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Fannie Mae Clarifies Unemployment Benefits Eligibility For Refinance Loans
On May 6, Fannie Mae issued Selling Guide Announcement SEL-2014-04, which makes clear, effective immediately, that unemployment benefits may be used in qualifying an applicant for a DU Refi Plus or Refi Plus loan whether they are seasonal or non-seasonal. The announcement explains that the change was required because, while unemployment benefits constitute a type of public assistance income that may, at the lender’s option, be considered in qualifying an applicant, current guidelines for DU Refi Plus and Refi Plus mortgage loans may be interpreted to restrict that consideration to seasonal unemployment benefits only. The announcement reminds sellers that, as with other income sources and documentation requirements for DU Refi Plus and Refi Plus mortgage loans, lenders are not required to establish a minimum history of receiving income or make a determination that the income can be expected to continue for at least three years.
Insurance Company Resolves Apparent Cuba Sanctions Violations
On May 8, OFAC released enforcement information regarding “apparent violations” of the Cuban Assets Control Regulations by Canadian subsidiaries of a U.S. insurance company. The U.S. company self-reported 3,560 apparent violations that occurred between January 2006, and March 2009, and agreed to remit $279,038 to settle potential civil liability. OFAC stated that over a more than three-year period two Canadian subsidiaries issued or renewed property and casualty insurance policies that insured Cuban risks of a Canadian company, and that one of the subsidiaries maintained a D&O liability insurance policy that insured certain directors and officers of three Cuban joint venture partners of a Canadian corporation. Separately, another subsidiary sold, renewed, or maintained in force individual or annual multi-trip travel insurance policies in which the insured identified Cuba as the travel destination. The civil penalty reflects OFAC’s balancing of aggravating and mitigating factors, including the actual knowledge of the company and certain members of management of the violative conduct; and the company’s self-disclosure, cooperation, and advance remediation.
Maryland Adds Training, Disclosure Requirements For Money Transmitters
On May 5, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed HB 723, which requires state licensed money transmitters to (i) provide on transmittal forms a clear, concise, and conspicuous fraud warning that includes a toll-free telephone number for individuals to call to report fraud or suspected fraud; (ii) provide annual training to agents related to financial abuse and financial exploitation of elders; and (iii) allow an individual to voluntarily be disqualified from sending or receiving money transmissions in the state for a specified period of time. The changes, which take effect October 1, 2014, do not apply to a licensee or an agent that engages (i) in selling or issuing stored value devices, traveler’s checks, or money orders, or providing bill payer services, as long as the licensee or agent does not engage in any other business regulated under the money transmission law; or (ii) in the business of money transmission solely through the Internet.
OFAC Publishes Initial Ukraine-Related Sanctions Regulations
On May 8, OFAC issued regulations to implement recent Executive Orders establishing sanctions against Russian individuals and entities related to the situation in Ukraine. The Ukraine-Related Sanctions Regulations, 31 C.F.R. Part 589, implement Executive Order 13660 of March 6, 2014, Executive Order 13661 of March 17, 2014, and Executive Order 13662 of March 20, 2014. Consistent with its prior practice, OFAC published the regulations in abbreviated form and plans to provide a more comprehensive set of regulations, which may include additional interpretive and definitional guidance and additional general licenses and statements of licensing policy.
FEC Allows Small Bitcoin Political Contributions
On May 8, the FEC unanimously approved an advisory opinion permitting political committees to accept bitcoin contributions of $100 or less, and allowing political committees to buy and sell bitcoins as an investment. Each contributor would have to provide his or her name, physical address, occupation, and employer; affirm that he or she owns the bitcoins that he or she will contribute; and affirm that he or she is not a foreign national. The virtual currency would be treated as an in-kind contribution; i.e., it would have to be converted to dollars before spending. The opinion does not address whether committees may take larger bitcoin contributions. The FEC remains deadlocked on whether committees may use bitcoin contributions to acquire goods and services.
Missouri Division Of Finance Transitions Mortgage Company Licensing To NMLS
Recently, the Missouri Division of Finance announced that all mortgage company and branch licenses issued through the Division will transition to the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS). All currently licensed companies must transition their licenses to the NMLS by October 1, 2014, and effective June 2, 2014, new company license applicants must request licensure through the NMLS. The NMLS will host a transition training webinar on June 5, 2014 for all currently licensed mortgage companies.
Transportation Regulator Proposes Allowing Electronic Records And Signatures
Recently, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a proposed rule to allow the use of electronic records and signatures to satisfy the agency’s regulatory requirements. The rule would permit the use of electronic methods to sign, certify, generate, exchange, or maintain records so long as the documents accurately reflect the information in the record and can be used for their intended purpose. The proposal seeks to implement the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) and the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E–SIGN), and would apply only to documents that the agency’s regulations obligate entities or individuals to retain—it would not apply to forms or other documents that must be submitted directly to the agency. Comments on the proposal are due by June 27, 2014.
