FRANKFORT — A bill to protect check-cashing companies from lawsuits by customers claiming exorbitant interest rates was sent back to a Senate committee Friday, one day after its approval.

        The bill will be reheard by the Licensing and Occupations Committee, which will take more testimony from both sides of the contentious issue, according to a Senate GOP news release.

        The GOP leaders decided to recommit the bill for a hearing Tuesday because of questions from committee members. The bill was approved by the commit tee 10-1 Thursday.

        The bill's co-sponsors, Republican Dick Roeding of Lakeside Park and Democrat Ed Worley of Richmond, said the bill would keep check-cashing companies from being punished for the way the state let them operate in the 1990s.

        In a 1999 ruling, the Kentucky Supreme Court said usury laws should have applied to the industry until 1998, when stricter interest and fee limits were imposed by the General Assembly.

        The bill's opponents said it would deprive the plaintiffs of their right to recover damages without legislative interference. The plaintiffs brought class-action suits against check-cashing companies over interest rates.

        The bill would not affect the way check-cashing companies operate. It would say the legislature intended not to have those stores subject to usury laws forbidding exorbitant consumer loans before the 1998 law was passed that regulated the industry.

        Check-cashing stores accept a check written to them by a customer and agree not to cash that check, generally for two weeks. The customer gets money immediately; the stores get interest.

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