SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday that he has signed an executive order protecting coronavirus relief money from debt collectors.
The order prohibits debt collectors from collecting from COVID-related relief for individuals, like stimulus checks issued under the federal government's CARES Act.
"The executive order denies the ability for debt collectors to garnish your CARES Act dollars," Newsom said. "It's also retroactive. So if you're a debt collector and you did garnish those contributions, those checks, you've got to gie them back."
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Newsom said the order is effective immediately.
The governor added that "now is not the time to garnish those emergency contribution checks" from families under the current economic landscape.
The only exemptions to the order are for those who must pay child care, spousal support, or any responsibilities to victims compensation payments, according to Newsom.