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OCC fines national bank $25 million for violating Fair Housing Act
On March 19, the OCC announced that a national bank has agreed to pay a $25 million civil money penalty to resolve alleged violations of the Fair Housing Act. According to the OCC’s consent order, (i) from August 2011 to April 2015, the bank did not properly train loan officers about available mortgage discounts under its Relationship Loan Program (RLP); (ii) from August 2011 to November 2014, the bank failed to provide explicit instructions within their written guidelines that employees should offer those discounts to all eligible customers; and (iii) from August 2011 to November 2014, the bank did not require loan officers to document the reason for a customer’s rejection. Moreover, according to the OCC, the bank did not require loan officers to inform customers about potential mortgage discounts from August 2011 to January 2015. As a result, the OCC stated that certain borrowers allegedly did not receive RLP benefits for which they were eligible and were adversely affected on the basis of their race, color, national origin, and/or sex. The bank—which did not admit nor deny the allegations and self-reported the problems in 2015—initiated and has nearly completed a reimbursement plan, which will deliver roughly $24 million in restitution to the approximately 24,000 borrowers who may have missed out on the appropriate RLP benefit.
OCC proposes partial assessment fee refunds
On March 20, the OCC published in the Federal Register proposed revisions to its assessment rules to provide partial assessment refunds to banks under OCC jurisdiction that exit OCC jurisdiction within the prescribed timeframe by the rule. In addition to technical and conforming changes, the proposed rule would maintain semiannual assessment fee payments, but would provide refunds equal to the prospective half of the assessment to banks that leave the OCC’s jurisdiction between the date of the applicable Call Report and the date of collection. Comments on the proposal are due by April 19, 2019.
OCC updates recovery planning threshold in Comptroller’s Handbook
On March 15, the OCC announced an update to the Recovery Planning booklet of the Comptroller’s Handbook. Among other things, the revised booklet explains the purpose of effective recovery planning and provides guidance for OCC examiners to use when assessing the “appropriateness and adequacy of [a] covered bank’s recovery planning process and the integration of that process into the covered bank’s overall risk governance framework.” The updates reflect revisions made to the agency’s rule on enforceable guidelines, published December 27, 2018, which increased the average total consolidated assets threshold from $50 billion to $250 billion for covered insured national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches that are required to comply, unless determined otherwise. Additionally, a bank must now comply with the guidelines within 12 months after it first becomes subject to the guidelines.
Agencies adopt interim final rule facilitating transfers of legacy swaps
On March 15, five federal agencies—the FDIC, FHFA, Federal Reserve Board, OCC, and Farm Credit Administration (collectively, the “Agencies”)—adopted an interim final rule amending the agencies’ regulations that require swap dealers and security-based swap dealers under the Agencies’ respective jurisdictions to exchange margin with their counterparties for swaps that are not centrally cleared (Swap Margins Rule). The interim final rule seeks to address the situation where the United Kingdom withdraws from the European Union without a negotiated agreement and entities located in the U.K. transfer existing swap portfolios that face counterparties located in the E.U. over to affiliates located in the U.S. or the E.U. Specifically, the interim final rule provides that certain swaps under this situation will not lose their “legacy” status—will not trigger the application of the Swap Margin Rule—if carried out in accordance with the conditions of the rule. The interim final rule is effective immediately and the Agencies are accepting comments for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
OCC identifies key data fields for HMDA reporters
On March 7, the OCC released Bulletin 2019-12, which identifies the key HMDA data fields for full and partial reporters. Specifically, the Bulletin highlights the 37 key data fields for banks required to report all of the data set forth in the CFPB’s October 2015 and August 2017 HMDA amendments, as well as, the 21 key data fields required for banks that qualify for the partial HMDA exemption pursuant to the May 2018 Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act. According to the Bulletin, OCC examiners will focus on the identified key data fields during transaction testing pursuant to HMDA for data collected on or after January 1, 2018. The Bulletin rescinds OCC Bulletin 2017-41, “Home Mortgage Disclosure Act: Interagency Key Fields.”
As previously covered by InfoBytes, in December 2018, the Federal Reserve Board, the FDIC, and the OCC issued joint guidance regarding the same key data fields that Federal Reserve examiners would use to evaluate the accuracy of HMDA data collected since January 1, 2018.
