Title 12 published on 2012-01-01
The following are only the Rules published in the Federal Register after the published date of Title 12.
For a complete list of all Rules, Proposed Rules, and Notices view the Rulemaking tab.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is issuing an interim final rule with request for comments that sets forth requirements and processes with respect to compensation provided to executive officers by the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the Federal Home Loan Bank System's Office of Finance, consistent with the safety and soundness responsibilities of FHFA under the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as amended by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA) published a final rule in the Federal Register on April 18, 2013 to strengthen liquidity risk management at Farm Credit System (System) banks, improve the quality of assets in their liquidity reserves, and bolster the ability of System banks to fund their obligations and continue operations during times of economic, financial, or market adversity. This document corrects that rule by replacing a term that was inadvertently used.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act or Act) establishes a “Consumer Financial Civil Penalty Fund” (Civil Penalty Fund) into which the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) must deposit any civil penalty it obtains against any person in any judicial or administrative action under Federal consumer financial laws. Under the Act, funds in the Civil Penalty Fund may be used for payments to the victims of activities for which civil penalties have been imposed under Federal consumer financial laws. In addition, to the extent that such victims cannot be located or such payments are otherwise not practicable, the Bureau may use funds in the Civil Penalty Fund for the purpose of consumer education and financial literacy programs. This rule implements the relevant statutory provisions by articulating the Bureau's interpretation of what kinds of payments to victims are appropriate and by establishing procedures for allocating funds for such payments to victims and for consumer education and financial literacy programs.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) issues this final rule to amend Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and the official interpretations to the regulation. Regulation Z generally prohibits a card issuer from opening a credit card account for a consumer, or increasing the credit limit applicable to a credit card account, unless the card issuer considers the consumer's ability to make the required payments under the terms of such account. Regulation Z currently requires that issuers consider the consumer's independent ability to pay, regardless of the consumer's age; in contrast, TILA expressly requires consideration of an independent ability to pay only for applicants who are under the age of 21. The final rule amends Regulation Z to remove the requirement that issuers consider the consumer's independent ability to pay for applicants who are 21 or older, and permits issuers to consider income and assets to which such consumers have a reasonable expectation of access.
This regulation implements inflation adjustments to civil money penalties (CMPs) that the Farm Credit Administration (FCA) may impose pursuant to the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as amended (Farm Credit Act), and pursuant to the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, as amended by the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 (Reform Act), and further amended by the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 (Biggert-Waters Act). The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (Inflation Adjustment Act), requires all Federal agencies with the authority to impose CMPs to evaluate those CMPs periodically to ensure that they continue to maintain their deterrent value and promote compliance with the law.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, we or us) adopts a final rule that amends its liquidity regulation. The purpose of the final rule is to strengthen liquidity risk management at Farm Credit System (FCS, Farm Credit, or System) banks, improve the quality of assets in their liquidity reserves, and bolster the ability of System banks to fund their obligations and continue operations during times of economic, financial, or market adversity.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Board”) is adopting a final rule to permit banking organizations under its supervision to engage in off-exchange transactions in foreign currency with retail customers. The final rule also describes various requirements with which banking organizations must comply to conduct such transactions.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, Agency, or our) is adopting technical amendments to various regulations to conform certain references to accounting standards in these rules to the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification ®.
The Board is adopting this final rule to establish, for purposes of Title I of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act” or “Act”), the requirements for determining if a company is “predominantly engaged in financial activities”; and definitions of the terms “significant nonbank financial company” and “significant bank holding company.” These terms are relevant to various provisions of Title I of the Dodd-Frank Act, including section 113, which authorizes the Financial Stability Oversight Council (“Council”) to designate a nonbank financial company for supervision by the Board if the Council determines that the nonbank financial company could pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States.
The Federal Open Market Committee is amending its Rules of Procedure to require that at least one of the seven members constituting a quorum of the Committee represent a Federal Reserve Bank.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is amending Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act, and the Official Interpretations of the regulation, which interpret the requirements of Regulation Z. Regulation Z generally limits the total amount of fees that a credit card issuer may require a consumer to pay with respect to an account to 25 percent of the credit limit in effect when the account is opened. Regulation Z previously stated that this limitation applies prior to account opening and during the first year after account opening. This final rule amends Regulation Z to apply the limitation only during the first year after account opening.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is amending Regulation E (Electronic Fund Transfers), which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA), and the official interpretation to the regulation. In December 2012, Congress passed and the President signed legislation amending the EFTA to eliminate a requirement that a fee notice be posted on or at automated teller machines, leaving in place the requirement for a specific fee disclosure to appear on the screen of that machine or on paper issued from the machine. This final rule amends Regulation E to conform to the EFTA amendment.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is repealing two obsolete regulations issued by its predecessor agencies, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) and the Federal Housing Finance Board (Finance Board) with respect to the entities regulated by OFHEO and by the Finance Board. The regulations being repealed govern public financial disclosures made by the entities with respect to certain federal securities laws. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 obviates the need for these rules, making them obsolete and unnecessary. This final rule repeals the two regulations in their entirety.
The NCUA Board (Board) is amending the definition of “rural district” in NCUA's Chartering and Field of Membership Manual. The amendment permits a geographic area to qualify as a rural district if, among other criteria, it has a total population that does not exceed the greater of 250,000 people or three percent of the population of the state in which the majority of the district is located. The current definition limits the rural district's population to 200,000 people without regard to the population of the state containing the majority of the rural district.
The NCUA Board (Board) is amending its investment regulation to allow federal credit unions (FCUs) to purchase Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). This final rule adds TIPS to the list of permissible investments for FCUs in part 703. TIPS will provide FCUs with an additional investment portfolio risk management tool that can be useful in an inflationary economic environment.
On December 4, 2012, the Farm Credit Council (Council) filed a Petition for Regulatory Change (Petition) with the Farm Credit Administration (FCA, we, or our) on behalf of its Farm Credit System (System) members. The Council requested in the Petition that we repeal the provisions of the recently effective final rule regarding “Compensation, Retirement Programs, and Related Benefits,” that require a non-binding, advisory vote on senior officer compensation. We are publishing the Petition and soliciting comments on the merits of the Petition.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is amending Regulation Z to implement amendments to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) made by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). The final rule implements requirements and restrictions imposed by the Dodd-Frank Act concerning loan originator compensation; qualifications of, and registration or licensing of loan originators; compliance procedures for depository institutions; mandatory arbitration; and the financing of single-premium credit insurance. The final rule revises or provides additional commentary on Regulation Z's restrictions on loan originator compensation, including application of these restrictions to prohibitions on dual compensation and compensation based on a term of a transaction or a proxy for a term of a transaction, and to recordkeeping requirements. The final rule also establishes tests for when loan originators can be compensated through certain profits-based compensation arrangements. At this time, the Bureau is not prohibiting payments to and receipt of payments by loan originators when a consumer pays upfront points or fees in the mortgage transaction. Instead the Bureau will first study how points and fees function in the market and the impact of this and other mortgage-related rulemakings on consumers' understanding of and choices with respect to points and fees. This final rule is designed primarily to protect consumers by reducing incentives for loan originators to steer consumers into loans with particular terms and by ensuring that loan originators are adequately qualified.
This final rule establishes procedures for the public to obtain information from the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, under the Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act of 1974, and in legal proceedings. This final rule also establishes the Bureau's rule regarding the confidential treatment of information obtained from persons in connection with the exercise of its authorities under Federal consumer financial law.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is amending Regulation X, which implements the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974, and implementing a commentary that sets forth an official interpretation to the regulation. The final rule implements provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act regarding mortgage loan servicing. Specifically, this final rule implements Dodd-Frank Act sections addressing servicers' obligations to correct errors asserted by mortgage loan borrowers; to provide certain information requested by such borrowers; and to provide protections to such borrowers in connection with force-placed insurance. Additionally, this final rule addresses servicers' obligations to establish reasonable policies and procedures to achieve certain delineated objectives; to provide information about mortgage loss mitigation options to delinquent borrowers; to establish policies and procedures for providing delinquent borrowers with continuity of contact with servicer personnel capable of performing certain functions; and to evaluate borrowers' applications for available loss mitigation options. Further, this final rule modifies and streamlines certain existing servicing-related provisions of Regulation X. For instance, this final rule revises provisions relating to mortgage servicers' obligation to provide disclosures to borrowers in connection with transfers of mortgage servicing, and mortgage servicers' obligation to manage escrow accounts, including restrictions on purchasing force-placed insurance for certain borrowers with escrow accounts and requirements to return amounts in an escrow account to a borrower upon payment in full of a mortgage loan. Concurrently with the issuance of this final rule, the Bureau is issuing a rule implementing amendments relating to mortgage servicing to the Truth in Lending Act in Regulation Z.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is amending Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act and the official interpretation to the regulation, which interprets the requirements of Regulation Z. This final rule implements provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act regarding mortgage loan servicing. Specifically, this final rule implements Dodd-Frank Act sections addressing initial rate adjustment notices for adjustable-rate mortgages, periodic statements for residential mortgage loans, prompt crediting of mortgage payments, and responses to requests for payoff amounts. This final rule also amends current rules governing the scope, timing, content, and format of disclosures to consumers regarding the interest rate adjustments of their variable-rate transactions. Concurrently with the issuance of this final rule, the Bureau is amending Regulation X, which contains companion rules implementing amendments to the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974.
