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New York restores Martin Act’s six-year statute of limitations
On August 26, the New York governor signed S 6536, which returns the statute of limitations within which the state’s attorney general must bring financial fraud claims under the Martin Act to six years. As previously covered by InfoBytes, in 2018 the New York Court of Appeals issued a ruling that claims brought under the Martin Act are governed by a statute of limitations of three years, not six. According to the majority in that court decision, the three-year period applied because the Martin Act “expands upon, rather than codifies, the common law of fraud” and “imposes numerous obligations—or ‘liabilities’—that did not exist at common law,” which justified the imposition of a three-year statute of limitations. However, Governor Andrew Cuomo noted that “[b]y restoring the six-year statute of limitations under the Martin Act, we are enhancing one of the state’s most powerful tools to prosecute financial fraud so we can hold more bad actors accountable, protect investors and achieve a fairer New York for all.” Effective immediately, S 6536 will amend Section 213 of the state’s Civil Practice Law and Rules to include Martin Act cases among those that must be brought within six years.
CSBS launches online tools to navigate state rules
On August 21, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) launched three online tools designed to assist financial institutions navigate the state regulatory landscape and protect against cyber risks. The tools are: (i) a portal of state agency guidance for nonbank financial services companies; (ii) an interactive map of agent-of-the-payee exemptions, which identifies the states that do not require a money transmitter license for receiving a payment on behalf of a third party; and (iii) a cybersecurity 101 resource center for banks and nonbanks that features a guide to help financial institutions develop comprehensive cybersecurity programs. The tools were created as part of the CSBS Vision 2020, which is geared towards streamlining the state regulatory system to support business innovation and harmonize licensing and supervisory practices, while still protecting the rights of consumers.
Illinois pushing to increase accessibility to certified financial products
On August 19, the Illinois governor signed SB 1332, which is designed to decrease low-income consumers’ reliance on alternative financial products and increase the accessibility to certified financial products (defined as a “financial product offered by a financial institution that meets minimum requirements as established by the Comptroller”). SB 1332 creates the Illinois Bank On Initiative Commission, chaired by the state Comptroller, which will provide an annual, publicly available report (starting October 2020) that will list: (i) authorized certified financial products and minimum requirements for qualification; (ii) financial institutions providing certified financial products; and (iii) outreach strategies for facilitating access to certified financial products. SB 1332 is effective immediately.
Illinois requires companies to report data breaches to attorney general
On August 9, the Illinois governor signed SB 1624, which requires that a single data breach involving the personal information of more than 500 Illinois residents must be reported to the state attorney general. The notice must include: (i) a description of the nature of the breach of security or unauthorized acquisition or use; (ii) the number of Illinois residents affected by such incident at the time of notification; and (iii) any steps the data collector has taken or plans to take relating to the incident. Notification is required to be made “in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay,” but no later than when the data collector informs consumers of the breach under current law. The bill is effective January 1, 2020.
California DBO releases draft regulations for commercial financing disclosures
In July, the California Department of Business Oversight (DBO) issued a request for comment on draft of regulations implementing the state’s new law on commercial financing disclosures. As previously covered by InfoBytes, in September 2018, the California governor signed SB 1235, which requires non-bank lenders and other finance companies to provide written consumer-style disclosures for certain commercial transactions, including small business loans and merchant cash advances. Most notably, the act requires financing entities subject to the law to disclose in each commercial financing transaction—defined as an “accounts receivable purchase transaction, including factoring, asset-based lending transaction, commercial loan, commercial open-end credit plan, or lease financing transaction intended by the recipient for use primarily for other than personal, family, or household purposes”—the “total cost of the financing expressed as an annualized rate” in a form to be prescribed by the DBO.
The draft regulation provides general format and content requirements for each disclosure, as well as specific requirements for each type of covered transaction. In addition to the detailed information in the draft regulation, the DBO has released model disclosure forms for the six financing types, (i) closed-end transactions; (ii) open-ended credit plans; (iii) general factoring; (iv) sales-based financing; (v) lease financing; and (vi) asset-based lending. Additionally, the draft regulation uses an annual percentage rate (APR) as the annualized rate disclosure (as opposed to the annualized cost of capital, which was considered in the December 2018 request for comments, covered by InfoBytes here). Moreover, the draft regulation provides additional information for calculating the APR for factoring transactions as well as calculating the estimated APR for sales-based financing transactions.
Comments on the draft regulations are due by September 9.
New York increases homeowner safeguards, closes loopholes to prevent deed fraud and mortgage scams
On August 14, the New York governor signed a package of bills intended to increase consumer homeowner protections. According to a press release issued by the governor, the three measures enact homeowner safeguards and close loopholes to prevent deed fraud and mortgage scams.
- A 92 imposes obligations on banks or financial institutions that sell or transfer a mortgage after a borrower has applied for a loan modification. Specifically, the law requires the original holder of the loan to provide the borrower with a list of all modification application documents provided to the buyer or transferee of the mortgage. The measure also requires the new mortgage servicer to honor the terms and conditions of a loan modification that was approved by the original servicer. The act takes effect in 90 days.
- A 1800 requires servicers of vacant or abandoned residential properties to continue to pay homeowners’ association fees or cooperative fees on properties in the state to ensure they do not become dilapidated before a foreclosure is finalized. The act takes effect immediately.
