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Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

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Key Message

Service members are protected as consumers through the federal SCRA; however, the federal law does not protect service members concerning obligations that occur while on active duty. States can provide additional consumer protections that can mirror and expand the federal SCRA.

Summary

States can support service members by creating legal and consumer protections for active-duty personnel, similar to those provided by the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

Insights

The federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act provides legal and consumer protections for military personnel. However, state protections for active-duty service members who incur certain obligations � such as default judgments, evictions and telephone contracts - vary widely. The Department of Defense encourages states to establish protections for these service members that equal or exceed those offered by the federal law.

State Policymakers

If you are a state policymaker, request more information.