The Board, Bureau, FDIC, FHFA, NCUA, and OCC (collectively, the Agencies) are issuing a final rule to amend Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and the official interpretation to the regulation. The revisions to Regulation Z implement a new provision requiring appraisals for “higher-risk mortgages” that was added to TILA by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act or Act). For mortgages with an annual percentage rate that exceeds the average prime offer rate by a specified percentage, the final rule requires creditors to obtain an appraisal or appraisals meeting certain specified standards, provide applicants with a notification regarding the use of the appraisals, and give applicants a copy of the written appraisals used.
The Department of the Treasury is issuing the interim rule implementing the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Bond Guarantee Program, established through section 1134 of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 and administered by the CDFI Fund, under authority delegated by the Secretary of the Treasury.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) issues this final rule to implement the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act's amendments to the Truth in Lending Act and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. The final rule amends Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) by expanding the types of mortgage loans that are subject to the protections of the Home Ownership and Equity Protections Act of 1994 (HOEPA), revising and expanding the tests for coverage under HOEPA, and imposing additional restrictions on mortgages that are covered by HOEPA, including a pre-loan counseling requirement. The final rule also amends Regulation Z and Regulation X (Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act) by imposing certain other requirements related to homeownership counseling, including a requirement that consumers receive information about homeownership counseling providers.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is amending Regulation B, which implements the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), and the Bureau's official interpretations of the regulation, which interpret and clarify the requirements of Regulation B. The final rule revises Regulation B to implement an ECOA amendment concerning appraisals and other valuations that was enacted as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). In general, the revisions to Regulation B require creditors to provide to applicants free copies of all appraisals and other written valuations developed in connection with an application for a loan to be secured by a first lien on a dwelling, and require creditors to notify applicants in writing that copies of appraisals will be provided to them promptly.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is amending Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). Regulation Z currently prohibits a creditor from making a higher-priced mortgage loan without regard to the consumer's ability to repay the loan. The final rule implements sections 1411 and 1412 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), which generally require creditors to make a reasonable, good faith determination of a consumer's ability to repay any consumer credit transaction secured by a dwelling (excluding an open-end credit plan, timeshare plan, reverse mortgage, or temporary loan) and establishes certain protections from liability under this requirement for “qualified mortgages.” The final rule also implements section 1414 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which limits prepayment penalties. Finally, the final rule requires creditors to retain evidence of compliance with the rule for three years after a covered loan is consummated.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is issuing this final rule to delay the February 7, 2013, effective date of final rules published by the Bureau on February 7, 2012, and August 20, 2012 (collectively, 2012 Final Rule), that amend Regulation E, which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA). The 2012 Final Rule implements statutory requirements set forth in section 1073 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) regarding remittance transfers. The Bureau is delaying the effective date of the 2012 Final Rule pending the finalization of a proposal, published on December 31, 2012 (December 2012 Proposal), that would address three narrow issues in the 2012 Final Rule. The Bureau will determine the new effective date when it finalizes the December 2012 Proposal.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is publishing a final rule that amends Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) to implement certain amendments to the Truth in Lending Act made by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). Regulation Z currently requires creditors to establish escrow accounts for higher-priced mortgage loans secured by a first lien on a principal dwelling. The rule implements statutory changes made by the Dodd-Frank Act that lengthen the time for which a mandatory escrow account established for a higher-priced mortgage loan must be maintained. The rule also exempts certain transactions from the statute's escrow requirement. The primary exemption applies to mortgage transactions extended by creditors that operate predominantly in rural or underserved areas, originate a limited number of first-lien covered transactions, have assets below a certain threshold, and do not maintain escrow accounts on mortgage obligations they currently service.
The NCUA Board (Board) is issuing a final rule amending the definition of “troubled condition” as that term is used to trigger the statutory requirement to give the Board notice and an opportunity to disapprove a change of credit union officials, and as that term appears elsewhere in NCUA's regulations. Generally, the current definition allows only a state supervisory authority (SSA) to declare a federally insured, state-chartered credit union (FISCU) to be in “troubled condition.” The final rule amends the definition to allow either NCUA or an SSA to declare a FISCU in “troubled condition.” NCUA is adopting the amended definition of “troubled condition” as proposed.
The NCUA Board (Board) is making technical amendments to NCUA's regulation regarding share insurance on various kinds of treasury accounts. The technical amendments conform the regulation to changes made to NCUA's standard maximum share insurance amount (SMSIA) by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). Specifically, the Dodd-Frank Act increased the SMSIA from $100,000 to $250,000.
The NCUA Board (Board) is amending its low-income credit unions regulation by extending the time period in which a federal credit union (FCU) may accept a low-income designation. Under the current rule, an FCU that receives notice from NCUA of its eligibility for a low-income designation has 30 days to notify NCUA in writing that it wishes to accept the designation. The final rule extends an FCU's response time from 30 days to 90 days to make certain an FCU has adequate time to respond. The final rule also makes minor, nonsubstantive technical amendments to NCUA's requirements for insurance regulation to reflect current agency practice.
The NCUA Board (Board) is issuing a final rule to amend Interpretive Ruling and Policy Statement (IRPS) 87-2, as amended by IRPS 03-2, and two NCUA regulations that apply asset thresholds to grant relief from risk-based net worth and interest rate risk requirements. The amended IRPS increases the asset threshold that identifies credit unions to which NCUA will give more robust consideration of regulatory relief in future rulemakings. The amended regulations similarly include increased asset thresholds, granting immediate and prospective relief from existing regulatory burden to a larger group of small credit unions.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA), through the FCA Board, issued a final rule amending its regulations governing investment management practices of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation. In accordance with the law, the effective date of the final rule is 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register during which either or both Houses of Congress are in session.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA), through the FCA Board, issued a final rule amending its regulations governing investments held by institutions of the Farm Credit System, as well as related regulations. In accordance with the law, the effective date of the final rule is 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register during which either or both Houses of Congress are in session.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is relocating six Federal Housing Finance Board (Finance Board) regulations to new locations within the FHFA chapter of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The regulations relate to: Community Investment Cash Advance Programs (CICA); Federal Home Loan Bank (Bank) collection, settlement, and processing of payment instruments; miscellaneous Bank authorities; Bank requests for information from the federal banking regulators; Financing Corporation (FICO) operations; and Bank assistance for the Resolution Funding Corporation (RefCorp). This final rule relocates those regulations without any substantive modification and removes and designates as reserved several empty subchapters in the Finance Board chapter of the CFR. This final rule also creates a general definitions section to be located at the beginning of the FHFA chapter to facilitate the use of common terms found throughout the chapter.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is publishing a final rule amending the official commentary that interprets the requirements of the Bureau's Regulation C (Home Mortgage Disclosure) to reflect a change in the asset-size exemption threshold for banks, savings associations, and credit unions based on the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The exemption threshold is adjusted to increase to $42 million from $41 million. The adjustment is based on the 2.23 percent increase in the average of the CPI-W for the 12-month period ending in November 2012. Therefore, banks, savings associations, and credit unions with assets of $42 million or less as of December 31, 2012, are exempt from collecting data in 2013.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is amending its lending limits rule to extend the rule's temporary exception for credit exposures arising from a derivative transaction or securities financing transaction from January 1, 2013 to July 1, 2013.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is adopting a procedural rule (Final Rule) that specifies how the Bureau issues rules and when rules are considered issued.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is clarifying the effective dates of the adjustments to the maximum amount of CMPs the OCC administers that were published on November 6, 2012.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA or Agency), through the FCA Board (Board), issued a final rule under part 630 on September 26, 2012 (77 FR 59050) amending our regulations relating to the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation System Audit Committee and the Farm Credit System annual report to investors. In accordance with 12 U.S.C. 2252, the effective date of the final rule is 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register during which either or both Houses of Congress are in session. Based on the records of the sessions of Congress, the effective date of the regulations is December 12, 2012.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA or Agency), through the FCA Board (Board), issued a final rule amending its regulations for Farm Credit System banks and associations to require disclosure of pension benefit and supplemental retirement plans and a discussion of the link between senior officer compensation and performance. In accordance with the law, the effective date of the final rule is 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register during which either or both Houses of Congress are in session.
The OCC, the Board, and the FDIC (collectively, the agencies) are amending their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations to adjust the asset-size thresholds used to define “small bank” or “small savings association” and “intermediate small bank” or “intermediate small savings association.” As required by the CRA regulations, the adjustment to the threshold amount is based on the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index.
This document reprints, in a more readable format, a table displaying the new benchmark levels for the single-family housing goals for 2012, 2013 and 2014 that originally appeared in the final rule published in the Federal Register on November 13, 2012 entitled “2012-2014 Enterprise Housing Goals.”
The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended, requires all Federal agencies that have statutory authority to impose civil money penalties (CMPs), every four years, to publish, as adjusted for inflation, the maximum authorized amount of those CMPs. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) last adjusted the maximum amounts of CMPs under its jurisdiction in 2008. The FDIC is issuing this final rule to publish the adjusted maximum CMPs.
NCUA is issuing a final rule to implement certain statutory requirements in Title IX of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act) pertaining to the use of credit ratings to assess creditworthiness. The final rule removes references to credit ratings in NCUA regulations or replaces them with other appropriate standards of creditworthiness as required by the Dodd-Frank Act.