- A 5615 amends state law related to distressed home loans to extend consumer protections for homes in default and foreclosure by, among other things, (i) providing homeowners additional time to cancel a covered contract with a purchaser; (ii) preventing distressed property consultants from inducing the consumer to transfer the deed to the consultant or anyone else; and (iii) allowing consumers to void contracts, deeds, or other agreements material to the consumer’s property where an individual was convicted of or pled guilty to making false statements in connection with that agreement. The act takes effect immediately.
Florida AG settles UDAP action with auto dealership
On August 5, the Florida attorney general announced a $1.2 million settlement with a Florida auto dealership and its owner (defendants) for allegedly violating the state’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act by failing to pay off outstanding liens on vehicle trade-ins. According to a complaint filed in the Circuit Court of the 4th Judicial Circuit, the AG initiated an investigation alleging that the defendants, among other things, accumulated unpaid obligations of more than $1.2 million to lienholders on traded-in vehicles. As a result, consumers were held accountable for the debt and received invoices from the lienholders. For consumers who did not make payments on their trade-ins, the lienholders often reported the defaults to credit bureaus, with, in some instances, the adverse credit reporting affected service members’ security clearances. The AG also noted that in certain circumstances, the lienholder attempted to repossess vehicles that were no longer owned by the consumers. Additionally, the defendants also failed to process title transfers within the statutorily required time frame, which resulted in some consumers experiencing difficulty when trying to obtain financing and insurance on their other vehicles, and others being sold traded-in vehicles without having clear title. In 2018, the dealership was purchased and the outstanding liens paid by the acquiring company. Under the terms of the settlement, the defendants have agreed to pay approximately $1.2 million in equitable consumer restitution, $235,000 in civil penalties, and $15,000 for attorney’s fees and costs. The defendants are also permanently enjoined from owning, operating, or managing an auto or truck dealership in the state at any time in the future.
NYDFS announces multistate investigation of payroll advance industry
On August 6, NYDFS announced it is leading a multistate investigation into the payroll advance industry based on allegations of unlawful online lending. According to NYDFS, the investigation will focus on whether companies are violating state banking laws, including usury limits, licensing laws, and other applicable laws regulating payday lending. NYDFS alleges that some companies appear to collect unlawful interest rates disguised as “tips” as well as monthly membership and/or excessive additional fees, and may collect improper overdraft charges.
In addition to New York, other states in the investigation include: Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, North Caroline, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Texas.
New Jersey establishes Office of the Student Loan Ombudsman, provides student loan servicer regulations
On July 30, the New Jersey governor signed S1149 to, among other things, establish the Office of the Student Loan Ombudsman within the Department of Banking and Insurance and provide licensing requirements for student loan servicers. Notably, federal or state chartered banks, savings banks, savings and loan associations, and credit unions, as well as their wholly owned subsidiaries, are exempt from the bill’s licensure requirements
The appointed ombudsman’s responsibilities will include (i) reviewing, analyzing, and resolving borrower complaints; (ii) providing information to the public, agencies, legislators, and others regarding borrower concerns; (iii) reviewing complete student loan histories for borrowers who have provided written consent; (iv) establishing and maintaining a student loan borrower education course, including providing information on “monthly payment obligations, income-based repayment options, loan forgiveness, and disclosure requirements”; and (v) providing a report 12 months following the date of appointment to the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance (Commissioner) conveying any additional steps that may be necessary to address the licensing and enforcement of student loan servicers.
Additionally, the bill establishes licensing provisions for student loan servicers, and requires all servicers and certain other exempt entities to maintain student loan records for at least two years after the final payment or assignment of the loan, whichever comes first.
The bill also gives the Commissioner authority to conduct investigations and examinations of licensed servicers, as well as impose fines of not more than $10,000 for the first violation, and $20,000 for the second and for offenses thereafter. Student loan servicers must also comply with applicable federal laws, including the Truth in Lending Act. The bill notes that “any violation of any federal law or regulation shall be deemed a violation of this section and a basis upon which the [C]ommissioner may take enforcement action.”
The bill will take effect November 27.
North Carolina enacts state SCRA, expands protections
On July 25, the North Carolina governor signed SB 420, the “NC Servicemembers Civil Relief Act” (NCSCRA), which, among other things, incorporates into state law the rights, benefits and protections of the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and extends those provisions to members of the North Carolina National Guard serving on state active duty and to members of the National Guard of other states serving on state active duty who reside in North Carolina. In addition to the rights afforded to servicemembers in the SCRA, the NCSCRA (i) expands certain protections for dependents of servicemembers, including protections against default judgments and an interest rate cap of six percent; (ii) authorizes the termination of certain service contracts, allowing servicemembers and their dependents to terminate telephone, internet, cable TV, satellite radio, and prepaid entertainments contracts upon relocation orders for 90 days or more to a location that does not support such services; and (iii) allows for the extension of residential lease agreements until 10 days after a member of the North Carolina National Guard or a member of another state’s National Guard who is residing in North Carolina’s active duty terminates. The NCSCRA provides for action by the attorney general for any violation, with a civil penalty up to $5,000 per violation and also allows for a private right of action by an aggrieved servicemember.