S-3504.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6259

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Patterson, Prentice, Shin, Eide, Heavey, Deccio, Gardner, Kohl‑Welles, McAuliffe, Kline, Thibaudeau, Franklin, Bauer, Goings and Costa

Read first time 01/12/2000.  Referred to Committee on Commerce, Trade, Housing & Financial Institutions.

Issuing credit cards to persons under the age of twenty-one.

    AN ACT Relating to issuing credit cards to persons under the age of twenty-one; and adding a new chapter to Title 19 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1)(a) A credit card issuer may not issue a credit card to a minor domiciled in this state without first obtaining permission to do so from the parent, guardian, or person having legal custody and control of the minor.

    (b) This subsection does not apply to the issuance of a credit card to a minor who has been emancipated under chapter 13.64 RCW.

    (2) A credit card issuer may not issue a credit card to a person domiciled in this state who is eighteen, nineteen, or twenty years of age unless:

    (a) Permission is obtained from the parent or other person who claimed the applicant as a dependent on their most recent federal income tax return;

    (b) The application includes a copy of the applicant's most recent federal income tax return which indicates that the applicant claimed their personal exemption in the computation of their own tax liability; or

    (c) The applicant, while a minor, obtained a decree of emancipation under chapter 13.64 RCW.

    (3) For the purposes of this section:

    (a) "Credit card" means a card or device issued under an agreement by which the issuer gives to a cardholder residing in this state the privilege of obtaining credit from the issuer or other persons in purchasing or leasing property or services, obtaining loans, or otherwise.

    (b) "Credit care issuer" means a financial institution, a lender other than a financial institution, or a merchant that receives applications and issues credit cards to individuals.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  Section 1 of this act constitutes a new chapter in Title 19 RCW.

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