The NCUA Board (Board) is adopting as a final rule, without change, the interim final rule that the Board issued in May 2012 that amended NCUA's fidelity bond rule. The interim final rule removed references in the fidelity bond rule to NCUA's former Regulatory Flexibility Program (RegFlex), which granted a RegFlex credit union broader authority to choose the deductible amount of its fidelity bond policy.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) adopts final regulations containing a description of its organization and description of its seal and logo. This rule removes comparable existing regulations of the Federal Housing Finance Board (Finance Board) and the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO), and establishes new FHFA regulations.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection published in the Federal Register of October 31, 2012 a final rule amending the regulation defining larger participants of certain consumer financial product and service markets by adding a new section to define larger participants of a market for consumer debt collection. The final rule contained four typographical errors, which this document corrects.
The NCUA Board (Board) is making a number of technical amendments to NCUA's regulations to conform them to the changes required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) and based on NCUA's rolling, three-year regulatory review.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is amending Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) to, in effect, delay implementation of certain new mortgage disclosure requirements in title XIV of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that would otherwise take effect on January 21, 2013. Instead, to avoid potential consumer confusion and reduce compliance burden for industry, the Bureau plans to implement these disclosures as part of the integrated mortgage disclosure forms proposed earlier this year, which combine certain disclosures that consumers receive in connection with applying for and closing on a mortgage loan under the Truth in Lending Act and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. Accordingly, this rulemaking exempts persons from complying with these mortgage disclosure requirements and provides that such exemptions are intended to last only until the integrated mortgage disclosure forms take effect.
The Board and the Bureau are publishing final rules amending the official interpretations and commentary for the agencies' regulations that implement the Consumer Leasing Act (CLA). Effective July 21, 2011, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) amended the CLA by increasing the threshold for exempt consumer leases from $25,000 to $50,000 and requiring that, on or after December 31, 2011, this threshold be adjusted annually by any annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Accordingly, the exemption threshold was adjusted to $51,800 effective January 1, 2012. Based on the annual percentage increase in the CPI-W as of June 1, 2012, the Board and the Bureau are adjusting the exemption threshold from $51,800 to $53,000, effective January 1, 2013. Because the Dodd-Frank Act also requires similar adjustments in the Truth in Lending Act's threshold for exempt consumer credit transactions, the Board and the Bureau are making similar amendments to each of their respective regulations implementing the Truth in Lending Act elsewhere in the Federal Register .
The Board and the Bureau are publishing final rules amending the official interpretations and commentary for the agencies' regulations that implement the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). Effective July 21, 2011, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) amended TILA by increasing the threshold for exempt consumer credit transactions from $25,000 to $50,000 and requiring that, on or after December 31, 2011, this threshold be adjusted annually by any annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). Accordingly, the exemption threshold was adjusted to $51,800 effective January 1, 2012. Based on the annual percentage increase in the CPI-W as of June 1, 2012, the Board and the Bureau are adjusting the exemption threshold from $51,800 to $53,000, effective January 1, 2013. Because the Dodd-Frank Act also requires similar adjustments in the Consumer Leasing Act's threshold for exempt consumer leases, the Board and the Bureau are making similar amendments to each of their respective regulations implementing the Consumer Leasing Act elsewhere in the Federal Register .
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is publishing a final rule amending the official interpretations for Regulation Z (Truth in Lending). The Bureau is required to adjust annually the dollar amount that triggers requirements for certain home mortgage loans bearing fees above a certain amount. The Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994 (HOEPA) sets forth rules for home-secured loans in which the total points and fees payable by the consumer at or before loan consummation exceed the greater of $400 or 8 percent of the total loan amount. In keeping with the statute, the Bureau has adjusted the $400 amount based on the annual percentage change reflected in the Consumer Price Index as reported on June 1, 2012. The adjusted dollar amount for 2013 is $625.
This interim guidance sets forth the general processes and factors to be used by the FDIC in developing and distributing the stress test scenarios for the annual stress tests required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 as implemented by the Annual Stress Test final rule (“Stress Test Rule”) published on October 15, 2012. 1 Under the Stress Test Rule FDIC-insured state nonmember banks and FDIC-insured state-chartered savings associations with total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion are required to conduct annual stress tests using a minimum of three scenarios (baseline, adverse and severely adverse) provided by the FDIC. The Stress Test Rule specified that the FDIC will provide the required scenarios to the covered banks no later than November 15th of each year. 1 77 FR 62417 (Oct. 15, 2012).
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board) is amending its rules of practice and procedure to adjust the amount of each civil money penalty (CMP) provided by law within its jurisdiction to account for inflation. This action is required under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990, as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996.
This interim guidance sets forth the general processes and factors to be used by the OCC in development and distributing the stress test scenarios for the annual stress test required by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 as implemented by the Annual Stress Test final rule (Stress Test Rule) published on October 9, 2012. Under the Stress Test Rule national banks and Federal savings associations with total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion (covered institutions) are required to conduct annual stress tests using a minimum of three scenarios (baseline, adverse and severely adverse) provided by the OCC. The Stress Test Rule specified that the OCC will provide the required scenarios to the covered institutions by November 15th of each year.
Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), as amended, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) published for public comment an interim final rule establishing a new Regulation V (Fair Credit Reporting) on December 21, 2011. This document corrects typographical and other technical errors in Appendices I, K, M, and N of the interim final rule, which contain model forms.
The Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 (Safety and Soundness Act) requires the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to establish annual housing goals for mortgages purchased by the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (collectively, the Enterprises). FHFA previously established housing goals for the Enterprises through 2011. This final rule establishes new levels for the housing goals for 2012 through 2014, consistent with the requirements of the Safety and Soundness Act.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is amending its rules of practice and procedure for national banks and its rules of practice and procedure in adjudicatory proceedings for Federal savings associations to publish the maximum amount, adjusted for inflation, of each civil money penalty (CMP) within its jurisdiction to administer. These actions, including the adjustment methodology, are required under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (Inflation Adjustment Act or Act), as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (Debt Collection Improvement Act).
The Board is delaying the effective date for implementation of certain provisions of its final rule amending the Board's Regulation D (Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions) published in the Federal Register on April 12, 2012. The final rule's effective date is being delayed to allow for further development and testing of the automated systems necessary to support the implementation of certain provisions.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, Agency, us, our, or we) issues this final rule to amend our regulations governing investments held by institutions of the Farm Credit System (FCS or System), as well as related regulations. This final rule strengthens our regulations governing investment management and interest rate risk management; reduces regulatory burden for investments that fail to meet eligibility criteria after purchase; and makes other changes that will enhance the safety and soundness of System institutions.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, Agency, us, or we) issues this final rule amending our regulations governing investment management practices of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac or Corporation). This final rule will help ensure that Farmer Mac maintains safe and sound non-program investment management practices in accordance with clearly articulated board-established guidance, streamlines the process for handling investments that fail to meet the eligibility criteria after purchase, and modifies the allowable purposes of Farmer Mac's non-program investments to include investments that would complement Farmer Mac's program activities. We are also finalizing the significant reorganization of these regulations that we proposed to make the regulations easier to follow.
The Board is amending Regulation D, Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions, to reflect the annual indexing of the reserve requirement exemption amount and the low reserve tranche for 2013. The Regulation D amendments set the amount of total reservable liabilities of each depository institution that is subject to a zero percent reserve requirement in 2013 at 12.4 million (from $11.5 million in 2012). This amount is known as the reserve requirement exemption amount. The Regulation D amendments also set the amount of net transaction accounts at each depository institution (over the reserve requirement exemption amount) that is subject to a three percent reserve requirement in 2013 at $79.5 million (from $71.0 million in 2012). This amount is known as the low reserve tranche. The adjustments to both of these amounts are derived using statutory formulas specified in the Federal Reserve Act. The Board is also announcing changes in two other amounts, the nonexempt deposit cutoff level and the reduced reporting limit, that are used to determine the frequency at which depository institutions must submit deposit reports.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) amends the regulation defining larger participants of certain consumer financial product and service markets by adding a new section to define larger participants of a market for consumer debt collection. The final rule thereby facilitates the supervision of nonbank covered persons active in that market. The Bureau is issuing the final rule pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. That law grants the Bureau authority to supervise certain nonbank covered persons for compliance with Federal consumer financial law and for other purposes. The Bureau has the authority to supervise nonbank covered persons of all sizes in the residential mortgage, private education lending, and payday lending markets. In addition, the Bureau has the authority to supervise nonbank “larger participant[s]” of markets for other consumer financial products or services, as the Bureau defines by rule. An initial rule defining larger participants of a market for consumer reporting was published in the Federal Register on July 20, 2012 (Consumer Reporting Rule).
The FDIC is amending its regulations by revising some of the definitions used to determine assessment rates for large and highly complex insured depository institutions.
