Payday lending bill delayed


The state Senate’s payday lending bill didn’t get its scheduled hearing before the Commerce Committee on Tuesday.

The News & Observer reported that the bill’s primary sponsor, Sen. David Hoyle, D-Gaston County, couldn’t make the late-morning hearing, so it was postponed.

During Saturday’s Faith Summit in Henderson, Gateway Community Development Corp. leader Margaret Ellis raged against the effort to give legal footing to payday lending. She directed much of her anger at state Sen. Robert Holloman of Ahoskie, who represented part of Vance County until this year. Ellis said Holloman promised to fight payday lending, but now he is a co-sponsor of Hoyle’s bill.

Update: Ellis said Wednesday that she made the trek to Raleigh on Tuesday to fight the legislation, only to learn of the postponement (which was not announced through the normal legislative channels).

Also, we know at least one minister, the Rev. Rick Brand of First Presbyterian Church, responded to Ellis’ impassioned plea by preaching against the payday lending bill Sunday morning.