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Virginia Enacts Banking, Consumer Finance Bills
Over the past week, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe signed several bills impacting banks and certain consumer finance providers. The first bill, HB 358 repealed a state law that that barred out-of-state banks from opening de novo branches in Virginia unless the bank's home state provided reciprocal access to Virginia banks. The change will allow out-of-state banks to establish branches in Virginia on the same basis as state-chartered banks. A second banking bill, HB 1062, provides that an existing statutory provision requiring the Virginia State Corporation Commission to ascertain that certain minimum capital stock requirements are met prior to issuing a certificate of authority to a bank does not apply to the Commission’s issuance of such a certificate to a bank holding company or to a resulting bank in connection with certain types of mergers involving the holding company and its subsidiary bank. A third bill, HB 69, amends state law to expand the types of services that may be provided under an extended motor vehicle service contract and to authorize the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services to designate additional services that may be provided under an extended service contract. The bill also provides that extended service contracts are not insurance subject to state regulation as such. The above approved bills will take effect on July 1, 2014. Finally, the Governor approved a bill passed by the General Assembly, HB 954, which would permit the State Corporation Commission to issue transitional mortgage loan originator licenses.
CFPB Seeks New Members for Advisory Boards, Councils
On January 15, the CFPB published a notice seeking applications for appointment to its Consumer Advisory Board, Community Bank Advisory Council, and Credit Union Advisory Council. Membership of the Community Advisory Board and Advisory Councils includes representatives of consumers, communities, the financial services industry, and academics. Membership on the two Advisory Councils is open only to current community bank and credit union employees, respectively. Applications must be submitted by February 28, 2014. Additional information about the application process is available here.
House, Senate Bills Seek To Ease Volcker Rule Impact On TruPS CDOs
On January 8, House Financial Services Committee chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) and committee member Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced a bill, H.R. 3819, that would clarify that the Volcker Rule will not require banking institutions to divest their ownership in Trust Preferred Securities (TruPS) collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) that were issued before the date of the final Volcker Rule, December 10, 2013. A group of Republican Senators also announced a bill, the text of which was not immediately available. As recently reported, federal regulators are reviewing whether it is appropriate and consistent with the Dodd-Frank Act to fully exempt TruPS CDOs from the Volcker Rule prohibitions on ownership of covered funds. On January 7, a group of House Democrats sent a letter to the regulators urging them to exempt banks with less than $15 billion in assets from the Volcker TruPS CDO divestiture requirement.
FDIC Responds To Concerns Over Bank Formations, Need For De Novo Policy Changes
On December 30, the FDIC responded to a recent joint letter from the AABD and ICBA expressing concern with the lack of new bank charters and proposing policy reforms to encourage more de novo applications. As the trade groups pointed out, the FDIC has only approved deposit insurance for one de novo bank since 2011, a dramatic shift from many years of de novo bank formation averaging over 170 per year. FDIC Director Doreen Eberley acknowledged the concern, but defended FDIC policy and cited cyclical conditions as a potential explanation for the current situation rather than any FDIC policy change. Ms. Eberley reasserted the FDIC’s commitment to assisting with potential de novo community bank formations.
CFPB Releases QM Compliance Chart for Small Creditors
On September 24, the CFPB released an additional mortgage rule implementation resource, entitled the Small Creditor Qualified Mortgages Flowchart. The flowchart walks small creditors through a series of questions to help those institutions determine the types of qualified mortgages they can originate. The chart is included on the CFPB’s broader mortgage rule implementation resources website.
Republican House Members Object To DOJ Online Lender Probe
Last week, a group of 31 Republican House Members reportedly submitted a letter to the DOJ and FDIC accusing the agencies of “intimidating some community banks and third party payment processors with threats of heightened regulatory scrutiny unless they cease doing business with online lenders.” According to reports, the letter argues that the government’s actions effectively cut off access to lawful, short-term, high-interest loans available online. Several prominent online lenders have reportedly ceased their lending operations in response to similar pressure from state regulators.
FDIC Provides Technical Assistance on Interest Rate Risk for Community Banks
On August 6, the FDIC released a technical assistance video intended to provide community bank management teams with information about regulatory issues and proposed regulatory changes related to interest rate risk. The FDIC plans to release five additional videos over the next five months that will cover fair lending, appraisals and evaluations, troubled debt restructurings and the allowance for loan and lease losses, evaluation of municipal securities, and flood insurance coverage.
Governor Duke Announces Resignation from Federal Reserve Board
On July 11, the Federal Reserve Board announced that Governor Elizabeth Duke submitted her resignation effective August 31, 2013. She was appointed to the Board in August 2008 to fill a term that expired January 31, 2012. During her time on the Federal Reserve Board, Ms. Duke, a former community banker, focused on housing issues and financial regulation, including with regard to the impact of such regulation on community banks. For example, last year she cautioned regulators about the potential impact of the various mortgage and capital rules on small institutions. Ms. Duke, who also previously led the American Bankers Association, did not indicate her future plans.
OCC Publishes Community Bank Best Practices Booklet, Holds Webinar on Community Bank Cyber Threats
On June 13, the OCC published a booklet titled “A Common Sense Approach to Community Banking,” which offers best practices the agency believes distinguish high-performing community banks from those that barely survive or fail. The booklet, which previously was distributed to national banks and federal thrifts and now is available on the OCC’s website, focuses on three interrelated areas: (i) risk assessment and management, (ii) strategic planning, and (iii) capital planning. Earlier in the week, the OCC hosted a webinar on cyber threats and vulnerabilities to raise awareness for community banks, and provided a collection of existing regulatory guidance that addresses actions banks should take to help mitigate the risks associated with information security.
CSBS Releases Annual Report
On May 2, the CSBS released its 2012 annual report, which aggregates and reviews the organization’s activities in the prior year, identifies future goals for the organization, and outlines specific priorities for 2013. The paper also incorporates more focused reports on past and future activities by various CSBS divisions and boards, including a report from the Policy and Supervision Division that reviews bank supervision, consumer protection and non-bank supervision, and legislative and regulatory policy, including the CSBS positions on community bank regulatory relief and federal proposed capital rules.