The Board of Governors (Board) is amending its regulation which governs recordkeeping and reporting requirements for funds transfers and transmittals of funds, to conform the citations and references to organizational changes adopted by the Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in 2010.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC” or the “Corporation”) is issuing a final rule (“Final Rule”) that implements part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act” or the “Act”), which permits the Corporation, as receiver for a financial company whose failure would pose a significant risk to the financial stability of the United States (a “covered financial company”), to enforce contracts of subsidiaries or affiliates of the covered financial company despite contract clauses that purport to terminate, accelerate or provide for other remedies based on the insolvency, financial condition or receivership of the covered financial company. As a condition to maintaining these subsidiary or affiliate contracts in full force and effect, the Corporation as receiver must either: Transfer any supporting obligations of the covered financial company that back the obligations of the subsidiary or affiliate under the contract (along with all assets and liabilities that relate to those supporting obligations) to a bridge financial company or qualified third-party transferee by the statutory one-business-day deadline; or provide adequate protection to such contract counterparties. The final rule sets forth the scope and effect of the authority granted under the Dodd-Frank Act, clarifies the conditions and requirements applicable to the receiver, addresses requirements for notice to certain affected counterparties and defines key terms.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “Corporation” or “FDIC”) is issuing a final rule that implements the requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) regarding stress tests (“final rule”). The Dodd-Frank Act requires the Corporation to issue regulations that require FDIC-insured state nonmember banks and FDIC-insured state-chartered savings associations with total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion to conduct annual stress tests, report the results of such stress tests to the Corporation and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (“Board”), and publish a summary of the results of the stress tests. The final rule requires large covered banks to conduct annual stress tests beginning on the effective date of this final rule. The Corporation, however, will delay implementation of the annual stress test requirements under the final rule for institutions with total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion but less than $50 billion until September 30, 2013. The final rule requirement for public disclosure of a summary of the stress testing results for these institutions will be implemented starting with the 2014 stress test, with the disclosure occurring during the period starting June 15 and ending June 30 of 2015.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act or Act) requires the Board to conduct annual stress tests of bank holding companies with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more and nonbank financial companies the Financial Stability Oversight Council (Council) designates for supervision by the Board (nonbank covered companies, and together, with bank holding companies with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more, covered companies) and also requires the Board to issue regulations that require covered companies to conduct stress tests semi-annually. The Board is adopting this final rule to implement the stress test requirements for covered companies established in the Dodd-Frank Act. This final rule does not apply to any banking organization with total consolidated assets of less than $50 billion. Furthermore, implementation of the stress testing requirements for bank holding companies that did not participate in the Supervisory Capital Assessment Program is delayed until September 2013.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act or Act) requires the Board to issue regulations that require financial companies with total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion and for which the Board is the primary federal financial regulatory agency to conduct stress tests on an annual basis. The Board is adopting this final rule to implement the company-run stress test requirements in the Dodd-Frank Act regarding company-run stress tests for bank holding companies with total consolidated assets greater than $10 billion but less than $50 billion and state member banks and savings and loan holding companies with total consolidated assets greater than $10 billion. This final rule does not apply to any banking organization with total consolidated assets of less than $10 billion. Furthermore, implementation of the stress testing requirements for bank holding companies, savings and loan holding companies, and state member banks with total consolidated assets of greater than $10 billion but less than $50 billion is delayed until September 2013.
This final rule revises the requirements imposed on national banks pursuant to the OCC's short-term investment fund (STIF) rule (STIF Rule). Regulations governing Federal savings associations (FSAs) require compliance with the national bank STIF Rule. The final rule adds safeguards designed to address the risk of loss to a STIF's principal, including measures governing the nature of a STIF's investments, ongoing monitoring of its mark-to-market value and forecasting of potential changes in its mark-to-market value under adverse market conditions, greater transparency and regulatory reporting about a STIF's holdings, and procedures to protect fiduciary accounts from undue dilution of their participating interests in the event that the STIF loses the ability to maintain a stable net asset value (NAV).
This final rule implements section 165(i) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”) which requires certain companies to conduct annual stress tests pursuant to regulations prescribed by their respective primary financial regulatory agencies. Specifically, this final rule requires national banks and Federal savings associations with total consolidated assets over $10 billion (defined as “covered institutions”) to conduct an annual stress test as prescribed by this rule. Under the final rule covered institutions are divided into two categories: covered institutions with total consolidated assets between $10 and $50 billion, and covered institutions with total consolidated assets over $50 billion. Based on these categories, covered institutions are subject to different stress test requirements and deadlines for reporting and disclosures. A key difference between these categories is that a national bank or Federal savings association that qualifies as an over $50 billion covered institution as of October 9, 2012 must conduct the annual stress test under this final rule beginning this year; other covered institutions that qualify as $10 to $50 billion covered institutions are not subject to the stress test requirements under this final rule until 2013.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, us, we, or our) amends our regulations for Farm Credit System (System) banks and associations to require disclosure of pension benefit and supplemental retirement plans and a discussion of the link between senior officer compensation and performance. Also, we are amending our regulations to require timely reporting of significant or material events that occur at System institutions between annual reporting periods. We believe these requirements will promote transparency of and consistency in disclosures and ensure timely reporting to shareholders. In addition, the final rule establishes minimum responsibilities that a compensation committee must perform. Further, the final rule requires that System banks and associations provide for a non-binding, advisory vote on senior officer compensation by shareholders. Also, the final rule bifurcates existing annual reporting requirements at § 620.5 and makes other technical changes.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, us, we, or our) amends our regulations related to the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation (Funding Corporation) System Audit Committee (SAC) and the Farm Credit System (System) annual report to investors. The final rule removes the provision for a two-thirds majority vote of the Funding Corporation board of directors to deny a request for resources by the SAC and requires the SAC to use resources to preserve and promote the safety and soundness of the System. The rule also requires quarterly reporting by the SAC to the Funding Corporation board and annual reporting to investors on resources used.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board), and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) are revising their market risk capital rules to better capture positions for which the market risk capital rules are appropriate; reduce procyclicality; enhance the rules' sensitivity to risks that are not adequately captured under current methodologies; and increase transparency through enhanced disclosures. The final rule does not include all of the methodologies adopted by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision for calculating the standardized specific risk capital requirements for debt and securitization positions due to their reliance on credit ratings, which is impermissible under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010. Instead, the final rule includes alternative methodologies for calculating standardized specific risk capital requirements for debt and securitization positions.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is amending Regulation E, which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the official interpretation to the regulation, which interprets the requirements of Regulation E. The final rule modifies a final rule published in February 2012 implementing section 1073 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act regarding remittance transfers. The final rule adopts a safe harbor with respect to the phrase “normal course of business” in the definition of “remittance transfer provider,” which determines whether a person is covered by the rule. The final rule also revises several aspects of the February 2012 final rule regarding remittance transfers that are scheduled before the date of transfer, including preauthorized remittance transfers.
This interim final rule provides for the enforcement of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs or activities conducted by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. It sets forth standards for what constitutes discrimination on the basis of mental or physical disability, provides a definition for “individual with a disability” and “qualified individual with a disability,” and establishes a complaint mechanism for resolving allegations of discrimination. The rule further clarifies that the complaint mechanism is also available for processing complaints that the agency has failed to meet accessibility standards for electronic and information technology, in violation of section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
The Board has amended the provisions in Regulation II (Debit Card Interchange Fees and Routing) that govern adjustments to debit card interchange transaction fees to make an allowance for fraud-prevention costs incurred by issuers. The amendments permit an issuer to receive or charge an amount of no more than 1 cent per transaction (the same amount currently permitted) in addition to its interchange transaction fee if the issuer develops and implements policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to take effective steps to reduce the occurrence of, and costs to all parties from, fraudulent electronic debit transactions. The amendments set forth fraud-prevention aspects that an issuer's policies and procedures must address and require an issuer to review its policies and procedures at least annually, and update them as necessary in light of their effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and changes in the types of fraud, methods used to commit fraud, and available fraud-prevention methods. An issuer must notify its payment card networks annually that it complies with the Board's fraud-prevention standards. Finally, the amendments provide that an issuer that is substantially noncompliant with the Board's fraud-prevention standards is ineligible to receive or charge a fraud-prevention adjustment and set forth a timeframe within which an issuer must stop receiving or charging a fraud-prevention adjustment.
The Board is publishing a final rule, Regulation HH, Designated Financial Market Utilities. This rule implements provisions of sections 805(a) and 806(e) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act” or “Act”), including risk-management standards for financial market utilities (“FMUs”) that are designated as systemically important by the Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “Council”) and standards for determining when a designated FMU is required to provide advance notice of proposed changes to its rules, procedures, or operations that could materially affect the nature or level of risks presented by the designated FMU.
This final rule amends FDIC regulations to prohibit any insured savings association from acquiring or retaining a corporate debt security unless it determines, prior to acquiring such security and periodically thereafter, that the issuer has adequate capacity to meet all financial commitments under the security for the projected life of the investment. An issuer would satisfy this requirement if, based on the assessment of the savings association, the issuer presents a low risk of default and is likely to make full and timely repayment of principal and interest. This final rule adopts the proposed creditworthiness standard with the clarifying revision described below. In the final rule, the phrase “projected life of the investment” has been revised to “projected life of the security” to more closely track the language in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's (“OCC”) final rule. 1 The clarifying revision addresses ambiguities in the proposed rule and harmonizes the final rule with the final rule adopted by the OCC regarding permissible investments for national banks. 2 1 77 FR 35253. (June 13, 2012). 2 Id. at 35257.
