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New York issues language access FAQs for debt collectors
On August 7, the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (Department) issued FAQs addressing the language access amendments to the city’s debt collection rules, which became effective on June 27. As previously covered by InfoBytes, the new rules, among other things, require debt collectors to request and retain language preference information from each consumer and prohibit debt collectors from providing false, inaccurate, or incomplete translations to a consumer in the course of collecting a debt. The FAQs note that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department has extended the enforcement grace period to October 1. The FAQs cover, among other things, details regarding the (i) annual report requirements; (ii) the application of the rules to creditors collecting non-default debts; and (iii) statement requirements when debt collectors do not provide any language access services.
4th Circuit: Arbitration agreement applies to acquired company
On August 7, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a split opinion vacating a district court’s decision against arbitration in a proposed class action, which accused a satellite TV provider (defendant) of violating the TCPA by allegedly making automated and prerecorded telemarketing calls to an individual even though her number was on the National Do Not Call Registry. The plaintiff filed a lawsuit against the defendant and several other entities and individuals seeking class certification as well as statutory damages and injunctive relief. The defendant moved to compel arbitration, claiming that the plaintiff’s dispute was covered by an arbitration agreement in the contract governing her cell phone service with a telecommunications company, which is an affiliate of the defendant. The district court denied the request, ruling that the allegations “did not fall within the scope of the arbitration agreement.” The plaintiff appealed, “defend[ing] the district court’s scope ruling,” but arguing that no agreement was formed.
On appeal, the majority concluded that not only did the plaintiff form an agreement to arbitrate with the defendant, the allegations fit within the broad scope of the arbitration agreement. Specifically, the appellate court determined that an arbitration agreement signed by the plaintiff with the telecommunications company in 2012 when she opened a new line of service was extended to potential TCPA allegations against the defendant when the telecommunications company acquired the defendant in 2015. Even though the acquisition happened several years after the plaintiff signed the contract, the majority stated the arbitration agreement had a “forward-looking nature” and that it seemed unlikely that the telecommunications company and its affiliates “intended to restrict the covered entities to those existing at the time the agreement was signed.” According to the majority, “[w]e need not define the outer limits of this arbitration agreement to conclude, based on the arbitration provisions and the contract as a whole, that [the plaintiff’s] TCPA claims about [the defendant’s] advertising calls fall within its scope.” As to the plaintiff’s argument that she only signed the account on behalf of her husband who was the account holder, the majority said the agreement covered “all authorized or unauthorized users,” which the plaintiff was at the time.
U.S.-UK Financial Innovation Partnership reports on progress
On August 6, the U.S. Treasury Department provided an overview of a recent meeting of the U.S.-UK Financial Innovation Partnership (FIP) where Regulatory and Commercial Pillars participants exchanged views on “deepening U.S.-UK ties in financial innovation.” As previously covered by InfoBytes, the FIP was created in 2019 as a way to expand bilateral financial services collaborative efforts, study emerging fintech innovation trends, and share information and expertise on regulatory practices. Topics discussed included digital payments, cross-border testing of innovative financial services, regulatory and supervisory technology, connections between financial technology firms and financial institutions, and the upcoming 2021 U.S. financial services trade mission to the UK. Participants recognized “the importance of the ongoing partnership in monitoring and analyzing trends in global financial innovation, as well as being an integral component of the U.S.-UK financial services cooperation.”
ARRC releases “SOFR Starter Kit”
On August 7, the Alternative Reference Rates Committee (ARRC) released the “Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Starter Kit,” which includes three factsheets that are the result of a series of educational panel discussions held by ARRC in July and August. The various panel discussions were designed to educate on “the history of LIBOR; the development and strengths of SOFR; progress made in the transition away from LIBOR to date; and how to ensure organizations are ready for the end of LIBOR.” Highlights of the three factsheets include (i) background on LIBOR and the selection of SOFR; (ii) key facts on SOFR, including how it works and common misconceptions; and (iii) next steps, including SOFR best practices and recommended fallback language. Additionally, ARRC provided FAQs covering additional background details on the committee and the transition from LIBOR.
Pennsylvania governor announces disbursal of small business grants, opening of second funding round
On August 10, the Pennsylvania governor announced that $96 million in state grants have been awarded to small businesses impacted by Covid-19 through the Covid-19 Relief Statewide Small Business Assistance fund. The announcement notes that the second and final round of funding has opened and will run through August 28. Eligible applicants that did not receive funding in the first round do not need to reapply and will be considered in the second round. The grants may be used to cover operating expenses during the shutdown and transition to re-opening, including for technical assistance and training related to the stabilization and reopening of businesses.
Colorado extends executive order relating to evictions
On August 10, Colorado issued Executive Order D 2020 162, which extends Executive Order D 2020 101, as amended and extended by Executive Order D 2020 134 (previously covered here). These executive orders limit evictions for certain tenants in order to provide relief from effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Executive Order D 2020 101 is set to expire on September 9, unless otherwise extended.
President Trump extends student loan forbearance program
On August 8, President Trump issued an executive order to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos extending a forbearance plan on student loans through the end of the year. The executive order directs the Department of Education to take action to continue to provide “deferments to borrowers as necessary to continue the temporary cessation of payments and the waiver of all interest on student loans held by the Department of Education until December 31, 2020.” The current forbearance program provided under the CARES Act (covered by a Buckley Special Alert) ends September 30. While the executive order states that it applies to “student loans held by the Department of Education,” it does not specifically outline which kind of federal student loans are covered under the new forbearance order.
Nevada governor signs bill allowing for alternative dispute resolutions for certain rental eviction cases
On August 7, the Nevada governor signed Senate Bill 1, which allows alternative dispute resolutions for rental eviction cases. The bill authorized Nevada’s Supreme Court, justice courts, and district courts to establish rules for an expedited program of alternative dispute resolution for evictions for housing programs operated by a public housing agency. An eviction proceeding subject to the bill may be stayed for no more than 30 days to facilitate the alternative dispute resolution program.
Virginia Supreme Court grants temporary statewide moratorium on evictions
On August 7, the Virginia Supreme Court, at the request of the governor, granted a temporary statewide moratorium on eviction proceedings in Virginia. The order suspends the issuance of writs of eviction pursuant to unlawful detainer actions, unless such writs are unrelated to a failure to pay rent. The moratorium is effective through September 7.
FDIC grants exception requests for certain deposit insurance recordkeeping requirements
On August 4, the FDIC published responses to exception requests pursuant to the Recordkeeping for Timely Deposit Insurance Determination rule (Rule). The notice outlines two time-limited exceptions for covered institutions effective as of July 28. The Rule, codified at 12 CFR Part 370 (and amended last year—covered by InfoBytes here), requires covered institutions to implement information technology systems and recordkeeping capabilities in order to calculate quickly the available amount of deposit insurance coverage for each deposit account in the event of failure. The FDIC allows covered institutions to request an exception from one or more of Part 370’s requirements should circumstances “make it impracticable or overly burdensome to meet those requirements.” Additionally, a covered institution may—upon notice to the FDIC—rely upon another covered institution’s FDIC-granted exception request, if the two institutions have substantially similar facts and circumstances.
The first exception grants an exception of up to 18 months from certain information technology and general recordkeeping requirements to allow covered institutions to perform system updates and remediation efforts to ensure certain sole proprietorship deposit accounts are correctly classified by an institution’s information technology system. The second exception grants an exception of up to 12 months from certain information technology and general recordkeeping requirements “for a limited number of joint accounts that a covered institution has not confirmed are ‘qualifying joint accounts’ entitled to separate deposit insurance coverage.”