ORLANDO, Fla. -- With so-called overdraft protection in place at most major banks, even the most meticulous consumers can be hit with bankcard overdraft fees, but one Florida congressman is working to change that.

U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla.m wants consumers to be given their balance at the time of purchase.

"That should be there so that a person knows they can make a decision, even it it's just a candy bar," Meek said.

Many debit cards allow users to overdraft their accounts without warning, but then charge overdraft fees.

About 75 percent of U.S. banks offer overdraft protection with bank cards, but bank customers' balances are not always accurate, Local 6 reporter Mike Holfeld reported.

Meek is working on a law that would allow bank customers to know if their balance is accurate when making a purchase.

"Having those real-life stories will always be helpful for us to be able to put in the congressional record to say that we're not just doing this for our health, we're doing this because it's actually happening," Meek said.

The Florida Bankers Association said bank card users have several options to help prevent overdraft fees.

The association encourages people to balance their accounts so they aren't surprised when they run out of funds. It also suggested linking checking accounts to a savings account; the transfer fee is usually around $5. Finally, you can set up an overdraft line of credit, which costs around $15 to use plus around 12 percent interest.

Local 6 and ClickOrlando.com are hosting a live Web chat with Meek tonight from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. You can ask him your bank overdraft fee questions. You can also e-mail Meek with your questions.