CO: Testimony in Support of HB 26-1046

TO: Colorado House Committee on Finance
FROM: Ashley Urisman, Director-State Government Affairs, American Fintech Council (AFC)
DATE: February 19, 2026

SUBJECT: House Bill 26-1046

Position: Support

Testimony:

Thank you Chair Woodrow, Vice-Chair Titone, and members of the House Finance Committee. My name is Ashley Urisman, and I am the Director of State Government Affairs for the American Fintech Council (AFC). I am here today in support of House Bill 1046 (HB 1046).

AFC is the premier trade association representing the largest financial technology (Fintech) companies, including the largest number of Earned Wage Access (EWA) providers. Our mission is to promote a transparent, inclusive, and customer-centric financial system by supporting responsible innovation in financial services and encouraging sound public policy.

EWA is a relatively new fintech product that allows workers to access the money they have already earned in a pay period without waiting for their employer’s scheduled pay day. It has already become an invaluable tool for over 350,000 Coloradans. EWA serves as an important alternative to high interest and predatory loans. It is designed specifically for consumers who are simply looking to use funds that are already theirs.

To ensure that EWA providers safely and effectively serve consumers, AFC has established clear standards on what constitutes responsible EWA and ensures users remain protected. Our standards require

• A voluntary no-cost option be made available for all users;

• All potential fees are represented to users clearly and transparently;

• All EWA transactions are “credit invisible,” and do not include credit checks or reporting to consumer credit agencies;

• All EWA transactions are “non-recourse”, and users can cancel their EWA service at any time, meaning it does not have to be repaid

• Users who cancel their EWA service may not be sent to collections, charged interest or late fees, and will not see their credit impacted. Users will simply be locked out of an EWA provider’s services until they repay the outstanding balance.

The guardrails set forth in HB 1046 explicitly codify these standards, and create a licensing framework administered by the Attorney General’s office, ensuring that workers in the Centennial State can continue using EWA services with peace of mind.

Thank you for considering this issue and seeking a pragmatic solution to regulating EWA in Colorado. I am happy to address any questions you may have.

• Includes data sharing for 5 years and annual reporting to Admin

• Fee caps ($4.50/7)

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