HB 181 -- Home Loans Sponsor: Thompson This bill regulates high-cost home loans and establishes certain lender reporting requirements. It prohibits specific practices, including issuing high-cost loans stipulating negative amortization, flipping, making misleading statements about a residential home loan transaction, and compensating or intimidating appraisers to influence their judgment with regard to the value of the real estate. The bill penalizes persons who in bad faith attempt to avoid application of the provisions. High-cost loan lenders acting in good faith who fail to comply with the bill's provisions will not be deemed violators if they take specified steps to comply. Lenders who violate the bill's provisions are subject to forfeiture of all principal and interest on loans made in violation. Lenders exempt from certain federal reporting requirements must report to the Director of the Division of Finance the number and amounts of several types of loans made by the lender for the calendar year and certain demographic information of mortgage applicants such as census tract, income level, racial characteristics, and gender. These reports will be made in the same format as reports required to be made to any federal agency. The reporting provisions will be effective on January 1, 2003, and the other provisions of the bill will be effective on January 1, 2002.Copyright (c) Missouri House of Representatives