The COVID-19 state of emergency will continue through Oct. 9, 2020, leaving temporary debt collection restrictions in place.
7/22/2020 9:00
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser said this week she will extend the state of emergency order enacted in response to COVID-19 “for at least several more months,” according to a report from Fox 5 Washington, D.C.
The order was set to expire July 24 and is now in effect through Oct. 9, 2020, unless it is extended further.
Washington, D.C., is in phase two of its COVID-19 response.
District of Columbia Attorney General Karl Racine previously issued guidance on the debt collection provision of the COVID-19 Response Supplemental Emergency Act, which remains in effect, ACA International previously reported.
On June 8, the mayor signed a new consolidated Coronavirus Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 , which contains all the previous restrictions on debt collection activities included in the original COVID-19 emergency response bill.
The debt collection provisions will be in place during the period of the mayor’s emergency declaration and for 60 days after it ends.
According to the attorney general’s Debt Collection FAQs, “The Emergency Act covers any debt that is 30 days past due and was made for the purchase of goods, services, or property for personal, family or household purposes. This includes motor vehicle loans but does not include home mortgages or other loans on real property (Section 202 of the Emergency Act includes separate mortgage relief measures). For the duration of the declared coronavirus emergency, and for 60 days after its conclusion, the Emergency Act prohibits creditors and debt collectors from threatening or initiating any new legal action to collect a debt, visiting a debtor’s home or place of employment, or confronting the debtor about the debt in any public place. It also prohibits debt collectors, but not original creditors or entities who obtain the debt prior to its default, from communicating with debtors, including by phone call, email, or text message. However, communications relating to rescheduling court dates are exempted, and if a debtor initiates the communication, the debt collector may still respond to the request.”
The mayor also issued an order requiring the wearing of masks in Washington, D.C. to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is in effect through Oct. 9, 2020.
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