The effects of disclosure and enforcement on payday lending in Texas
In 2012, Texas and two municipalities therein adopted regulations governing the payday loan market. Austin and Dallas enacted supply restrictions limiting the loan-to-income ratio and mandating amortization. The state adopted an information disclosure inspired by Bertrand and Morse (2011) presenting the cost and typical usage of payday loans in easy-to-understand terms. We find that the municipal restrictions led to a 61% decline in loan volume in Austin and a 44% decline in Dallas, with the effects driven by the start of enforcement. The statewide disclosures led to a persistent 12% decline in loan volume in the first six months.