Indiana advocates for low-income people say proposed federal rules aiming to tamp down on the payday loan industry would be a good first step at stopping the “debt trap.”

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rule—released Thursday, though it is open for public comment through September—would force payday loan providers to determine if the borrower has the ability to repay short-term advances and debts. It would also restrict lenders from making repeated debits from delinquent borrowers’ bank accounts.

“This is a great first step about opening up a discussion about reasonable lending,” said Kelsey Clayton, manager of the Indiana Assets & Opportunity Network. “The CFPB should require payday lenders to do what other lenders do, which is to make loans that borrowers can afford to repay.”

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