security Administration, a pension, or any other form of retirement income. The alternative payment date process must allow a senior citizen to elect to use the alternative payment date process by contacting the business.
    (e) A business that creates an alternative payment date process must:
        (1) notify each senior citizen who is required to make payments to the business that the alternative payment date process has been created; and
        (2) provide information to the senior citizen on using the alternative payment date process.
    (f) The business must allow a senior citizen to elect to use the alternative payment date process if the senior citizen contacts the business and requests to use the alternative payment date process.
    Sec. 5. (a) The lieutenant governor shall compile a list of the members of the coalition.
    (b) Not later than July 1 and December 1 of each year, the lieutenant governor shall publish the list of members of the coalition.

    Sec. 6. A member of the coalition may display and use in advertising the following phrase:
            "Member of the Coalition to Support Indiana Seniors".