TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today at the Florida Cabinet, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis called on the Office of Financial Regulation to take steps to protect consumers credit ratings. Based on recent media reports, citizens credit ratings are being negatively affected even though they utilized deferment of payments allowed through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act as a result of COVID-19.
 
CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “COVID has changed the whole world, and many citizens are facing financial hardships due the pandemic. Families who take advantage of deferments should not have their credit rating tainted or damaged, and then have to fight to get that corrected. I have requested that the Office of Financial Regulation engage on this issue to make certain Florida’s consumers are protected. As CFO, I am committed to ensuring our credit rating agencies are doing right by our citizens while we work to get Florida back on its feet.”