(a) Application by a service member for, or receipt by a service member of, a stay, postponement, or suspension pursuant to this chapter in the payment of any tax, fine, penalty, insurance premium, or other civil obligation or liability of that person shall not itself, without regard to other considerations, provide the basis for any of the following:
(1) A determination by any lender or other person that the service member is unable to pay any civil obligation or liability in accordance with its terms.
(2) With respect to a credit transaction between a creditor and the service member, any of the following:
(A) A denial or revocation of credit by the creditor.
(B) A change by the creditor in the terms of an existing credit arrangement.
(C) A refusal by the creditor to grant credit to the service member in substantially the amount or on substantially the terms requested.
(3) An adverse report relating to the creditworthiness of the service member by or to any person or entity engaged in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information.
(4) A refusal by an insurer to insure the service member.
(b) Any person violating any provision of this section is liable for actual damages, reasonable attorney’s fees, and costs incurred by the injured party.
(c) Any person violating any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punishable by imprisonment not to exceed one year or by a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 385, Sec. 1. (AB 2365) Effective January 1, 2011.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018