Sec. 2153.255. CONSIDERATION. (a) In this section, "consideration" includes costs charged, contracted for, or received by a license holder or other person in connection with investigating, arranging, negotiating, procuring, guaranteeing, making, servicing, collecting, or enforcing a credit transaction or forbearance of money, credit, goods, things in action, or other service rendered, including aggregate interest, fees, bonuses, commissions, brokerage, discounts, and expenses. The term does not include court costs or attorney's fees as determined by a court.

(b) The consideration for a credit transaction authorized under Section 2153.252 may not be less than one-half percent or exceed interest or its equivalent at the rate of one and one-half percent per month, as determined by the United States Rule.

(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), if the consideration directly or indirectly charged or received by a license holder for a credit transaction authorized under Section 2153.252 exceeds the amount of consideration permitted by Subsection (b):

(1) the consideration paid, whether payment of principal or interest or its equivalent, shall be refunded to the person; and

(2) the unpaid balance of the consideration is void.

(d) Subsection (c) does not apply if consideration is charged or collected in excess of the amount permitted by Subsection (b) and:

(1) the overcharge or over-collection is the result of:

(A) an accident; and

(B) a bona fide error; and

(2) the error is corrected on the date of discovery.

Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.