Use of Legislative Data to Build a State Campaign Against Payday Lending

Presentation by

Wilhelmina A. Leigh

“Paycheck to Payday: … ” Panel

Southern Regional Asset Building Coalition Conference

New Orleans, LA

September 25, 2014

2

Presentation Topics

Using data about a state legislature and its members to support a campaign against payday lending◦Questions to ask◦Types of data to gather and use

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

Presentation is based on report Where the Stores Are … And Other Factors Related to Legislative Support for the Payday Lending/Title Loan Industry in Alabama (2014, August) by Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies for Alabama Asset Building Coalition.

3

Questions To AskWhy have members of the legislature

been unable to pass legislation to rein in payday lending?

Is this inability to pass anti-payday lending laws associated with the receipt by legislators of campaign contributions from the payday lending/title loan industry?

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

4

Questions To Ask (cont’d)Do legislators whose districts contain the

largest numbers of payday stores receive the largest contributions from the payday lending/title loan industry?

Based on information about industry contributions to legislators, which legislators are likely allies/opponents for a campaign against payday lending?

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

5

Data Needed To Answer Questions

Number of payday stores per state legislative districts (Senate and House)

Amount of campaign contribution(s) to legislators by payday lending/title loan industry

Committee assignments and leadership positions held by legislators

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

6

Data To Answer Questions: Number of Payday Stores Per Legislative District

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

Legislative Body Average Number of Stores Per

District

Maximum Number of Stores Per

District

Minimum Number of Stores Per

District

Alabama Senate 29 48 9

Alabama House of Representatives

10 26 0

7

Data To Answer Questions: Number of Payday Stores Per State Senate District

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

8

Data To Answer Questions: Number of Payday Stores Per State House District

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

9

Data To Answer Questions:Amount of Campaign Contributions to Legislators

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

Legislative Body Members with PD/TL

Industry Contribution

(2010)

Maximum Contribution

Minimum Contribution

Alabama Senate 66 percent $8,100 $500

Senate Banking and Insurance Committee

42 percent $8,100 $1,000

Alabama House of Representatives

29 percent $6,500 $500

House Financial Services Committee

78 percent $6,000 $1,000

10

Data To Answer Questions:Which Members Get Money? AL Senate

Senator PD/TL Industry Contribution

(2010)

# Stores in District

(2014)

African Americans in District

Relevant Position Held

by Senator

Roger Bedford, Jr.(D-6)

$8,100 26 15% Member of Banking and

Insurance Committee

Bobby Singleton(D-24)

$7,200 32 64%

Scott Beason(R-17)

$5,100 21 6%

Vivian Davis Figures(D-33)

$500 45 71% Senate Minority Leader

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

11

Data To Answer Questions:Which Members Get Money? AL House

Representative PD/TL Industry

Contribution(2010)

# Stores in

District (2014)

African Americans in District

Relevant Position Held by

Representative

Mike Hubbard(R-79)

$6,500 6 13% Speaker of House

Lesley Vance(R-80)

$6,000 8 18% Chair of FinancialServices Committee

Oliver Robinson(D-58)

$5,750 17 72% Member of FinancialServices Committee

Marcel Black(D-3)

$4,500 19 24% Ranking Minority Member of Financial Services Committee

Steve Hurst(R-35)

$2,350 20 15% Member of Financial Services Committee

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

12

Summary of AnswersPayday lending/title loan industry

contributed to many (but not all) AL state legislators whose districts include large numbers of payday stores.

The industry also supports campaigns of legislators who hold leadership positions or serve on relevant committees (such as Senate Banking and Insurance, or House Financial Services).

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

13

Using Answers to Shape Campaign

Answers to questions discussed can help you decide who to approach and how◦In AL, the search for allies might be harder in

Senate than in the House overall.◦However, when seeking allies on relevant AL

legislative committees, the search might be easier within the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee than within the House Financial Services Committee.

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

14

Data Sources Alabama Deferred Presentment Services Act (ADPSA) Licensees Database

http://216.226.177.103/ADPSA_Licenses2.asp?VTI-GROUP=0&search=%25&submit1=Search

(Howard University Center on Race and Wealth compiled data and used

GIS Software to prepare maps by legislative district in Alabama.)

American Community Survey http://www.census.gov/acs/www/ for socioeconomic data at state level

www.followthemoney.org for campaign contributions to candidates for state elections

www.legislature.state.al.us for information about legislators by district, political party, committee assignments, et al.

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies