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CFPB Issues Spring 2016 Rulemaking Agenda
On May 18, the CFPB released an overview of its Spring 2016 Rulemaking Agenda, which outlines the CFPB’s current initiatives. In addition to summarizing the CFPB’s recently released proposed rule to ban pre-dispute arbitration clauses in future consumer agreements, the agenda states that the CFPB expects to release this Summer (i) a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding small dollar loan products, including payday loans and auto title loan; (ii) a rule to finalize its November 2014 proposed rule on prepaid products; (iii) a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to provide clarity concerning its TRID Know Before You Owe mortgage rule; and (iv) a final rule to amend its 2014 proposed rule revising certain provisions of mortgage servicing requirements under RESPA and TILA. The agenda further comments on the CFPB’s oversight of (i) overdraft services on checking accounts, noting that the agency “is engaged in pre-rule making activities to consider potential regulation” of such services; (ii) debt collection practices, observing that the agency is in the process of developing proposed rules to further regulate the industry; (iii) nonbank institutions, emphasizing the CFPB’s rulemaking efforts to further define larger participants of certain markets for consumer financial products and services; and (iv) mortgage markets, highlighting CFPB efforts to implement “critical consumer protections under the Dodd-Frank Act.” Finally, the agenda comments that the CFPB is in the “very early stages starting work to implement section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which amends the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to require financial institutions to report information concerning credit applications made by women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses.”
FinCEN Deputy Director: Industry Collaboration Key to Finalizing Customer Due Diligence Rule
On May 16, FinCEN Deputy Director Jamal El-Hindi delivered remarks at the Institute of International Bankers (IIB) Annual Anti-Money Laundering Seminar in New York. The focal point of El-Hindi’s remarks were recent Treasury initiatives, including, (i) the final Customer Due Diligence (CDD) rule; (ii) draft beneficial ownership legislation; and (iii) FinCEN’s use of Geographical Targeting Orders, as addressed in the beneficial ownership draft legislation. The remarks provide an overarching summary of Treasury’s recent regulatory efforts and address the process by which Treasury developed the final CDD rule and the draft beneficial ownership legislation, specifically commenting on and emphasizing FinCEN’s collaborative rulemaking efforts with industry: “I encourage you to keep our conversation going—particularly with respect to support for the beneficial ownership legislation. . . .Please know that FinCEN depends on you, the institutions you represent, and the key feedback and financial intelligence they provide.”
FinCEN Finalizes Long-Awaited Customer Due Diligence Rule
On May 6, FinCEN issued a final rule imposing standardized customer due diligence requirements for banks, broker-dealers, mutual funds, futures commission’s merchants and introducing brokers in commodities. Subject to exceptions for certain types of entities deemed low risk by FinCEN, beginning on May 11, 2018, covered institutions must identify any natural person that owns, directly or indirectly, 25% or more of a legal entity customer or that exercises control over the entity. Covered financial institutions would also have to take measures to verify that they know the true identity of each person identified as a beneficial owner (but would not be required to verify that such persons are in fact beneficial owners). The requirement will apply to new accounts opened by legal entity customers, and will not be retroactive. Additionally, the final rule adds a standardized set of four customer due diligence requirements as a “fifth pillar” of an effective anti-money laundering program. In addition to identification and verification of beneficial owners of legal entities, the requirements include: (i) identification and verification of customers; (ii) understanding the nature and purpose of the customer relationship; and (iii) ongoing monitoring for reporting suspicious transactions and, on a risk basis, updating customer information.
CFPB Issues Proposed Rule Seeking to Prohibit Mandatory Arbitration Clauses
On May 5, the CFPB released a highly anticipated proposed rule that would ban covered providers of most financial consumer products and services from including mandatory pre-dispute arbitration clauses in future consumer agreements. In addition, the proposed rule would require a covered provider involved in arbitration pursuant to a pre-dispute arbitration agreement to submit specified arbitral records to the CFPB. Following its March 2015 Arbitration Study, the CFPB asserts that the proposed rule would (i) protect consumers’ right to seek justice and relief in court; (ii) deter companies from violating the law, claiming “attention on the practices of one company can affect or influence their business practices and the business practices of other companies more broadly”; and (iii) increase transparency by requiring companies that use arbitration clauses to submit to the CFPB any claims filed or awards issued in arbitration.
The CFPB officially announced its proposed rule during a May 5 field hearing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In his opening remarks at the field hearing, CFPB Director Cordray opined that, “[i]f arbitration truly offers the benefits that its proponents claim, such as providing a less costly and more efficient means of dispute resolution, then it stands to reason that companies will continue to make it available.” Opponents of the proposal argue that, among other things, by requiring companies to insert language into arbitration clauses that explicitly states the clauses cannot be used to stop consumers from being part of a class action, the CFPB is, in fact, placing a de facto ban on arbitration. In a U.S. Chamber post, Executive Director of Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness Travis Norton, who was present at the CFPB’s field hearing, reasoned that companies can only bear the costs of arbitration because they do not simultaneously have to defend themselves in class actions, writing that “[n]o economically rational company (or individual) is going to spend additional money voluntarily [on arbitration] when it is forced to pay millions in litigation costs imposed by the broken class action system.”
DOJ Issues Supplemental Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Web Accessibility Requirements
On April 29, the DOJ issued a Supplemental Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SANPRM) titled Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities. According to the SANPRM, the DOJ “is considering revising the regulation implementing title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA or Act) in order to establish specific technical requirements to make accessible the services, programs, or activities State and local governments offer the public via the Web.” Due to advances in technology and website accessibility, the recently released SANPRM replaces a 2010 Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and poses 123 questions related to, among other things, (i) the potential application of technical accessibility requirements to the websites of title II entities; (ii) the appropriateness of proposing alternate conformance levels, compliance date requirements, or other methods designed to minimize significant economic impact on small public entities; and (iii) additional costs imposed on public entities to ensure compliance with the 2008 version of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The SANPRM is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on May 9, 2016; comments are due 90 days after publication.
CFPB Amends Regulations J and L of Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act to Allow Electronic Filings
On May 2, the CFPB announced that it is amending implementing Regulations J and L of the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act (ILSA) to permit electronic filings. Pursuant to ILSA, certain land developers must register their subdivisions and provide prospective lot purchasers with a disclosure statement known as a Property Report. In light of the amendments, the CFPB simultaneously released electronic filing and payment instructions for submitting the requisite registration and filing fees under ILSA.
CFPB Publishes Final Rule Adopting December 2011 Interim Final Rules
On April 28, the CFPB published a final rule to adopt interim final rules issued in December 2011. Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB has rulemaking authority for various consumer financial protection laws, as transferred from seven other federal agencies. Effective immediately, the final rule adopts without change (subject to any intervening final rules published by the CFPB) the 2011 versions of various rules, including but not limited to ECOA, TILA, the SAFE Act, FCRA, FDCPA, RESPA, GLBA, and HMDA.
FinCEN Prohibits U.S. Financial Institutions from Holding Correspondent Accounts for FBME Bank Ltd.
On March 31, FinCEN published a final rule imposing the fifth special measure against FBME Bank Ltd. (FBME). Pursuant Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act, the fifth special measure prohibits U.S. financial institutions from opening or maintaining a correspondent account for, or on behalf of, FBME. As previously covered in InfoBytes, on July 29, 2015, FinCEN published a similar final rule, which did not take effect as, one day before its effective date, a U.S. district court granted FBME’s motion for a preliminary injunction to stop the rule from taking effect. In November 2015, FinCEN subsequently re-opened its comment period for the final rule, soliciting additional comments “particularly with respect to the unclassified, non-protected documents that support the rulemaking and whether any alternatives to the prohibition of the opening or maintaining of correspondent accounts with FBME would effectively mitigate the risk to domestic financial institutions.” According to FinCEN, its recently issued final rule will “guard against the international money laundering and terrorist financing risks that FBME poses to the U.S. financial system.” The Final Rule is effective July 29, 2016.
Department of Labor Publishes Final Rule to Define Fiduciary of an Employee Benefit Plan
On April 7, the Department of Labor issued a final rule defining who is a fiduciary investment advisor of an employee benefit plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The Final Rule requires financial advisors and brokers handling 401(k) accounts, as well as Individual Retirement Accounts and Annuities (IRAs), to “put their clients’ best interest before their own profits.” The final rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on April 8. Compliance with the rule is not required until April 10, 2017, providing “adequate time” for financial services and other services providers affected by the rule to adjust their statuses from non-fiduciary to fiduciary.
OCC Publishes Proposed Regulatory Relief Rule
On March 14, the OCC published a proposed rule to provide regulatory relief to national banks and federal savings associations. Specifically, the proposed rule would, among other things, (i) revise certain licensing rules for business combinations involving Federal mutual savings associations; (ii) remove certain notice and approval requirements for changes in permanent capital involving national banks; (iii) clarify national bank director oath requirements; (iv) revise national banks’ and Federal savings associations’ fiduciary activity requirements; (v) remove certain requirements in the electronic activities rule for Federal savings associations; (vi) update recordkeeping and confirmation requirements for national banks’ and Federal savings associations’ securities transactions; and (vii) remove certain fidelity bond rules for Federal savings associations. Comments on the proposed rule, which is part of the OCC’s regulatory review under the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act, are due by May 13, 2016.