PHOENIX – A bill in the state legislature would further hinder credit card companies that seek to use promotional items such as hats and T-shirts to get UA students to apply for credit cards.

HB 2518 would prohibit any credit card marketer on a university or community college campus in the state from offering promotional incentives to get students or faculty to apply for lines of credit.

“”One of the nerve-racking things that most students deal with is this issue of debt, and they are not sure how to manage it, how to deal with it and how to maintain a strong financial backing,”” said Rep. Ed Ableser, D-Tempe, who introduced the legislation.

“”If a student wants a credit card, there are multiple places to get one,”” he said.

Credit card companies have not solicited students of late on the UA Mall, said Diane Newman, event coordinator for procurement and contracting services, who said she hasn’t seen a company solicit there for about two years.

Any credit card company is permitted on the Mall, but only through sponsoring a university-recognized club, she said.

Both student unions on campus prohibit credit card solicitations of any kind, said Nick Adamakis, director of marketing for the student unions.

According to UA policy, the unions are “”solicitation and commercial-free zones.””

The bill passed the House Higher Education Committee yesterday with some opposition.

Rep. Nancy McLain, R-Bullhead City, said she was concerned the bill unfairly singles out credit card companies.

“”There are so many things that assault students on campus,”” she said.

Missouri, Oklahoma and Washington have passed similar measures to prohibit marketers from soliciting students and faculty, Ableser said.

“”If we can prohibit one aspect of unwarranted and unneeded credit card ownership, then this is the quickest way to do so,”” he said.

Ninety-two percent of college students have a credit card by their sophomore year, and 47 percent carry four or more cards, according to data compiled by Iowa State University in 2004. Additionally, one-in-every-five students owes between $3,000 and $7,000 in credit card debt.

Officials at Pima Community College could not be reached for comment yesterday.