Florida Senate - 2010                              CS for SB 492
       
       
       
       By the Committee on Commerce; and Senator Smith
       
       
       
       
       577-03098A-10                                          2010492c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to garnishment; amending s. 222.11,
    3         F.S.; increasing the amount of wages of a head of
    4         family which is exempt from garnishment; providing a
    5         form that must be used for an agreement to waive the
    6         exemption from garnishment; amending s. 77.041, F.S.;
    7         increasing the amount of wages of a head of family
    8         which is exempt from garnishment; providing an
    9         effective date.
   10  
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Section 222.11, Florida Statutes, is amended to
   14  read:
   15         222.11 Exemption of wages from garnishment.—
   16         (1) As used in this section, the term:
   17         (a) “Earnings” includes compensation paid or payable, in
   18  money of a sum certain, for personal services or labor whether
   19  denominated as wages, salary, commission, or bonus.
   20         (b) “Disposable earnings” means that part of the earnings
   21  of any head of family remaining after the deduction from those
   22  earnings of any amounts required by law to be withheld.
   23         (c) “Head of family” includes any natural person who is
   24  providing more than one-half of the support for a child or other
   25  dependent.
   26         (2)(a) All of the disposable earnings of a head of family
   27  whose disposable earnings are less than or equal to $750 $500 a
   28  week are exempt from attachment or garnishment.
   29         (b) Disposable earnings of a head of a family, which are
   30  greater than $750 $500 a week, may not be attached or garnished
   31  unless such person has agreed otherwise in writing. The
   32  agreement to waive the protection provided by this paragraph
   33  must:
   34         1. Be in the same language as the contract or agreement to
   35  which the waiver relates;
   36         2. Be contained in a separate document attached to the
   37  contract or agreement; and
   38         3. Be in substantially the following form in at least 14
   39  point type:
   40  
   41         IF YOU PROVIDE MORE THAN ONE-HALF OF THE SUPPORT FOR A
   42         CHILD OR OTHER DEPENDENT, ALL OR PART OF YOUR INCOME
   43         IS EXEMPT FROM GARNISHMENT UNDER FLORIDA LAW. YOU CAN
   44         WAIVE THIS PROTECTION ONLY BY SIGNING THIS DOCUMENT.
   45         BY SIGNING BELOW, YOU AGREE TO WAIVE THE PROTECTION
   46         FROM GARNISHMENT.
   47  
   48         ...(Consumer’s Signature)... ...(Date Signed)...
   49  
   50         I have fully explained this document to the consumer.
   51  
   52         ...(Creditor’s Signature)... ...(Date Signed)...
   53  
   54  In no event shall The amount attached or garnished may not
   55  exceed the amount allowed under the Consumer Credit Protection
   56  Act, 15 U.S.C. s. 1673.
   57         (c) Disposable earnings of a person other than a head of
   58  family may not be attached or garnished in excess of the amount
   59  allowed under the Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. s.
   60  1673.
   61         (3) Earnings that are exempt under subsection (2) and are
   62  credited or deposited in any financial institution are exempt
   63  from attachment or garnishment for 6 months after the earnings
   64  are received by the financial institution if the funds can be
   65  traced and properly identified as earnings. Commingling of
   66  earnings with other funds does not by itself defeat the ability
   67  of a head of family to trace earnings.
   68         Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 77.041, Florida
   69  Statutes, is amended to read:
   70         77.041 Notice to individual defendant for claim of
   71  exemption from garnishment; procedure for hearing.—
   72         (1) Upon application for a writ of garnishment by a
   73  plaintiff, if the defendant is an individual, the clerk of the
   74  court shall attach to the writ the following “Notice to
   75  Defendant”:
   76                NOTICE TO DEFENDANT OF RIGHT AGAINST               
   77                    GARNISHMENT OF WAGES, MONEY,                   
   78                         AND OTHER PROPERTY                        
   79  
   80         The Writ of Garnishment delivered to you with this Notice
   81  means that wages, money, and other property belonging to you
   82  have been garnished to pay a court judgment against you.
   83  HOWEVER, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO KEEP OR RECOVER YOUR WAGES, MONEY,
   84  OR PROPERTY. READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.
   85         State and federal laws provide that certain wages, money,
   86  and property, even if deposited in a bank, savings and loan, or
