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Senator Brown objects to Bureau’s SEFL reorganization proposal
On October 21, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) asked CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger to delay the implementation of a proposed reorganization of the Bureau’s Division of Supervision, Enforcement, and Fair Lending (SEFL) until after the election and a determination is made as to whether Kraninger will continue as Director. According to Brown, the proposed SEFL reorganization would remove the Office of Enforcement’s (Enforcement) “voice and role in critical SEFL decisionmaking processes,” and “introduces inefficiency and confusion.” Brown addressed several concerns, including that the proposed reorganization would (i) disband Enforcement’s Policy and Strategy Team, whose duties include determining overall priorities and strategies; (ii) strip “Enforcement of its seat at the table and vote to determine whether potential violations of federal consumer financial law should be resolved through supervisory examinations or through an enforcement action”; (iii) strip “Enforcement of its authority to open new research matters (precursors to investigations) or new investigations of potential violations of federal consumer financial laws”; (iv) strip “Enforcement of its E-Litigation Team, which provides specialized technology expertise and manages electronic data discovery from initial Enforcement investigations through trial”; and (v) strip “Enforcement of its representation in the ‘Clearance’ process, which will exclude Enforcement from sharing its views and potential concerns with other Bureau offices regarding proposed rules, regulations, guidance, advisory opinions, or other public Bureau statements.” Brown cautioned that while establishing a “consistent and unified SEFL approach to policy and strategic planning” may have merit, the manner in which this objective is achieved must be addressed.
Texas Office of Consumer Credit updates guidance urging property tax lenders to work with borrowers
On October 27, the Texas Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner updated its advisory bulletin urging property tax lenders to work with consumers during the Covid-19 crisis (previously discussed here and here) Among other measures, the regulator urges licensees to increase consumer communication regarding the effects of Covid-19 for licensees, work out modifications for payment difficulties, and review policies for fees, late charges, delinquency practices, and repossessions. The guidance also: (i) reminds licensees of legal requirements for using electronic signatures, and (ii) continues to permit licensees to conduct activity from unlicensed locations, subject to certain conditions. The guidance is in effect through November 30, 2020, unless withdrawn or revised.
Texas Office of Consumer Credit updates guidance urging credit access businesses to work with borrowers
On October 27, the Texas Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner updated its advisory bulletin urging credit access businesses to work with consumers during the Covid-19 crisis (previously covered here, here, and here). Among other measures, the regulator urges licensees to increase consumer communication regarding the effects of Covid-19 for licensees, work out modifications for payment difficulties, and review policies for fees, late charges, delinquency practices, and repossessions. The guidance also: (i) reminds licensees of legal requirements for using electronic signatures, and (ii) continues to permit licensees to conduct activity from unlicensed locations, subject to certain conditions. The guidance is in effect through November 30, 2020, unless withdrawn or revised.
Texas Office of Consumer Credit updates guidance urging motor vehicle sales finance licensees to work with borrowers
On October 27, the Texas Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner updated its advisory bulletin urging motor vehicle sales finance licensees to work with consumers during the Covid-19 crisis (previously covered here, here, here, here, and here ). Among other measures, the regulator urges licensees to increase consumer communication regarding the effects of Covid-19 for licensees, work out modifications for payment difficulties, and review policies for fees, late charges, delinquency practices, and repossessions. The guidance also: (i) reminds licensees of legal requirements for using electronic signatures and (ii) continues to permit licensees to conduct activity from unlicensed locations, subject to certain conditions. The guidance is in effect through November 30, 2020, unless withdrawn or revised.
Texas Office of Consumer Credit updates guidance for regulated lenders
On October 27, the Texas Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner issued updated guidance (previously covered here, here, and here) for regulated lenders relating to the Covid-19 crisis. The guidance: (1) encourages lenders to work with consumers, including by working out modifications to assist with payments, and reviewing policies for fees, late charges, delinquency practices, and repossessions, among other things; (2) reminds lenders of legal requirements for using electronic signatures; and (3) permits lenders to conduct regulated lending activity from unlicensed locations, subject to certain conditions. The guidance is in effect through November 30, 2020, unless withdrawn or revised.
Washington Department of Financial Institutions extends “work from home” guidance
On October 26, the Washington Department of Financial Institutions issued interim regulatory guidance to licensed mortgage loan originators and companies that sponsor them relating to temporary remote work. The guidance extends earlier interim guidance (previously covered here, here, and here) permitting mortgage loan originators to work from home, provided certain data security obligations are met. The guidance extends through March 31, 2021.
