However, the Deseret News found last year that lawsuits by Utah payday lenders are swamping local small claims courts. They sued 27,000 Utahns for default between 2005 and 2007 (or about 24 people a day). That accounted for 51 percent of all small claims cases on the Wasatch Front, and 81 percent of all cases in Provo.

Black said the high number of lawsuits for defaults is proof that payday loans can trap and drain the poor.

But Wendy Gibson, a store manager for Check City, said, "I don't consider most of my customers as poor. They are more middle class, but living paycheck to paycheck." She said they would be hurt if payday lenders disappear because they may not have credit to qualify for other types of loans.

"What will they do? Bounce checks? That costs $35," which is more than payday loans that are paid on time, she said. She added they might go to shady Internet loans, or let emergencies go unmet "and some of them could lose their homes" by not paying mortgages on time.

Black doesn't buy that either. "What did we do before payday loans? We survived without them."

Black, a freshman lawmaker, said she is finding that the payday industry has political clout as large as its interest rates and likely has her bill blocked before it had a hearing or committee debate. It has routinely killed any major reform bills, including previous efforts for a much higher loan cap of 500 percent.

Such power comes as the industry gave at least $91,000 to state candidates and parties last year — including giving directly to about one of every four legislators who stood for election.

"I may be tilting at windmills on this," Black said. "But that's OK. If raising this may deter even one or two more people from falling into the trap of spiraling debt from payday loans, then it is worth it."

E-mail: lee@desnews.com