Under a consent order with Texas and seven other states, the Atlanta-based credit reporting firm agreed to shore up its information security efforts, but it will not have to pay any financial penalties.
A number of banks are upgrading technology and hiring more lenders to better reach small-business owners, who are becoming more confident in their outlooks.
A ballot initiative that taps into the public's anger about online data abuses has qualified for the November ballot. But lawmakers are considering whether to head off the statewide vote by passing a measure that may be more amenable to the financial industry.
First-of-its-kind legislation seeks to tame the largely unregulated world of online small-business lending. It has drawn bipartisan support from lawmakers, but so far has failed to satisfy either the industry or its critics.
