Senate Banking Committee

The Senate voted 90-5 on  a bill regarding credit card policies.

Under the new bill, a customer would have to be more than 60 days behind on a payment before seeing a rate increase on an existing balance. Even then, the lender would be required to restore the previous, lower rate after six months if the cardholder pays the minimum balance on time.

Consumers also would have to receive 45 days' notice and an explanation before their interest rate was increased.

Some of these changes, including the 45-day notice requirement, are already on track to take effect in July 2010 under new rules being imposed by the Federal Reserve. But the legislation would put these changes into law and go further in restricting the types of bank fees and who could get a card.