On December 15, 2011, the FDIC proposed guidance to assist savings associations in conducting due diligence to determine whether a corporate debt security is eligible for investment under the Proposed Rule. Today, the FDIC is finalizing the guidance. The final guidance document includes clarifying language adopted in the final rule, but otherwise, is being finalized as proposed.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (hereafter known as “Ex-Im Bank”) published in the Federal Register of July 17, 2012, a final rule to exempt portions of a system of records from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act. This document corrects an inaccurate amendatory instruction.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is publishing a final rule pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. That statute grants the Bureau authority to supervise certain nonbank covered persons for compliance with Federal consumer financial law and for other purposes. The Bureau has the authority to supervise nonbank covered persons of all sizes in the residential mortgage, private education lending, and payday lending markets. In addition, the Bureau has the authority to supervise nonbank “larger participant[s]” of markets for other consumer financial products or services, as the Bureau defines by rule. An initial rule to define such larger participants must be issued by July 21, 2012. The Bureau issues this final rule to define larger participants of a market for consumer reporting. The final rule thereby facilitates the supervision of nonbank covered persons active in that market.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (hereafter known as “Ex-Im Bank”) is issuing a final rule to exempt portions of a system of records entitled “EIB-35—Office of Inspector General Investigative Records” from one or more provisions of the Privacy Act because of criminal, civil, and administrative enforcement requirements.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is correcting a final rule with an official interpretation (Final Rule) that appeared in the Federal Register of February 7, 2012. The Final Rule provides new protections, including disclosures and error resolution and cancellation rights, to consumers who send remittance transfers to other consumers or businesses in a foreign country. The Final Rule inadvertently did not reflect certain technical and conforming changes made by the interim final rule published on December 27, 2011. The Final Rule also contained a technical error in the formatting of certain model forms. This document corrects the error and the formatting of the model forms.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is amending its rules relating to the confidential treatment of information by adding a new section providing that the submission by any person of any information to the Bureau in the course of the Bureau's supervisory or regulatory processes will not waive or otherwise affect any privilege such person may claim with respect to such information under Federal or State law as to any other person or entity. In addition, the Bureau has amended its regulations to provide that the Bureau's provision of privileged information to another Federal or State agency does not waive any applicable privilege, whether the privilege belongs to the Bureau or any other person.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA or Agency), through the FCA Board (Board), issued a final rule under part 614 on May 24, 2011 (76 FR 29992) amending our regulations relating to lending and leasing limits and loan and lease concentration risk mitigation with a delayed effective date. In accordance with 12 U.S.C. 2252, the effective date of the final rule is 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register during which either or both Houses of Congress are in session. Based on the records of the sessions of Congress, the effective date of the regulations is July 1, 2012.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requires the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) to prescribe rules establishing procedures for the conduct of adjudication proceedings. On July 28, 2011, the Bureau published an interim final rule establishing these procedures with a request for comment. This final rule responds to the comments received by the Bureau and amends the Bureau's regulations accordingly.
After considering the public comments on its interim final rule for the Rules Relating to Investigations, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau), pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act), is making revisions to its procedures for investigations under section 1052 of the Dodd-Frank Act.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act) requires the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) to prescribe rules establishing procedures that govern the process by which State Officials notify the Bureau of actions undertaken pursuant to the authority granted to the States to enforce the Dodd-Frank Act or regulations prescribed thereunder. This final State Official Notification Rule (Final Rule) sets forth the procedures to govern this process.
The Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA or the Act) requires agencies that conduct adversary adjudications to award attorney fees and other litigation expenses to certain parties other than the United States in certain circumstances. EAJA also requires agencies that conduct adversary adjudications to establish procedures for the submission and consideration of applications for the award of fees and other expenses. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) now issues an interim final rule establishing such procedures and seeks public comments.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) and the Departmental Offices of the Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) (collectively, the “Agencies”) are issuing the final rule (“Final Rule”) to implement applicable provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”). 1 The Final Rule governs the calculation of the maximum obligation limitation (“MOL”), as specified in the Dodd-Frank Act. The MOL limits the aggregate amount of outstanding obligations that the FDIC may issue or incur in connection with the orderly liquidation of a covered financial company. 1 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Public Law 111-203, 12 U.S.C. 5301 et seq. (2010).
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is amending its regulation governing lending limits for national banks to consolidate the lending limit rules applicable to national banks and savings associations and remove its separate regulation governing lending limits for savings associations. The OCC also is amending its rules to implement section 610 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which amends the statutory definition of “loans and extensions of credit” to include credit exposures arising from derivative transactions, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, securities lending transactions and securities borrowing transactions. Pursuant to the OCC's authority in section 5200(d) of the Revised Statutes, the OCC is amending the lending limit rules to provide a temporary exception for the transactions covered by section 610 until January 1, 2013, in order to allow institutions a sufficient period to make adjustments to assure compliance with the new requirements.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA or Agency), through the FCA Board (Board), issued a final rule under part 618 on May 1, 2012 (77 FR 25577) amending our regulations to require the board of directors of each Farm Credit System institution to adopt an operational and strategic business plan to include, among other things, outreach toward diversity and inclusion. In accordance with 12 U.S.C. 2252, the effective date of the final rule is 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register during which either or both Houses of Congress are in session. Based on the records of the sessions of Congress, the effective date of the regulations is June 18, 2012.
Section 939A of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) contains two directives to Federal agencies including the OCC. First, section 939A directs all Federal agencies to review, no later than one year after enactment, any regulation that requires the use of an assessment of creditworthiness of a security or money market instrument and any references to, or requirements in, such regulations regarding credit ratings. Second, the agencies are required to remove any references to, or requirements of reliance on, credit ratings and substitute such standard of creditworthiness as each agency determines is appropriate. The statute further provides that the agencies shall seek to establish, to the extent feasible, uniform standards of creditworthiness, taking into account the entities the agencies regulate and the purposes for which those entities would rely on such standards. On November 29, 2011, the OCC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), seeking comment on a proposal to revise its regulations pertaining to investment securities, securities offerings, and foreign bank capital equivalency deposits to replace references to credit ratings with alternative standards of creditworthiness. The OCC also proposed to amend its regulations pertaining to financial subsidiaries of national banks to better reflect the language of the underlying statute, as amended by section 939(d) of the Dodd-Frank Act. Today, the OCC is finalizing those rules as proposed.
On November 29, 2011, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) proposed guidance to assist national banks and Federal savings associations in meeting due diligence requirements in assessing credit risk for portfolio investments. Today, the OCC is issuing final guidance that clarifies regulatory expectations with respect to investment purchase decisions and ongoing portfolio due diligence processes.
The Board is issuing this guidance to provide clarity on the manner in which the conformance period would apply to various activities and investments covered by the requirements of section 619 of the Dodd-Frank Act. This guidance is identical to what the Board announced on its public Web site on April 19, 2012.
Section 1108 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) amended the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 (Safety and Soundness Act) to require the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to establish prudential standards (Standards) relating to the management and operations of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) (collectively, regulated entities). This final rule implements those HERA amendments by providing for the establishment of the Standards in the form of guidelines, which initially are set out in an appendix to the rule. The final rule includes other provisions relating to the possible consequences for a regulated entity that fails to operate in accordance with the Standards.
The Board is adopting this final rule to implement section 618 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act” or “Act”), which permits nonbank companies that own at least one registered securities broker or dealer, and that are required by a foreign regulator or provision of foreign law to be subject to comprehensive consolidated supervision, to register with the Board and subject themselves to supervision by the Board. The final rule outlines the requirements that a securities holding company must satisfy to make an effective election, including filing the appropriate form with the responsible Reserve Bank, providing all additional required information, and satisfying the statutory waiting period of 45 days or such shorter period the Board determines appropriate.
NCUA is removing certain regulations and eliminating the Regulatory Flexibility Program (RegFlex) to provide regulatory relief to federal credit unions. NCUA is also removing or amending related rules to ease compliance burden while retaining certain safety and soundness standards. Those rules pertain to eligible obligations, charitable contributions, nonmember deposits, fixed assets, investments, incidental powers, and member business loans. In addition, NCUA is issuing an interim final rule with a request for comment to amend a provision in the fidelity bond rule to remove references to RegFlex.
NCUA is amending its regulations to require federally insured credit unions (FICUs) to maintain written policies that address the management of loan workout arrangements and nonaccrual policies for loans, consistent with industry practice or Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) requirements. The final rule includes guidelines, set forth as an interpretive ruling and policy statement (IRPS) and incorporated as an appendix to the rule, that will assist FICUs in complying with the rule, including the regulatory reporting of troubled debt restructured loans (TDR loans or TDRs) in FICU Call Reports.
The FDIC is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of March 18, 2011, regarding Procedures for Monitoring Bank Secrecy Act Compliance and Fair Credit Reporting: Technical Amendments. This correction clarifies that the FDIC did not intend to remove a paragraph from its regulations.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection published an interim final rule on December 21, 2011 (76 FR 79486), republishing implementing regulations under the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act (ILSA). The interim final rule contained a typographical error, which this document corrects.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, we, or our) amends its regulation requiring the board of directors of each Farm Credit System (FCS or System) institution to adopt an operational and strategic business plan (business plan or plan) to include, among other things, outreach toward diversity and inclusion. Each business plan must contain a human capital plan that describes the institution's workforce and management and assesses their strengths and weaknesses; describes succession programs; and includes strategies and actions to strive for diversity and inclusion within the institution's workforce and management. In addition, the business plan of each direct lender institution must include a marketing plan that discusses how the institution will further the objective that the FCS be responsive to the credit needs of all eligible and creditworthy agricultural producers and other eligible persons, with specific outreach toward diversity and inclusion. Further, the regulation requires including skills and diversity as part of the required assessment of the needs of the board of directors and establishes annual reporting requirements to the board.