FinCEN penalizes first bitcoin “mixer” $60 million for violating BSA
On October 19, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced a civil money penalty against an individual exchanger who founded and operated two convertible virtual currency (CVC) platforms known as “mixers” or “tumblers” for allegedly violating the Bank Secrecy Act’s (BSA) registration, program, and reporting requirements. According to FinCEN, the exchanger, among other things, (i) accepted and transmitted CVC through a variety of means, which “contain[ed] the proceeds of various acts of cybercrime”; (ii) conducted over 1,225,000 transactions for customers; and (iii) “is associated with virtual currency wallet addresses that have sent or received over $311 million.” FinCEN also contends that the exchanger advertised his services to customers on the dark web and circumvented BSA’s requirements by disregarding his obligations and operating the platforms as unregistered money service businesses (MSB).
Under FinCEN’s 2013 guidance and 2019 clarification, exchangers and administrators of CVC are money transmitters and therefore subject to BSA regulations, with mixers and tumblers subject to the same rules. (Previously covered by InfoBytes here and here.) According to FinCEN, the exchanger’s activities qualified him as a virtual currency exchanger, MSB, and a financial institution under the BSA. As such, the exchanger was required to register as an MSB with FinCEN, establish and implement an effective written anti-money laundering program, detect and file suspicious activity reports, and report currency transactions, which he failed to do. The order requires the exchanger to pay a $60 million civil money penalty.
CFPB releases HMDA 2021 reference chart
On October 16, the CFPB published a new reference chart titled “Reportable HMDA Data: A Regulatory and Reporting Overview Reference Chart for Data Collected in 2021.” The chart is designed to be used as a reference tool for required data points to be collected, recorded, and reported under Regulation C, as amended by HMDA rules issued October 15, 2015, August 24, 2017, October 10, 2019, and April 16, 2020 (most recently covered by InfoBytes here). The Bureau noted that this chart does not provide HMDA loan/application register data fields or enumerations.
FHFA proposes rule for new GSE products
On October 19, the FHFA announced a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) that would require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (GSEs) to provide advance notice to FHFA of new activities and obtain prior approval before launching new products. According to a factsheet released in conjunction with the proposed rule, the NPR would allow “FHFA to assess the impact, risks, and benefits of a new activity, and to determine whether the new activity is a new product that merits public notice and comment,” and would replace an interim final rule that has been in effect since 2009. Among other things, the NPR would (i) establish revised criteria for determining “what is a new activity and a new product, and the process for that activity’s review and approval” by FHFA; (ii) provide a “unified notice process,” which will require the GSEs “to make a single form of submission”; (iii) streamline and simplify the advance notification process; and (iv) outline FHFA’s process for reviewing notices of new activity and provide timelines for both the public notice and request for comment period as well as final approval. Comments on the NPR must be submitted within 60 days of publication in the Federal Register.
Federal bank regulatory agencies release two final rules supporting large banks
On October 20, the Federal Reserve Board, OCC, and FDIC (collectively, “federal bank regulatory agencies”) finalized two rules for large banks.
The federal bank regulatory agencies first announced a final rule intended to reduce interconnectedness within the financial system between the largest banking organizations and to minimize systemic risks stemming from failure of these organizations. As the federal bank regulatory agencies noted in their announcement, the final rule, Regulatory Capital Treatment for Investments in Certain Unsecured Debt Instruments of Global Systemically Important U.S. Bank Holding Companies, Certain Intermediate Holding Companies, and Global Systemically Important Foreign Banking Organizations; Total Loss-Absorbing Capacity Requirements, “prescribes a more stringent regulatory capital treatment for holdings of [total loss-absorbing capacity] (TLAC) debt.” U.S. global systemically important banking organizations (GSIBs) will be required, among other things, to deduct from their regulatory capital certain investments in unsecured debt instruments issued by foreign or U.S. GSIBs in order to meet minimum TLAC requirements and long-term debt requirements, as applicable. The final rule recognizes the systemic risks posed by banking organizations’ investments in covered debt instruments and “create[s] an incentive for advanced approaches [for] banking organizations to limit their exposure to GSIBs.” The final rule takes effect April 1, 2021.
The federal bank regulatory agencies also announced a second final rule, Net Stable Funding Ratio: Liquidity Risk Measurement Standards and Disclosure Requirements, which will implement a stable funding requirement for certain large banking organizations established by a quantitative metric known as the net stable funding ratio (NSFR). The NSFR will measure banking organizations’ level of stability, and will require that a minimum level of stable funding be maintained over a one-year period. According to the federal bank regulatory agencies, the NSFR is intended “to reduce the likelihood that disruptions to a banking organization’s regular sources of funding will compromise its liquidity position,” and is designed to “promote effective liquidity risk management, and support the ability of banking organizations to provide financial intermediation to businesses and households across a range of market conditions.” The final rule “applies to certain large U.S. depository institution holding companies, depository institutions, and U.S. intermediate holding companies of foreign banking organizations, each with total consolidated assets of $100 billion or more, together with certain depository institution subsidiaries” with “increases in stringency based on risk-based measures of the top-tiered covered company.” The final rule takes effect July 1, 2021.