CSBS Publishes Annual Report
On May 1, the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) published its 2013 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 2014. Those priorities include, among others, continuing to coordinate with federal regulators on cybersecurity and with the CFPB on complaint sharing. The report also includes more detailed reports on past and future activities by various CSBS divisions and boards, including a report from the Policy and Supervision Division that reviews the CSBS’s legislative and regulatory policy positions, and its bank supervision and consumer protection and non-bank supervision activities.
CFPB Proposes Limited Relief From Annual Privacy Notice Delivery Requirements
On May 7, the CFPB issued a proposed rule that would provide financial institutions an alternative method for delivering annual privacy notices. The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and Regulation P require financial institutions to, among other things, provide annual privacy notices to customers—either in writing or electronically with consumer consent. Industry generally has criticized the current annual notice requirement as ineffective and burdensome, with most financial institutions providing the notices by U.S. postal mail. The proposed rule would allow financial institutions, under certain circumstances, to comply with the GLBA annual privacy notice delivery requirements by (i) continuously posting the notice in a clear and conspicuous manner on a page of their websites, without requiring a login or similar steps to access the notice; and (ii) mailing the notices promptly to customers who request them by phone.
Specifically, under the CFPB’s proposal, a financial institution subject to the GLBA privacy notice requirements would be permitted to post annual notices online, provided the institution:
- Does not share the customer’s nonpublic personal information with nonaffiliated third parties in a manner that triggers GLBA opt-out rights;
- Does not include on its annual privacy notice a Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) § 603(d)(2)(A)(iii) notice regarding the ability to opt out of information sharing with the institution’s affiliates;
- Does not use its annual privacy notice as the only notice provided to satisfy affiliate marketing opt-out notice requirements under section 624 of FCRA;
- Has not changed the information included in the privacy notice since the customer received the previous notice;
- Uses the model form provided in Regulation P; and
- Inserts a clear and conspicuous statement, at least once per year on a notice or disclosure the institution issues under any other provision of law, announcing that the annual privacy notice is available on the institution’s website, such notice has not changed since the previous notice, and a copy of such notice will be mailed to customers who request it by calling a toll-free telephone number.
The CFPB cites the following benefits of the proposed rule:
- Provides consumers with constant access to privacy policies;
- Incentivizes financial institutions to limit their data sharing with unaffiliated third parties;
- Allows consumers who are concerned about their personal information to comparison shop before deciding which financial institution to use; and
- Reduces the cost for companies to provide annual privacy notices.
The proposed rule would provide some relief to industry, particularly where broader bipartisan legislative solutions have failed to gain substantial traction. Last year, the House passed legislation that would fully exempt a financial institution from the annual notice requirement if it (i) provides nonpublic personal information only in accordance with specified requirements, and (ii) has not changed its policies and practices with regard to disclosing nonpublic personal information from its most recent disclosure. A similar Senate bill introduced early last year has not moved forward, though its sponsor, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), pressed the CFPB director about the issue during a hearing last fall.
The CFPB’s proposal will remain open for comment for 30 days following its publication in the Federal Register.
FSOC Annual Report Calls For Heightened Scrutiny Of Nonbank Mortgage Servicers
On May 7, following a short open meeting, the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC)—the body established by the Dodd-Frank Act to identify and respond to risks to the stability of the U.S. financial system—released its 2014 annual report. As with past reports, this report reviews market and regulatory developments, and identifies emerging risks to the financial system. Among several new risks identified by the FSOC are those related to the increase in the transfer of mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) from banks to nonbank servicers. The report asserts that many nonbank servicers “are not currently subject to prudential standards such as capital, liquidity, or risk management oversight,” and that where mortgage investors’ ability to collect on mortgages is dependent on a single mortgage servicing company, “failure could have significant negative consequences for market participants.” The FSOC recommends that, in addition to continuing to monitor risks associated with transfers to nonbanks, state regulators should work together and with the CFPB and the FHFA on prudential and corporate governance standards for nonbank servicers. The report elevates and reinforces recent regulatory scrutiny of MSRs and nonbank servicers. Earlier this year, the CFPB's deputy director detailed the CFPB's expectations with regard to the transfer of MSRs and compliance with the CFPB's mortgage servicing rules, and New York financial services regulator Benjamin Lawsky expressed his view that nonbank mortgage services are insufficiently regulated and that state regulators need to intervene on the front end of MSR transactions to prevent undue harm to homeowners before it occurs.