The FDIC is issuing a final rule (“Final Rule”) that treats a mutual insurance holding company as an insurance company for purposes of Section 203(e) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”). The Final Rule clarifies that the liquidation and rehabilitation of a covered financial company that is a mutual insurance holding company will be conducted in the same manner as an insurance company. The Final Rule harmonizes the treatment of mutual insurance holding companies under Section 203(e) of the Dodd-Frank Act with the treatment of such companies under state insurance company insolvency laws.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) has revised its Policy on Payment System Risk (PSR Policy) to modify the posting rules to conform with procedural changes to the redemption of separately-sorted savings bonds and to eliminate a reference to the contractual clearing balance program.
The Board is amending Regulation D, Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions, to simplify the administration of reserve requirements. The final rule creates a common two-week maintenance period for all depository institutions, creates a penalty-free band around reserve balance requirements in place of carryover and routine penalty waivers, discontinues as-of adjustments related to deposit report revisions, replaces all other as-of adjustments with direct compensation, and eliminates the contractual clearing balance program. The amendments are designed to reduce the administrative and operational costs associated with reserve requirements for depository institutions, the Board, and Federal Reserve Banks.
The Board is amending Regulation J (Collection of Checks and Other Items by Federal Reserve Banks and Funds Transfers through Fedwire). The final rule eliminates references to “as-of adjustments” consistent with the Board's final amendments to Regulation D to simplify reserves administration; clarifies that an institution's Administrative Reserve Bank is deemed to have accepted deposit of a check or other item even if the institution sends the item directly to another Federal Reserve Bank; further clarifies that Regulation J continues to apply to a Fedwire funds transfer even if the funds transfer also meets the definition of “remittance transfer” under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act; and makes other conforming revisions.
The Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “Council” or “FSOC”) issues this rule to implement provisions of the Freedom of Information Act (the “FOIA”). This final rule implements the requirements of the FOIA by setting forth procedures for requesting access to, and making disclosures of, information contained in Council records.
Section 113 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) authorizes the Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “Council”) to determine that a nonbank financial company shall be supervised by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Board of Governors”) and shall be subject to prudential standards, in accordance with Title I of the Dodd-Frank Act, if the Council determines that material financial distress at the nonbank financial company, or the nature, scope, size, scale, concentration, interconnectedness, or mix of the activities of the nonbank financial company, could pose a threat to the financial stability of the United States. This final rule and the interpretive guidance attached as an appendix thereto describe the manner in which the Council intends to apply the statutory standards and considerations, and the processes and procedures that the Council intends to follow, in making determinations under section 113 of the Dodd-Frank Act.
The NCUA Board (Board) is amending the sections of NCUA's regulations addressing nondiscrimination requirements, flood insurance and the description of NCUA to make minor, nonsubstantive technical corrections. The technical amendments update the regulations to reflect current agency practice and will not cause any substantive changes.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is issuing a final rule to restrict the regulated entities—the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (collectively, the Enterprises), and the Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks)—from dealing in mortgages on properties encumbered by certain types of private transfer fee covenants and in certain related securities. This final rule is intended to protect the regulated entities from exposure to mortgages with certain features that may impair their value and increase risk to the financial safety and soundness of the entities. FHFA intends that the regulated entities develop reasonable means and appropriate methods to implement the rule in consultation with FHFA.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is publishing a final rule amending the official commentary that interprets the requirements of Regulation C (Home Mortgage Disclosure) to reflect a change in the asset-size exemption threshold for depository institutions based on the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The exemption threshold has been adjusted to increase to $41 million from $40 million. The adjustment is based on the 3.43 percent increase in the average of the CPI-W for the twelve-month period ending in November 2011. Therefore, depository institutions with assets of $41 million or less as of December 31, 2011 are exempt from collecting data in 2012.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is amending Regulation E, which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the official interpretation to the regulation, which interprets the requirements of Regulation E. The final rule provides new protections, including disclosures and error resolution and cancellation rights, to consumers who send remittance transfers to other consumers or businesses in a foreign country. The amendments implement statutory requirements set forth in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
NCUA is issuing a final rule requiring Federally insured credit unions to develop and adopt a written policy on interest rate risk management and a program to effectively implement that policy, as part of their asset liability management responsibilities. The interest rate risk policy and implementation program will be among the factors NCUA will consider in determining a credit union's insurability. To assist credit unions, the final rule includes an appendix setting forth guidance on developing an interest rate risk policy and an effective implementation program based on generally recognized best practices for safely and soundly managing interest rate risk.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issues this final regulation revising its existing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulation. This final regulation provides procedures and guidelines under which FHFA and the FHFA Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) will implement FOIA.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is adopting as a final regulation the interim final regulation that revised FHFA's implementing regulation under the Privacy Act of 1974 (Privacy Act). The changes to the existing Privacy Act regulation provide the procedures and guidelines under which FHFA and the FHFA Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) will implement the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a).
The FDIC is adopting this final rule (“Rule”) requiring an insured depository institution with $50 billion or more in total assets to submit periodically to the FDIC a contingent plan for the resolution of such institution in the event of its failure (“Resolution Plan”). The Rule establishes the requirements for submission and content of a Resolution Plan, as well as procedures for review by the FDIC. The Rule requires a covered insured depository institution (“CIDI”) to submit a Resolution Plan that should enable the FDIC, as receiver, to resolve the institution under Sections 11 and 13 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (“FDI Act”), 12 U.S.C. 1821 and 1823, in a manner that ensures that depositors receive access to their insured deposits within one business day of the institution's failure (two business days if the failure occurs on a day other than Friday), maximizes the net present value return from the sale or disposition of its assets and minimizes the amount of any loss to be realized by the institution's creditors. The Rule is intended to address the continuing exposure of the banking industry to the risks of insolvency of large and complex insured depository institutions, an exposure that can be mitigated with proper resolution planning. The Interim Final Rule, which preceded this Rule, was effective January 1, 2012, 1 and remains in effect until superseded by this Rule on April 1, 2012. 1 76 FR 58379 (September 21, 2011).
The following are ALL rules, proposed rules, and notices (chronologically) published in the Federal Register relating to Title 12 after this date.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is re-proposing the Golden Parachute and Indemnification Payments proposed rule that was published in the Federal Register on June 29, 2009 (the Proposal). Specifically, FHFA is addressing content set forth in the Proposal, both in the Supplementary Information and the regulatory text, which relates to prohibited and permissible golden parachute payments to entity-affiliated parties in connection with the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the Office of Finance of the Federal Home Loan Bank System. This proposed rule (the “Re-proposal”) solicits comments on the appropriate treatment of golden parachute arrangements entered into before the effective date of the rule. Additionally, this Re-proposal responds to public comments received by FHFA on the golden parachute provisions, and provides clarification regarding coverage of retirement plans, which were the subject of significant concern expressed in the comments.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to temporarily delay the June 1, 2013, effective date of a prohibition on creditors financing credit insurance premiums in connection with certain consumer credit transactions secured by a dwelling. The prohibition was adopted in the Loan Originator Compensation Requirements under the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z) Final Rule, issued on January 20, 2013. Temporary delay of the effective date would permit the Bureau to clarify, before the provision takes effect, its applicability to transactions other than those in which a lump-sum premium is added to the loan amount at closing.
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA) Board reopens the comment period for 30 days on the proposed rule that would amend its liquidity management regulations for the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac). Reopening the comment period will afford interested parties a new opportunity to comment on the proposed liquidity regulations.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act or Act) establishes a “Consumer Financial Civil Penalty Fund” (Civil Penalty Fund) into which the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (Bureau) must deposit any civil penalty it obtains against any person in any judicial or administrative action under Federal consumer financial laws. Under the Act, funds in the Civil Penalty Fund may be used for payments to the victims of activities for which civil penalties have been imposed under Federal consumer financial laws. In addition, to the extent that such victims cannot be located or such payments are otherwise not practicable, the Bureau may use funds in the Civil Penalty Fund for the purpose of consumer education and financial literacy programs. This proposal is related to a final rule published elsewhere in today's Federal Register . That final rule implements the statutory Civil Penalty Fund provisions by articulating the Bureau's interpretation of what kinds of payments to victims are appropriate and by establishing procedures for allocating funds for such payments to victims and for consumer education and financial literacy programs. This notice of proposed rulemaking seeks comments on possible revisions, adjustments, or refinements to the rule.
This rule proposes amendments to some of the final mortgage rules issued by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) in January of 2013. These amendments clarify or correct provisions on the relation to State law of Regulation X's servicing provisions; the small servicer exemption from certain servicing rules; the use of government-sponsored enterprise and Federal agency purchase, guarantee or insurance eligibility for determining qualified mortgage status; and the determination of debt and income for purposes of originating qualified mortgages.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) is inviting comments on a proposed rule to implement section 318 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), which directs the Board to collect assessments, fees, or other charges equal to the total expenses the Board estimates are necessary or appropriate to carry out the supervisory and regulatory responsibilities of the Board for bank holding companies and savings and loan holding companies with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more and nonbank financial companies designated for Board supervision by the Financial Stability Oversight Council (Council).
This rule proposes clarifying and technical amendments to a final rule issued by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) on January 10, 2013, which, among other things, lengthens the time for which a mandatory escrow account established for a higher-priced mortgage loan (HPML) must be maintained. The rule also established an exemption from the escrow requirement for certain creditors that operate predominantly in “rural” or “underserved” areas. The amendments clarify the determination method for the “rural” and “underserved” designations and keep in place certain existing protections for HPMLs until other similar provisions take effect in January 2014.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau or CFPB) proposes to amend the regulation defining larger participants of certain consumer financial product and service markets by adding a new section to define larger participants of a market for student loan servicing. The Bureau proposes this rule pursuant to its authority, under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, to supervise certain nonbank covered persons for compliance with Federal consumer financial law and for other purposes. The Bureau has the authority to supervise nonbank covered persons of all sizes in the residential mortgage, private education lending, and payday lending markets. In addition, the Bureau has the authority to supervise nonbank “larger participant[s]” of markets for other consumer financial products or services, as the Bureau defines by rule. The proposal (Proposed Rule) would identify a market for student loan servicing and define “larger participants” of this market that would be subject to the Bureau's supervisory authority.
