Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) has joined a lawsuit against Acting Director Russell Vought to challenge the unlawful dismantling of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The lawsuit, filed February 13, 2025, also includes the National Treasury Employees Union, National Consumer Law Center, NAACP, and the CFPB Employee Association. The next day (2.14.2025), at the […]

By Carmen Bingham, VPLC Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Project Coordinator HB2621, as amended by the House of Delegates, will be before the Senate Commerce & Labor Committee Monday, February 10, 2025 in the afternoon. It is not the savior bill for APCo customers as it is being touted to be. There are no “immediate” savings […]

Thursday, February 6th, 2025 For Carlos Wimberly, the whole mess started at a convenience store when he stopped for a bottle of water and snacks. He thought he had $35 in his banking account, but he had miscalculated and had “insufficient funds” to make his purchase. Carlos says he understood why his bank charged him […]

Tanya Webb is one of thousands of Virginians whose lives have been upended by tax or debt collectors who seized all of their wages or emptied their bank accounts. Tanya Webb was stunned when her entire paycheck vanished without warning. Two weeks later, another half was gone without any notice again. The wage garnishment was […]

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a transformative leader whose legacy continues to inspire individuals and organizations committed to justice, equality, and the fight against systemic oppression. With tireless dedication to nonviolence and a firm commitment to creating a more just society, his influence resonates with individuals and communities around the globe. As we reflect […]

As working families continue to struggle through a perfect storm of high inflation, high credit card interest rates, an ever-growing cascade of junk fees, and record-breaking consumer debt, a new report finds that Virginia is leaving these families high and dry. The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) report, No Fresh Start 2024: Will States Protect […]

VPLC Advocacy Helps Secure $85 Million Savings for Utility Customers Collectively, Appalachian Power customers avoided an $85 million rate hike in their monthly utility bills after the State Corporation Commission (SCC) denied the company’s request for a substantial rate hike. As part of the decision, regulators directed Appalachian Power to collaborate with Virginia Poverty Law Center […]

by Jay Speer, VPLC Executive Director I have been thinking a lot about Ward Scull who died recently.  Ward was a long-time ally of VPLC in our multi-year legislative fight with Virginia’s payday lenders.  VPLC advocated for just and fair lending, but the payday lenders wanted to continue making huge sums of money exploiting Virginians […]

— By Louis Green, VPLC DEI Director It is no secret that the upcoming political election has unearthed age-old debates across the sociopolitical landscape. In addition to the usual list of hotly-debated issues within the political space, contemporary elections have been split along racial lines due to arguments on how federal and state institutions should […]

Direct File is the IRS’ first attempt to provide a free filing program comparable to existing commercial software. While the pilot was limited to people with simple tax returns in a handful of states, the Department of the Treasury estimated that one-third of taxpayers in those states — almost 19 million people — were eligible […]

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today proposed an interpretive rule explaining that many paycheck advance products, sometimes marketed as “earned wage” products, are consumer loans subject to the Truth in Lending Act. The guidance will ensure that lenders understand their legal obligations to disclose the costs and fees of these credit products to workers. […]

Shark Week 2024: Be Careful Where You Borrow By Jay Speer, Virginia Poverty Law Center Executive Director Welcome to Shark Week 2024, at least according to the annual designation fronm Discovery Channel   In years past, the Virginia Poverty Law Center has used this week to call out all the loan sharks attacking Virginia borrowers.  There […]

Utility providers cannot shut off your service for unpaid bills during certain unsafe periods.

As heat waves roll through Virginia, a new law to protect residents from unsafe utility shut-offs during periods of extreme weather goes into effect on July 1. Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-Petersburg) and Del. Irene Shin (D-Herndon) introduced a pair of bills to the General Assembly in January. The bills gained bipartisan support and were signed […]

We don’t need to tell you, Virginia is in the middle of a housing crisis. Lawmakers, courts, and funders need to do something. But what? We need to hear from you. VPLC is hosting a series of housing discussions across Virginia this summer, and we want to know: what are your experiences with the housing […]

By Jay Speer, VPLC Executive Director Last week Virginia legal aid programs and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association filed an amici (friend of the court) brief in a case before the Virginia Court of Appeals challenging the shady practices of Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) and other debt buyers that has led to over $217 million […]

Thousands of residential tenants across the Commonwealth live in dangerously unhealthy conditions, battling mold, pest infestations, broken plumbing, and failing heating and cooling systems. When these tenants turn to their local office of housing or court system for help, they are all too often turned away by judges and other officials who want to help […]

U.S. Supreme Court delivers good news for consumers and fair business practices, but expect more industry pressure on CFPB The Supreme Court today upheld the constitutionality of the funding method Congress chose for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, allowing a vital agency to continue its work in holding Wall Street and predatory lenders to account, […]

HB1370, introduced by Delegate Karrie Delaney, prohibits medical providers from reporting medical debt to consumer reporting agencies.   VPLC supports this bill which has passed the House and a Senate committee. Why did Delegate Delaney introduce this bill and  Why is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau concerned about health care debt?  “The fact that the CFPB […]

Read the Black History Month Proclamation, signed by Governor Yougkin: WHEREAS, February is recognized and commemorated in the United States as Black History Month, and we recognize the people, historic events, and the cultural moments that have shaped American and world history and our society today; and WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia at Fort Monroe […]

In honor of Black History Month, we’re sharing a list of twenty black attorneys who were truly the firsts of their time. Their fearless determination opened doors for many, for generations to come. by Angelica Cesario, Lawline Austin T. Walden In 1965, Austin T. Walden became the first black man appointed to a judgeship in […]