OCC issues cease and desist order against Japanese bank for BSA/AML issues
On February 22, the OCC announced a cease and desist order against three U.S. branches of a Japanese bank for allegedly violating the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA). According to the order, after an examination of the branches’ BSA/Anti-Money Laundering and OFAC compliance programs, the OCC identified alleged deficiencies in the branches’ BSA compliance program, including (i) internal controls; (ii) suspicious activity monitoring, which resulted in untimely suspicious activity report filings; (iii) foreign correspondent due diligence program; and (iv) trade finance monitoring. The OCC did not issue a monetary penalty against the branches and noted in the order’s announcement that the branches have already begun corrective actions. This action demonstrates U.S. banking regulators’ continued scrutiny of the BSA compliance programs of U.S. branches and subsidiaries of non-U.S. banks that provide international access to the U.S. financial system.
As previously covered by InfoBytes, in November 2017, the OCC issued a consent order with the branches that required corrective actions related to OFAC compliance. The branches continue to operate under this order.
OCC releases February 2019 enforcement actions
On February 15, the OCC released a list of recent enforcement actions taken against national banks, federal savings associations, and individuals currently and formerly affiliated with such entities. The new enforcement actions include a civil money penalty order against an individual, a notice of prohibition against an individual, and three removal and prohibition consent orders against individuals, and a cease and desist consent order described below.
On January 7, the OCC entered into a consent order with a federal savings bank related to allegations of unsafe or unsound banking practices. The OCC alleges the bank failed to implement and maintain an effective compliance management system, risk governance framework, and information technology (IT) program. Among other provisions, the order requires the bank to develop written plans to strengthen the compliance, risk governance, and IT programs, and requires the Board to ensure the bank has adopted and implemented all the corrective actions required by the order. The bank neither admits nor denies the allegations and the OCC did not assess any monetary penalties against the bank.
Banking agencies issue final rule on private flood insurance
On February 12, the Federal Reserve Board, Farm Credit Administration, FDIC, National Credit Union Administration, and the OCC issued a joint final rule amending regulations governing loans secured by properties in special flood hazard areas to implement the provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 concerning private flood insurance. As previously covered by InfoBytes, the provisions, among other things, require regulated lending institutions to accept policies that meet the statutory definition of “private flood insurance,” and clarify that lending institutions may choose to accept private policies that do not meet the statutory criteria for “private flood insurance,” provided the policies meet certain criteria and the lending institutions document that the policies offer “sufficient protection for a designated loan, consistent with general safety and soundness principles.” The final rule takes effect July 1.
(See also FDIC FIL-8-2019, NCUA press release, and OCC press release.)
OCC praises CFPB’s payday rule proposal
On February 11, the OCC released a statement from Comptroller of the Currency Joseph Otting supporting the CFPB’s proposed rule rescinding certain requirements relating to underwriting standards for short-term small-dollar loans. (Covered by InfoBytes here.) Calling the proposal “important and courageous,” Otting praised the Bureau, noting that it was “[t]he shrinking supply and steady demand” that “drove up prices and promoted much less favorable terms.” He continued to state that a framework of rules that allows responsible lenders to compete in the market will make the market “work better for everyone.”
As previously covered by InfoBytes, in May 2018, the OCC released a Bulletin encouraging banks to meet the credit needs of consumers by offering short-term, small-dollar installment loans subject to the OCC’s core lending principles.
Federal Reserve releases CCAR scenarios; “less-complex” firms exempt from 2019 stress tests
On February 5, the Federal Reserve Board (Fed) released the scenarios banks and supervisors will use to conduct the 2019 Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR) and Dodd-Frank Act stress tests exercises for large bank holding companies and large U.S. operations of foreign firms. Each of the three scenarios—baseline, adverse, and severely adverse—include 28 variables that cover domestic and international economic activity. The Fed noted that “less-complex” firms with total consolidated assets between $100 billion and $250 billion have been moved to an extended stress test cycle for the 2019 cycle. (See related InfoBytes coverage here.) Capital plan and stress testing submissions are due by April 5.
In addition, the Fed finalized enhanced disclosures of the stress testing models used in annual CCARs beginning in 2019, which will be updated each year. The Fed also amended its policy regarding the economic scenario design framework for stress testing, and adopted a policy statement on prior disclosures, which outlines the Fed’s approach to model development, implementation, and validation. The changes are designed to increase the transparency of the stress testing exercises and provide significantly more information for firms.
In related news, also on February 5, the OCC released its own stress testing scenarios for OCC-supervised institutions.