The NCUA Board (Board) proposes to amend its regulation governing federal credit union (FCU) ownership of fixed assets to help FCUs understand and comply with its requirements. The proposed amendments do not make any substantive changes to those regulatory requirements. Rather, the amendments only clarify the regulation by improving its organization, structure, and ease of use.
Section 806(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act” or “Act”) permits the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Board”) to authorize a Federal Reserve Bank to establish and maintain an account for, and through the account provide certain financial services to, financial market utilities (“FMUs”) that are designated as systemically important by the Financial Stability Oversight Council (the “Council”). In addition, section 806(c) of the Dodd-Frank Act permits a Reserve Bank to pay interest on the balances maintained by or on behalf of a designated FMU. The Board is proposing to add two new sections to Part 234 of Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations to implement these provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act.
On December 28, 2012, the Board published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement the enhanced prudential standards required to be established under section 165 of the Dodd-Frank Act and the early remediation requirements established under section 166 of the Act for foreign banking organizations and foreign nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board. Due to the range and complexity of the issues addressed in the rulemaking, the Board has determined that an extension of the public comment period until April 30, 2013, is appropriate. This action will allow interested persons additional time to analyze the proposed rules and prepare their comments.
The FDIC is proposing to amend its deposit insurance regulations, with respect to deposits payable in branches of United States insured depository institutions (“United States bank” or “bank”) outside of the United States. The proposed rule would clarify that deposits in these foreign branches of United States banks are not FDIC-insured deposits. This would be the case whether or not they are dually payable both at the branch outside the United States and at an office within the United States. As discussed further below, a recent proposal by the United Kingdom's Financial Services Authority (“U.K. FSA”) makes it very likely that large United States banks will be changing their United Kingdom foreign branch deposit agreements to make them payable both in the United Kingdom and the United States. This action has the potential to increase significantly the exposure of the Deposit Insurance Fund (“DIF”) and operational complexities were such deposits to be treated as insured. The purpose of this proposed rule is to preserve confidence in the FDIC deposit insurance system, ensure that the FDIC can effectively carry out its critical deposit insurance functions, and protect the DIF against the uncertain liability that it would otherwise face as a global deposit insurer. Should a United States bank make its foreign deposits dually payable, those deposits would be considered “deposit liabilities” under the Federal Deposit Insurance Act's (“FDI Act”) depositor preference regime, and would therefore be on an equal footing with domestic deposits in the event of the bank's liquidation.
This document corrects the preamble to a proposed rule published in the Federal Register of February 8, 2013, regarding Production of FHFA Records, Information, and Employee Testimony in Legal Proceedings.
The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System published in the Federal Register of November 23, 2012, a document requesting public comment on a policy statement on the approach to scenario design for stress testing that would be used in connection with the supervisory and company-run stress tests conducted under the Board's regulations issued pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Board's capital plan rule. That Federal Register notice omitted the instructions for submitting comments. This document corrects that omission.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) proposes a regulation governing the production of FHFA records, information or employee testimony in connection with legal proceedings in which neither the United States, nor FHFA is a party. This proposed rule would establish requirements and procedures for demanding or requesting parties to submit demands or requests, and factors for FHFA to consider in determining whether FHFA employees will provide records, information or testimony relating to their official duties. FHFA's desirable intent is to standardize practices, promote uniformity in decisions, preserve the ability of FHFA to conduct agency business, protect confidential information, provide guidance to demanding or requesting parties, minimize involvement in matters unrelated to the agency missions and programs of FHFA, avoid wasteful allocation of agency resources, and preclude spending public time and money for private purposes.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to amend Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). This proposal is related to a final rule published elsewhere in today's Federal Register . That final rule implements sections 1411, 1412, and 1414 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), which creates new TILA section 129C. Among other things, the Dodd-Frank Act requires creditors to make a reasonable, good faith determination of a consumer's ability to repay any consumer credit transaction secured by a dwelling (excluding an open-end credit plan, timeshare plan, reverse mortgage, or temporary loan) and establishes certain protections from liability under this requirement for “qualified mortgages.” The Bureau is proposing certain amendments to the final rule implementing these requirements, including exemptions for certain nonprofit creditors and certain homeownership stabilization programs and an additional definition of a qualified mortgage for certain loans made and held in portfolio by small creditors. The Bureau is also seeking feedback on whether additional clarification is needed regarding the inclusion of loan originator compensation in the points and fees calculation.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA or Agency) proposes to adopt a rule governing the disclosure of FHFA non-public information. The proposed rule would replace rules issued by FHFA's predecessor agencies the Federal Housing Finance Board (Finance Board) and the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO). The proposed rule would prohibit the unauthorized disclosure of FHFA non-public information, replace the Finance Board's rule on the Availability of Unpublished Information, and parallel those portions of OFHEO's former rule on non-public information that were not replaced by FHFA's Freedom of Information Act regulation.
Section 1207 of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) amended the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (Bank Act) to require the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to make available to each Federal Home Loan Bank (Bank) information relating to the financial condition of all other Banks. Section 1207 also requires FHFA to promulgate regulations to facilitate the sharing of such information among the Banks. FHFA published a proposed rule to implement those HERA provisions in late 2010, but, after reviewing the comments and reconsidering the proposed means of information sharing, FHFA has determined that a number of material changes to the rule are necessary. Therefore, it is publishing this second proposed rule to implement the provisions of section 1207.
The FCA, through the Office of Secondary Market Oversight (OSMO), is proposing regulations to require the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) to submit a capital plan to OSMO on an annual basis and to require Farmer Mac to notify OSMO under certain circumstances before making a capital distribution. The proposed rule would revise the current capital adequacy planning requirements to increase our regulatory focus on the quality and level of Farmer Mac's capital base and promote best practices for capital adequacy planning and stress testing. We view high quality capital as the fundamental resource available to cover unexpected losses and ensure long-term financial flexibility and viability.
The FDIC is proposing a rule, with request for comments, that would implement section 11(d)(15)(D) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1821(d)(15)(D)). This statutory provision provides time frames for the retention of records of a failed insured depository institution. The proposed rule incorporates the statutory time frames and defines the term “records.”
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to amend subpart B of Regulation E, which implements the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the official interpretation to the regulation. The proposal would refine a final rule issued by the Bureau earlier in 2012 that implements section 1073 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act regarding remittance transfers. The proposal addresses three narrow issues. First, the proposal would provide additional flexibility regarding the disclosure of foreign taxes, as well as fees imposed by a designated recipient's institution for receiving a remittance transfer in an account. Second, the proposal would limit a remittance transfer provider's obligation to disclose foreign taxes to those imposed by a country's central government. Third, the proposal would revise the error resolution provisions that apply when a remittance transfer is not delivered to a designated recipient because the sender provided incorrect or insufficient information, and, in particular, when a sender provides an incorrect account number and that incorrect account number results in the funds being deposited in the wrong account. The Bureau is also proposing to temporarily delay and extend the effective date of the rule.
The Board is requesting comment on proposed rules that would implement the enhanced prudential standards required to be established under section 165 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act or Act) and the early remediation requirements required to be established under section 166 of the Act for foreign banking organizations and foreign nonbank financial companies supervised by the Board. The enhanced prudential standards include risk-based capital and leverage requirements, liquidity standards, risk management and risk committee requirements, single-counterparty credit limits, stress test requirements, and a debt-to-equity limit for companies that the Financial Stability Oversight Council has determined pose a grave threat to financial stability.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is proposing to amend its Rules of Practice and Procedure (RPP) to specify that the rules of practice and procedure for hearings on the record in Subpart C therein shall apply to any cease and desist or civil money penalty proceedings brought against the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), or the Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) for failure to submit or follow a housing plan or failure of an Enterprise to submit information on its housing activities, except where such rules are inconsistent with related statutory provisions, in which case the statutory provisions shall apply.
The Board is requesting public comment on a policy statement on the approach to scenario design for stress testing that would be used in connection with the supervisory and company-run stress tests conducted under the Board's Regulations pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act or Act) and the Board's capital plan rule.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to amend Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and the official interpretation to the regulation, which interprets the requirements of Regulation Z. Regulation Z generally prohibits a card issuer from opening a credit card account for a consumer, or increasing the credit limit applicable to a credit card account, unless the card issuer considers the consumer's ability to make the required payments under the terms of such account. Regulation Z currently requires that issuers consider the consumer's independent ability to pay, regardless of the consumer's age; in contrast, TILA expressly requires consideration of an independent ability to pay only for applicants who are under the age of 21. The Bureau requests comment on proposed amendments that would remove the independent ability-to-pay requirement for consumers who are 21 and older, and permit issuers to consider income to which such consumers have a reasonable expectation of access.
On October 5, 2012, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking for public comment concerning stress testing of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) as required by section 165(i)(2) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). The comment period was to end on November 4, 2012 (the 30th day after publication of the proposal in the Federal Register ). This document extends the comment period by an additional 30 days, through and including December 4, 2012, to allow the public additional time to comment on the proposed rule.
