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HR 5484 115th Congress House

Fair Debt Collections Practices Clarification Act of 2018

Official title: To amend the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to prohibit a court from making an award of costs to a defendant except on a finding that an action was brought in bad faith.

Introduced: April 12, 2018 See on congress.gov
Law Civil actions and liabilityConsumer creditDebt collectionLegal fees and court costs
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This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 21, 2018
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
Apr 12, 2018
Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Apr 12, 2018
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 21, 2018

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Fair Debt Collections Practices Clarification Act of 2018

This bill amends the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to provide that, in an action brought under that Act, costs may be awarded to a defendant only if the action was brought in bad faith.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HR 5796 Reintroduction of Fair Debt Collections Practices Clarification Act of 2016
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 3
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 5484: Fair Debt Collections Practices Clarification Act of 2018. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-5484/
MLA
"H.R. 5484: Fair Debt Collections Practices Clarification Act of 2018." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-5484/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 5484, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-5484/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 5484: Fair Debt Collections Practices Clarification Act of 2018](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-5484/)
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