New Energy Equity Toolkit for EMC members!
|
|
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Georgians now face high unemployment rates and increased financial insecurity as bills mount with little relief in sight. Energy bills lay among the pile of bills facing cash-strapped Georgians right now. Every year, thousands of Georgians struggle with high energy bills, but the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated this energy burden for many families in
our state. At least 44% of Georgians receive their energy from Electric Membership Cooperatives (“EMCs”), nonprofit organizations controlled by their customers (known as "members"). Members can participate in meetings, cast votes on EMC decisions, and even serve on their EMC’s governing board. It may surprise some Georgians to learn that the company providing their energy is a nonprofit organization and that they themselves are member-owners. In other words, they have a say in how their EMC operates, including ensuring that decision-making around programs is more reflective of their needs and their community’s needs.
|
|
ACT NOW: Urge the CFPB to Protect Consumers, Not Abusive Debt Collectors...
|
|
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") has proposed a new debt collection rule that does more to protect abusive debt collectors than consumers.
The proposed rule requires debt collectors to provide disclosures when they seek to collect old debts after the statute of limitations has expired (debts also known as "time-barred" debts). However, these disclosure requirements do not go far enough to protect consumers and leave many Georgians vulnerable to misleading and abusive collection practices. For this reason,
we are urging Georgia organizations to sign on to the
Georgia letter
today to tell the CFPB to protect consumers not debt collectors.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, consumers are already experiencing increased financial instability and struggling under the weight of crushing debts. The CFPB's proposed rule would weaken existing protections around debt collection and serve yet another blow to thousands of consumers around the state.
We are asking Georgia organizations to sign on to the
Georgia letter
to
let the CFPB know the current proposal is a bad deal for Georgia's consumers.
The CFPB should reject the proposal and, instead, strengthen the rule to fulfill the agency's obligation to protect consumers from harmful debt collection practices.
Contact Berneta Haynes at bhaynes@georgiawatch.org if you would like to sign on your organization
.
Deadline to sign on is August 3!
|
|
Major Victory for Patients in Georgia!
|
|
|
Exorbitant bills often burden patients with high amounts of medical debt. In fact,
over half of debt collection actions
contain medical debts, leading to
bankruptcy
for many consumers.
With the signing of the Surprise Billing Consumer Protection Act, the state has taken an important step toward protecting consumers from the nightmare scenario George experienced. Georgia is the
16
th
state
to have adopted comprehensive protections against surprise medical bills, covering an estimated
2.5 million Georgia residents
when the law goes into effect in 2021.
|
|
This win was a long time in the making. You can read about Georgia Watch’s and GHF's collective and persistent work to resolve this consumer issue on
our blog
. It is rare for a state to go from no protections to comprehensive protections in one fell swoop, especially with the near unanimous support we saw in the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia Watch and GHF believe that
this success demonstrates the incredible impact of long-term, sustained consumer advocacy
at the Georgia Capitol and in other spaces where decisions are made. This kind of advocacy requires dedication, expertise, and resources, all of which are provided by individual donors and philanthropic funders like you.
Please help us celebrate this incredible win for Georgia consumers with a donation to support our continued advocacy on behalf of Georgia consumers. Our organizations work for you but we cannot do our work without you! Thank you!
|
|
COVID-19 Resources and Information
|
|
- COVID-19: Information and Resources for Consumers. This guide offers helpful information about how consumers can access healthcare, manage utility bills, obtain housing assistance, manage finances, and reduce their risk of falling victim to scammers, identity thieves, and cybercriminals. Visit here to read the guide. Be sure to check back regularly for updates!
- COVID-19: Information and Resources for CHWs. In response to our Community Health Worker (CHW) partners who indicated in the COVID-19 survey their need for additional resources during this time, we have created a list of resources available here. Check back regularly for updates!
- Protect Your Business from Identity Theft and Cybercrime. Small businesses are at the highest risk for identity theft and cyber-crime and are particularly vulnerable during COVID-19. Visit here to learn how to protect your business.
|
|
Georgia Watch
55 Marietta Street NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
|
|
|
|
|
|
|