The NCUA Board proposes to amend its low-income credit unions regulation by extending the time credit unions have to accept a low-income designation. Under the current rule, an FCU that has received notification from NCUA that it qualifies for a low-income designation has 30 days to notify NCUA that it wishes to receive the designation. Some FCUs may find it difficult to respond this quickly, so the proposed rule extends the response period to 90 days. The proposed rule also makes minor, nonsubstantive technical amendments to NCUA's insurance regulation to reflect current agency practice in this regard.
The NCUA Board (Board) has extended the public comment period for its proposed rule titled Prompt Corrective Action, Requirements for Insurance, and Promulgation of NCUA Rules and Regulations, 77 FR 59139 (September 26, 2012), to November 26, 2012. The proposed rule addresses asset thresholds affecting regulatory relief for small credit unions.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB” or the “Bureau”) is proposing to amend its regulations to exempt portions of its system of records entitled “CFPB.005—Consumer Response System” from certain provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (the “Privacy Act”).
On August 30, 2012, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), together with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB) and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) (together, the agencies) published in the Federal Register a joint notice of proposed rulemaking, titled, “Regulatory Capital Rules: Standardized Approach for Risk-Weighted Assets; Market Discipline and Disclosure Requirements” (Standardized Approach NPR or Proposed Rule). The Proposed Rule would revise and harmonize the agencies' rules for calculating risk-weighted assets to enhance risk-sensitivity and address weaknesses identified over recent years, including by incorporating certain international capital standards of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) set forth in the standardized approach of the international accord titled, “International Convergency of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards: A Revised Framework”, as revised by the BCBS in 2006 and 2009, as well as other proposals set forth in consultative papers of the BCBS. Section 3(a) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) directs all federal agencies to publish an initial regulatory flexibility analysis (IRFA), or a summary thereof, describing the impact of a proposed rule on small entities anytime an agency is required to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register . As provided in the Standardized Approach NPR, the agencies are separately publishing initial regulatory flexibility analyses for the Proposed Rule. Accordingly, the FDIC is seeking comment on the IRFA provided in this Federal Register document, which describes the economic impact of the Standardized Approach NPR, in accordance with the requirements of the RFA. Comments received in connection with this IRFA will be considered for purposes of the development of any final rule to implement the Standardized Approach NPR.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is proposing to amend its retail foreign exchange rule for transactions with bank common trust funds, bank collective investment funds, and insurance company separate accounts and is making technical corrections to the rule.
This proposed rule would implement section 165(i)(2) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) which requires certain financial companies with total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion, and which are regulated by a primary federal financial regulatory agency, to conduct annual stress tests to determine whether the companies have the capital necessary to absorb losses as a result of adverse economic conditions. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is the primary federal financial regulator of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and the Federal Home Loan Banks (Banks) (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac collectively, the Enterprises; the Enterprises and the Banks collectively, regulated entities). While each of the regulated entities currently has total consolidated assets of more than $10 billion, FHFA proposes expressly to retain to the Director the discretion to require any regulated entity that falls below the $10 billion threshold to conduct annually the stress test. FHFA's proposal reflects its supervisory judgment and is grounded in its regulatory and supervisory authority and obligation to ensure the safety and soundness of the regulated entities under the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992, as amended (12 U.S.C. 4501 et seq. ) (Safety and Soundness Act) and the Federal Home Loan Bank Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1421 through 1449) (Bank Act). In accordance with section 165(i)(2)(C) of the Dodd-Frank Act, FHFA has coordinated with the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (Board), and the Federal Insurance Office.
The OCC, Board, FDIC, FCA, and FHFA (collectively, the Agencies) are reopening the comment period for the proposed rule published in the Federal Register on May 11, 2011 (76 FR 27564) to establish minimum margin and capital requirements for uncleared swaps and security-based swaps entered into by swap dealers, major swap participants, security-based swap dealers, and major security-based swap participants for which one of the Agencies is the prudential regulator (Proposed Margin Rule). Reopening the comment period that expired on July 11, 2011 will allow interested persons additional time to analyze and comment on the Proposed Margin Rule in light of the consultative document on margin requirements for non-centrally-cleared derivatives recently published for comment by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) and the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).
The NCUA Board (Board) is currently reviewing its regulation governing payday-alternative loans (PAL or PAL loans), formerly known as short-term, small amount loans. The Board intends to improve the regulation to encourage more federal credit unions (FCUs) to offer PAL loans and believes it may be necessary to amend the regulation. The Board seeks comment on how best to approach this. Although the Board identifies specific issues for discussion below, it encourages commenters to discuss any issue related to improving the regulation.
The NCUA Board (Board) proposes to amend the definition of “rural district” in NCUA's Chartering and Field of Membership Manual. The proposed amendment to the definition of “rural district” permits a geographic area to qualify as a rural district if, among other criteria, it has a total population that does not exceed the greater of 200,000 people or three percent of the population of the state in which the majority of the district is located. The current definition limits the rural district's population to 200,000, regardless of the population of the state containing the majority of the rural district.
The NCUA Board (Board) proposes to amend Interpretive Ruling and Policy Statement (IRPS) 87-2, as amended by IRPS 03-2, and two NCUA regulations that apply asset thresholds to grant relief from risk-based net worth and interest rate risk requirements. The amended IRPS would result in more robust consideration of regulatory relief for more small credit unions in future rulemakings. The amended regulations would grant immediate and prospective relief from regulatory burden to a larger group of small credit unions.
The NCUA Board (Board) proposes to amend its investment regulation to allow federal credit unions (FCUs) to purchase Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). This proposed amendment adds TIPS to the list of permissible investments for FCUs in part 703. The Board believes TIPS will provide FCUs with an additional investment portfolio risk management tool that can be useful in an inflationary economic environment.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (the Bureau) is proposing to amend Regulation X, which implements the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act of 1974 (RESPA) and the official interpretation of the regulation. The proposed amendments implement the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) provisions regarding mortgage loan servicing. Specifically, this proposal requests comment regarding proposed additions to Regulation X to address seven servicer obligations: To correct errors asserted by mortgage loan borrowers; to provide information requested by mortgage loan borrowers; to ensure that a reasonable basis exists to obtain force-placed insurance; to establish reasonable information management policies and procedures; to provide information about mortgage loss mitigation options to delinquent borrowers; to provide delinquent borrowers access to servicer personnel with continuity of contact about the borrower's mortgage loan account; and to evaluate borrowers' applications for available loss mitigation options. This proposal would also modify and streamline certain existing servicing-related provisions of Regulation X. For instance, the proposal would revise provisions relating to a mortgage servicer's obligation to provide disclosures to borrowers in connection with a transfer of mortgage servicing, and a mortgage servicer's obligation to manage escrow accounts, including the obligation to advance funds to an escrow account to maintain insurance coverage and to return amounts in an escrow account to a borrower upon payment in full of a mortgage loan. Published elsewhere in today's Federal Register , the Bureau proposes companion regulations implementing amendments to the Truth In Lending Act (TILA) in Regulation Z (the 2012 TILA Servicing Proposal).
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (the Bureau or CFPB) is proposing to amend Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and the official interpretation of the regulation. The proposed amendments implement the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act or DFA) provisions regarding mortgage loan servicing. Specifically, this proposal implements Dodd-Frank Act sections addressing initial rate adjustment notices for adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), periodic statements for residential mortgage loans, and prompt crediting of mortgage payments and response to requests for payoff amounts. The proposed revisions also amend current rules governing the scope, timing, content, and format of current disclosures to consumers occasioned by the interest rate adjustments of their variable-rate transactions. Published elsewhere in today's Federal Register , the Bureau proposes companion regulations regarding mortgage servicing through amendments to Regulation X, which implements the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA).
The Farm Credit Administration (FCA, we, or our) is proposing to establish a regulatory framework for Farm Credit System (System) institutions' use of unincorporated business entities (UBEs) organized under State law for certain business activities. For purposes of this proposed rule, a UBE includes limited partnerships (LPs), limited liability partnerships (LLPs), limited liability limited partnerships (LLLPs), limited liability companies (LLCs), and any other unincorporated business entities, such as unincorporated business trusts, organized under State law. This rule does not apply to UBEs that one or more System institutions may establish as Rural Business Investment Companies (RBICs) pursuant to the institutions' authority under the provisions of title VI of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, as amended (FSRIA), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations implementing FSRIA. This rule does apply, however, to System institutions that organize UBEs for the express purpose of investing in RBICs.
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection is publishing for public comment a proposed rule amending Regulation Z (Truth in Lending) to implement amendments to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) made by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). The proposal would implement statutory changes made by the Dodd-Frank Act to Regulation Z's current loan originator compensation provisions, including a new additional restriction on the imposition of any upfront discount points, origination points, or fees on consumers under certain circumstances. In addition, the proposal implements additional requirements imposed by the Dodd-Frank Act concerning proper qualification and registration or licensing for loan originators. The proposal also implements Dodd-Frank Act restrictions on mandatory arbitration and the financing of certain credit insurance premiums. Finally, the proposal provides additional guidance and clarification under the existing regulation's provisions restricting loan originator compensation practices, including guidance on the application of those provisions to certain profit-sharing plans and the appropriate analysis of payments to loan originators based on factors that are not terms but that may act as proxies for a transaction's terms.