The bill proposes amendments to the General Laws, specifically in the chapters concerning deceptive trade practices, execution, and attachment. It introduces new definitions for "Credit report" and "Medical debt," excluding reports that contain information solely on transactions or experiences between the consumer and a health care provider from the definition of a credit report. The term "Medical debt" is defined as an obligation of a consumer to pay for healthcare services, products, or devices owed to a healthcare facility or a health care professional. The bill also amends the laws to limit the issuance and filing of executions and attachments against a defendant's principal residence when the claim is based on medical debt, ensuring that no execution or attachment shall be filed against a defendant's principal residence for such judgments.

Furthermore, the bill restricts the garnishment of wages for medical debts and prioritizes garnishments for child support over other types of wage garnishments. It also allows for the collection of court-imposed fines and other assessments through wage assignment procedures. The bill prohibits credit bureau reporting of medical debt and prevents the filing of an execution and attachment against a consumer's principal residence for judgments based on medical debt. The act is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025, and includes various insertions and deletions to clarify the classes of property that may be attached and the limitations on filing execution against a defendant's principal residence.

Statutes affected:
2711  SUB A: 6-13.1-20, 9-25-3
2711: 6-13.1-20