   87  credit union, may not be taken to pay certain types of court
   88  judgments. Such wages, money, and property are exempt from
   89  garnishment. The major exemptions are listed below on the form
   90  for Claim of Exemption and Request for Hearing. This list does
   91  not include all possible exemptions. You should consult a lawyer
   92  for specific advice.
   93         TO KEEP YOUR WAGES, MONEY, AND OTHER PROPERTY FROM
   94         BEING GARNISHED, OR TO GET BACK ANYTHING ALREADY
   95         TAKEN, YOU MUST COMPLETE A FORM FOR CLAIM OF EXEMPTION
   96         AND REQUEST FOR HEARING AS SET FORTH BELOW AND HAVE
   97         THE FORM NOTARIZED. YOU MUST FILE THE FORM WITH THE
   98         CLERK’S OFFICE WITHIN 20 DAYS AFTER THE DATE YOU
   99         RECEIVE THIS NOTICE OR YOU MAY LOSE IMPORTANT RIGHTS.
  100         YOU MUST ALSO MAIL OR DELIVER A COPY OF THIS FORM TO
  101         THE PLAINTIFF AND THE GARNISHEE AT THE ADDRESSES
  102         LISTED ON THE WRIT OF GARNISHMENT.
  103         If you request a hearing, it will be held as soon as
  104  possible after your request is received by the court. The
  105  plaintiff must file any objection within 3 business days if you
  106  hand delivered to the plaintiff a copy of the form for Claim of
  107  Exemption and Request for Hearing or, alternatively, 8 business
  108  days if you mailed a copy of the form for claim and request to
  109  the plaintiff. If the plaintiff files an objection to your Claim
  110  of Exemption and Request for Hearing, the clerk will notify you
  111  and the other parties of the time and date of the hearing. You
  112  may attend the hearing with or without an attorney. If the
  113  plaintiff fails to file an objection, no hearing is required,
  114  the writ of garnishment will be dissolved and your wages, money,
  115  or property will be released.
  116         YOU SHOULD FILE THE FORM FOR CLAIM OF EXEMPTION
  117         IMMEDIATELY TO KEEP YOUR WAGES, MONEY, OR PROPERTY
  118         FROM BEING APPLIED TO THE COURT JUDGMENT. THE CLERK
  119         CANNOT GIVE YOU LEGAL ADVICE. IF YOU NEED LEGAL
  120         ASSISTANCE YOU SHOULD SEE A LAWYER. IF YOU CANNOT
  121         AFFORD A PRIVATE LAWYER, LEGAL SERVICES MAY BE
  122         AVAILABLE. CONTACT YOUR LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATION OR ASK
  123         THE CLERK’S OFFICE ABOUT ANY LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM IN
  124         YOUR AREA.
  125                       CLAIM OF EXEMPTION AND                      
  126                         REQUEST FOR HEARING                       
  127  
  128  I claim exemptions from garnishment under the following
  129  categories as checked:
  130  ....  1.  Head of family wages. (You must check a. or b. below.)     
  131  ....  a.  I provide more than one-half of the support for a child or other dependent and have net earnings of $750 $500 or less per week.
  132  ....  b.  I provide more than one-half of the support for a child or other dependent, have net earnings of more than $750 $500 per week, but have not agreed in writing to have my wages garnished.
  133  ....  2.  Social Security benefits.                                  
  134  ....  3.  Supplemental Security Income benefits.                     
  135  ....  4.  Public assistance (welfare).                               
  136  ....  5.  Workers’ Compensation.                                     
  137  ....  6.  Unemployment Compensation.                                 
  138  ....  7.  Veterans’ benefits.                                        
  139  ....  8.  Retirement or profit-sharing benefits or pension money.    
  140  ....  9.  Life insurance benefits or cash surrender value of a life insurance policy or proceeds of annuity contract.
  141  ....  10.  Disability income benefits.                               
  142  ....  11.  Prepaid College Trust Fund or Medical Savings Account.    
  143  ....  12.  Other exemptions as provided by law.................................(explain)
  144  
  145  I request a hearing to decide the validity of my claim. Notice
  146  of the hearing should be given to me at:
  147  
  148  Address: ................................
  149  Telephone number:........................
  150  
  151  The statements made in this request are true to the best of my
  152  knowledge and belief.
  153  
  154  ................................
  155  Defendant’s signature
  156  Date................................
  157  
  158  STATE OF FLORIDA
  159  COUNTY OF
  160  
  161  Sworn and subscribed to before me this ........ day of ...(month
  162  and year)..., by ...(name of person making statement)...
  163  Notary Public/Deputy Clerk
  164  Personally Known ........OR Produced Identification....
  165  Type of Identification Produced....................
  166         Section 3. This act shall take effect October 1, 2010.