The Judicial Council may perform all acts required by the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor as conditions to exemption of this state from the earnings garnishment provisions of the Consumer Credit Protection Act of 1968 (15 U.S.C. Secs.1671-1677), including, but not limited to:
§ 706.151.Acts Required By Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division Performed By Judicial Council
Title 9. Enforcement of Judgments · Division 2 · Chapter 5. Wage Garnishment · Article 7. Administration and Enforcement · Enacted 1982 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 706.151 authorizes the Judicial Council to act on the state's behalf with the federal Wage and Hour Division to keep California's wage garnishment law compliant with the federal Consumer Credit Protection Act, including submitting current copies of state garnishment statutes and relevant court decisions.
Full Text of § 706.151
(a) Representing and acting on behalf of the state in relation to the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division and the administrator's representatives with regard to any matter relating to, or arising out of, the application, interpretation, and enforcement of the laws of this state regulating withholding of earnings.
(b) Submitting to the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division in duplicate and on a current basis, a certified copy of every statute of this state affecting earnings withholding, and a certified copy of any decision in any case involving any of those statutes, made by the Supreme Court of this state.
(c) Submitting to the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division any information relating to the enforcement of earnings withholding laws of this state which the administrator may request.
Plain-English Summary
Federal law caps how much of a paycheck any state can let creditors reach, under the Consumer Credit Protection Act's wage garnishment provisions. States can administer their own systems instead of the federal one, but only if they satisfy the federal Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division that their law measures up.
This section puts the Judicial Council in charge of that relationship for California. It can represent the state before the Administrator on any matter touching the application, interpretation, or enforcement of California's earnings-withholding laws, submit current certified copies of every statute affecting wage garnishment along with relevant California Supreme Court decisions, and supply whatever enforcement information the Administrator requests.
None of this changes what garnishment rights an individual debtor or creditor has. It's the administrative machinery that keeps California's chapter operating as the state's approved substitute for the federal garnishment scheme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does California need federal approval for its wage garnishment law?
The federal Consumer Credit Protection Act sets baseline limits on wage garnishment, and states may administer their own system instead only if it satisfies the federal Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division.
Who represents California in that federal relationship?
The Judicial Council, which § 706.151 authorizes to act on the state's behalf before the Administrator and the Administrator's representatives.
Does this section give debtors or creditors any additional rights?
No. It's an administrative-compliance provision, not a source of individual garnishment rights or defenses.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 1364, Sec. 2. Operative July 1, 1983, by Sec. 3 of Ch. 1364.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: california wage garnishment federal complianceconsumer credit protection act california