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White House Issues Interim Guidance Concerning its "2-for-1" Regulatory Order
On February 2, the OMB Acting Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) released a memorandum providing interim guidance for implementing President Trump’s January 30 Executive Order entitled “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs.” Among other things, the memorandum clarifies that the January 30 Order—which was covered previously by InfoBytes here—(i) does not apply to agencies defined as an “independent regulatory agency” by 44 U.S.C. § 3502(5), which include the CFPB; (ii) applies only to significant regulatory actions that have an annual effect on the economy of at least $100 million or result in other material effects as defined in Executive Order 12,866; and (iii) applies only to significant regulatory actions issued between noon on January 20 and September 30, 2017.
Court Rules that CFPB Must Prove Deceptive Practices at Trial in Mortgage Relief Case
On February 6, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California denied the CFPB’s motion for summary judgment and held that its “intrinsically factual” deception claims would have to be decided at trial. See CFPB v. Nationwide Biweekly, et. al., [Order Denying Motions for Summary J.] No. 15-cv-2106 (N.D. Cal. Feb. 6, 2017). The Bureau alleges that the defendant company—which helps homeowners restructure their mortgage payments to help them pay down their mortgages faster—misrepresented the savings that consumers would gain through its services. Lawyers for the defendants rejected those claims, saying in a court filing last month that consumers were told multiple times about the setup fee and that promises of interest savings are true. Ultimately, Judge Richard Seeborg sided with defendants, disagreeing with the CFPB’s assertion that it had presented “uncontroverted evidence” of deception and that “no reasonable fact finder” could find in defendants’ favor.
CFPB and New York Attorney General File Lawsuit Against Company that Lured 9/11 Heroes Out of Millions of Dollars
On February 7, the CFPB announced that it has—in partnership with the New York Attorney General (NYAG)—filed a complaint in federal district court against a finance company and two affiliates that offer lump-sum advances to consumers entitled to periodic payouts from victim compensation funds or lawsuit settlements. A press release from the NYAG’s Office can be accessed here.
The Bureau and the NYAG claim, among other things, that the defendants misled World Trade Center attack first responders and professional football players in selling expensive advances on benefits to which they were entitled and mischaracterized extensions of credit as assignments of future payment rights, thereby misleading their victims into repaying far more than they received. Specifically, according to the allegations in the complaint, the New Jersey-based companies: (i) used “confusing contracts” to prevent the individuals from understanding the terms and costs of the transactions; (ii) lied to the individuals by telling them the companies could secure their payouts more quickly; (iii) misrepresented how quickly they would receive payments from the companies, and (iv) collected interest at an illegal rate.
These actions, the two regulators argue, constitute violations of the Consumer Financial Protection Act ban on unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices, New York usury laws, and other state consumer financial protection laws. The lawsuit seeks to end the company’s illegal practices, obtain relief for the victims, and impose penalties.
Special Alert: President Signs Executive Order Calling For Review of Financial Regulations
On February 3, President Trump signed an executive order (the Executive Order) directing the Treasury Secretary and the heads of the member agencies of the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) to review financial laws and regulations—including the Dodd-Frank Act and regulations implementing that law—thereby setting into motion a process by which the 2010 financial law could be significantly scaled back.
Under the Executive Order, the Secretary of the Treasury – who has yet to be confirmed – has 120 days to review and report to the President which existing laws, treaties, regulations, guidance, reporting and recordkeeping requirements promote the “core principles” listed below and those that do not. The core principles include:
- restoring public accountability within Federal financial regulatory agencies and rationalize the Federal financial regulatory framework
- fostering economic growth and vibrant financial markets through more rigorous regulatory impact analysis that addresses systemic risk and market failures, such as moral hazard and information asymmetry
- enabling American companies to be competitive with foreign firms in domestic and foreign markets
- advancing American interests in international financial regulatory negotiations and meetings
- preventing taxpayer-funded bailouts, and
- empowering Americans to make independent financial decisions and informed choices in the marketplace, save for retirement, and build individual wealth
Click here to read full special alert
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If you have questions about the order or other related issues, visit our Consumer Financial Protection Bureau practice for more information, or contact a BuckleySandler attorney with whom you have worked in the past.
Senators Unveil Bill to Replace CFPB Director with Committee
On January 31, Senators Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), reintroduced legislation that would replace the single director of the CFPB with a five-member bipartisan committee. Specifically, the proposed legislation provides that: (i) each board member would be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate; (ii) the president would appoint one of the five members of the board to serve as chairperson of the board; (iii) board members would each serve staggered five-year terms, and no more than three members would be from the same political party; and (iv) the legislation would take effect on the date on which not less than three persons have been confirmed by the Senate to serve as members of the board of directors.
Senator Fischer introduced similar legislation in both the 113th Congress and the 114th Congress.
