2006 New Mexico Statutes - Section 58-15-1 — Objects and purposes of act.

58-15-1. Objects and purposes of act.

The following are hereby declared to be the objects and purposes of this act:   

A.     there exists among citizens of this state a widespread demand for small loans. The scope and intensity of this demand have been increased progressively by many social and economic forces;   

B.     the expense of making and collecting small loans, which are usually made on comparatively unsubstantial security to wage earners, salaried employees and other persons of relatively low incomes is necessarily high in relation to the amounts lent;   

C.     experience has proven that such loans cannot be made profitably except under special permissive laws and that without such laws many legitimate enterprises are excluded from the small loan field; that without laws regulating the making of small loans interest charges are often disguised by the use of complicated and technical subterfuge to evade the usury law; that without regulations, borrowers of small sums are often exploited by charges generally exorbitant in relation to those necessary to conduct a small loan business;   

D.     it is intent of the legislature in enacting this statute to bring up to date the law pertaining to small loans; to insure more rigid public regulation and supervision of those engaging in the business of making small loans, and selling insurance in connection therewith; to facilitate the elimination of abuse of borrowers; and to establish a system which will more adequately provide honest and efficient small loan service and stimulate competitive reductions in charges.   

The legislature expressly declares: that the charges which licensee [licensees] may collect under the provisions of this act, while inclusive of pure interest, are recognized as inclusive also of adequate service fees to the licensees.   

The legislature further declares: that the charges established by this act are limiting maximums, fixed after careful study of modernized, adequate and efficiently functioning small loan statutes of other states, which will permit licensees hereunder to meet the expense and loss hazard incident to the making and servicing of small loans, to the end that licensees may be encouraged to establish and maintain supervised and regulated loan agencies, whose competitive operations, while stimulating reductions from maximum allowable charges, will provide legitimate sources of loan credit to a large class of borrowers throughout the state, who cannot otherwise obtain honest and lawful loan accommodations under the general laws of New Mexico governing money, interest and usury.