Senators Introduce Joint Resolution to Overturn CFPB's Prepaid Rule; CFPB Releases Prepaid Rule Compliance Guide on Same Day
On February 1, Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), and six fellow GOP lawmakers introduced a joint resolution proposing to overturn the CFPB’s final rule on prepaid accounts (Prepaid Rule) before it goes into effect on October 1. The proposed resolution calls for applying the Congressional Review Act to set aside the regulation—which, procedurally, would require only a simple majority vote in the Senate and House and approval by President Trump.
As previously covered by InfoBytes, the Prepaid Rule amends Regulations E and Z to extend disclosure requirements and consumer protections to certain government benefit cards and mobile wallet accounts, payroll cards, Visa- or MasterCard-branded cards sold in retail outlets for general use, and other types of prepaid products. Generally, the Prepaid Rule becomes effective October 1, 2017. The Prepaid Rule does, however, contain certain exceptions and accommodations related to the October 1 effective date.
Earlier that same day, the CFPB issued a small entity compliance guide, which provides a summary of the Prepaid Rule and highlighting information that may be helpful when implementing its various provisions. Among other things, the compliance guide covers: definitions of various prepaid accounts, exclusions in the rule, entities subject to the rule, required disclosures, change-in-terms notices, limited liability and error resolution, periodic statements, receipts at electronic terminals, access devices, compulsory use, account agreements, overdraft credit features, remittances, and record retention. The compliance guide also discusses the exceptions and accommodations related to the effective date noted above, which are also listed in the Prepaid Rule’s Effective Dates Factsheet.
CFPB Reaches Settlement with Arizona-Based Title Lender
On February 2, the CFPB announced a consent order and stipulation in an enforcement action against one of five Arizona-based title lenders under investigation for violations of TILA (see September 23 InfoBytes post). The terms of the February consent order and stipulation include a $10,000 civil money penalty as well as a mandatory requirement that the lender refrain from further violations of TILA and create a comprehensive compliance plan to ensure that its advertising practices for its title lending business conform to all applicable federal consumer financial laws and the terms of the consent order. On November 1 and December 20, 2016, the CFPB posted consent orders and stipulations against three of the other five title lenders (2016-CFPB-0018, 2016-CFPB-0019, 2016-CFPB-0021). The Bureau is still negotiating an agreement with the fifth title lender.
CFPB and Attorney General of Virginia Take Action Against Pawnbroker for TILA Disclosures
On February 2, the CFPB and the Attorney General of Virginia filed a lawsuit and proposed stipulated final judgment against a Virginia pawnshop for deceiving consumers about the actual annual costs of its loans. This complaint is one of many similar lawsuits filed recently against several Virginia pawnbrokers (see November 11 and December 23 Infobytes posts). The complaint alleges violations of TILA, the Dodd-Frank Act, Virginia’s pawnbroker statutes, and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The proposed stipulated final judgment orders the company to pay over $56,000 in restitution, forfeit over $17,000 in ill-gotten gains, and pay a $5,000 civil penalty.
CFPB Fines Prepaid Debit Card Company and Payment Processor $13 Million for Preventable Service Breakdown, Claims Consumers Denied Access to Their Own Money
On February 1, the CFPB announced that it had entered a consent order against two companies—a prepaid card company and its payment processor—for failing to conduct adequate testing and preparation before and during a switch to a new payment processing platform in 2015. In addition, the Bureau cited both companies for improper administration of accounts after the switch. The allegations arise out of an approximate three week breakdown in services in October 2015 which, among other things, denied cardholders access to their accounts, delayed the processing of deposits and payments, and also, in some instances, erroneously double posted deposits which falsely inflated account holders’ balances. The consent order also notes that the prepaid card company failed to provide adequate customer service to consumers impacted by the breakdown. The CFPB stated that it received roughly 830 consumer complaints in the weeks following the switch. Based on these and other allegations, the Bureau ordered the two companies to prepare a plan to prevent future service disruptions and pay an estimated $10 million in restitution to harmed consumers as well as a $3 million civil penalty.
President Trump Issues Executive Order "Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs"
On January 30, President Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at reducing the “costs associated with the governmental imposition of private expenditures required to comply with Federal regulations” and ensuring that such costs are “prudently managed and controlled through a budgeting process.” The measure requires all executive departments and agencies to cut two existing regulations for every new regulation they implement. The Order also establishes a regulatory budget of $0 for FY 2017—meaning that the total incremental cost of all new regulations, when adding the cost burden of any new regulation and then subtracting the cost savings of repealed regulations, can be no greater than $0. Thereafter, beginning in FY 2018, each agency will be required to provide the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with its best approximation of the total costs or savings to be expected from any new regulations. To the extent such estimates predict an increase in that Agency or department’s “incremental regulatory costs,” such increase will need to be authorized by the OMB (or by congress via a new law).
Details concerning how the new budgeting process and cost-offsetting policy will be implemented are left to the Office of Management and Budget, which is directed to provide agencies with guidance. House Financial Services Subcommittee Chairman Tom Graves sent a January 30 letter to CFPB Director Richard Cordray, seeking clarification as to the Bureau’s stance on whether the Trump Administration’s January 20 “Regulatory Freeze” Memorandum—which is similarly directed at “executive agencies”—applies to the CFPB.