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Special Alert: Report on 2013 NMLS Annual Conference
The Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry (NMLS) held its fifth annual NMLS User Conference and Training in San Antonio, Texas from February 26 through March 1, 2013. The Conference brought together state and federal mortgage regulators, industry professionals, compliance companies, top law firms, and education providers to learn about the latest developments in mortgage supervision and to discuss pressing issues confronting the industry.
The first day of the Conference included the bi-annual NMLS Ombudsman Meeting, which provided an opportunity for NMLS users to raise issues concerning the NMLS, state and/or federal regulation. NMLS Ombudsman Timothy Siwy, Deputy Secretary of Non-Depository Institutions with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking, presided over the meeting, in which specific questions submitted by industry representatives were addressed. Several of the submitted questions focused on the new Uniform State Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) Exam or Uniform State Test (the UST) of which 24 agencies have already adopted. Concerns were raised by the regulators as some state statutes require that a state’s specific laws be tested as a pre-requisite of MLO licensure. Others, such as regulators from California and Utah, had concerns that MLOs would not adequately learn state specific laws and regulations prior to licensure. In light of these concerns, industry representatives indicated that the UST is only the first step in licensure, and continuing education requirements, monitoring, and examinations would also serve as opportunities to ensure MLOs are well-versed in applicable state specific licensing laws and regulations.
Other areas of focus included NMLS’s expansion to include non-mortgage licenses, such as payday lender and pawn broker licenses. Some industry representatives voiced concern that approval of a license via the NMLS now carries with it an image of legitimacy with the public and expanding licensure to non-mortgage, less regulated industries could undermine that image. Regulators responded that the NMLS is a tracking mechanism—a way for regulators to track licensees state-to-state and industry-to-industry—not an independent licensing credential.
Full details regarding the specific issues submitted for comment, as well as accompanying exhibits, will be available on the NMLS Website, Ombudsman Page. A recording of the Ombudsman Meeting should be posted to the NMLS Resource Center in the near future.
The remaining days of the Conference covered various federal and state regulatory rule implementation, updates for industry, and a look ahead at new initiatives and changes to the NMLS (please refer to the NMLS Conference Agenda, which also includes copies of presentations). Specifically, various sessions covered the following topics, among others:
- The collaboration of the CFPB and state regulators to level the playing field between banks and non-banks with respect to enforcing regulations and conducting examinations. David Liken, the Deputy Director of Supervision and Enforcement with the CFPB, explained that Dodd Frank contemplated a partnership between state regulators and the CFPB, which includes information sharing and joint examinations. The CFPB plans to provide state regulators with training conducted by CFPB personnel at no cost to state regulators.
- The future of the NMLS which includes a goal to initiate three system releases/ enhancements per year. 2013-2014 will include launching an advance change notice function, electronic surety bond management, and a requirement for annual volume reports for non-mortgage entities.
- The state of financial supervision, in particular, concerns about industry diversity and cooperation between state and federal agencies to leverage their resources to address emerging issues and trends in the financial market.
- Regulation of debt collectors as the “larger participant” rule giving the CFPB supervisory authority over debt collectors was issued in October 2012 and took effect on January 2, 2013. The CFPB has started looking at collection practices of creditors when the creditor collects in its own name and through third party collectors.
In addition, the Conference covered major changes to the NMLS and also included a presentation from the CFPB summarizing the CFPB’s final rules:
- Advance Change Notification—The NMLS will launch its Advance Change Notice functionality that will allow licensees to provide notice electronically to NMLS participating states of proposed changes to the company and its branches, including, but not limited to: name changes, address changes, and change of control. The initial roll out of this functionality is slated for June 2013.
- Money Services Regulator Panel—A Money Services Regulator Panel, which included Stephanie Newberg, Deputy Commissioner of the Texas Department of Banking, and Deb Bortner of the Washington Department of Financial Institutions, discussed the benefits and challenges associated with the addition of money services licenses to the NMLS. The NMLS has provided money services business with a streamlined system to apply for licenses and keep regulators updated on license changes; however, licensees continue to struggle with certain aspects of the system (e.g., transmission of materials via the NMLS and confusion with completing certain control person and direct and indirect owner forms, given varying state interpretations).
- The New System of Dual Regulatory Supervision—A panel, which included Charlie Fields, Director, Non-Depository Entities Division, North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks, Calvin Hagins, Program Manager, Supervision, Fair Lending & Enforcement with the CFPB, and various industry representatives, discussed the coordinated efforts of state regulators and the CFPB to conduct licensee examinations. The panel focused on (1) examination selection criteria—i.e., how the Multi-State Examination Committee or CFPB may decide to examine an entity, (2) factors weighed by the Multi-State Examination Committee when deciding whether to join CFPB in an examination, (3) CFPB examination process—i.e., CFPB’s preference to collect date on-site while processing and analyzing data off-site, and (4) encouraging entities to engage in “self-regulation” and “self-review.”
- 2013 Mortgage Final Rules Overview—Kelly Thompson Chochran, Assistant Director for Regulations of the CFPB summarized several recently issued CFPB rules, which are expected to be implemented in the next year, including: the Ability-to-Repay / Qualified Mortgages Final Rule, the Mortgage Servicing Final Rule, and the Loan Originator Compensation, HOEPA, Escrows, and Appraisal Final Rule.
BuckleySandler recently issued detailed summaries of the CFPB rules.
For more information about NMLS, visit the NMLS Resource Center, About NMLS.
CFPB Proposes Rule to Supervise Nonbank Student Loan Servicers
On March 14, the CFPB proposed a rule to allow it to supervise “larger participant” nonbank student loan servicers. The CFPB has authority to supervise, regardless of size, nonbanks that originate private education loans, and can define and supervise larger participants in other markets for consumer financial products or services. The CFPB proposes to supervise any nonbank student loan servicer whose volume exceeds one million accounts, which the CFPB expects will cover the seven largest servicers. The CFPB’s test to determine volume would consider the number of accounts serviced, whether for federal or private loans, for which an entity and its affiliated companies were responsible as of December 31 of the prior calendar year. After designation, a servicer would remain a larger participant until two years after the first day of the tax year in which the servicer last met the account volume test. The CFPB would use its existing student loan examination procedures to review larger participants’ “student loan servicing,” which the proposed rule defines as: (i) collecting and processing loan payments on behalf of holders of promissory notes, (ii) maintaining account records and communicating with borrowers on behalf of loan holders during deferment periods, and (iii) interacting with borrowers to facilitate collection and processing of loan payments. An entity notified that the CFPB intends to undertake supervisory activity would have an opportunity to challenge the larger participant determination. The CFPB is accepting comments on the proposal for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register.
Federal Government Plans Appeal of Recess Appointment Ruling
On March 12, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced that it will seek, in consultation with the Department of Justice, U.S. Supreme Court review of the D.C. Circuit Court’s decision invalidating the appointment of certain NLRB members. On January 25, 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit held that appointments to the NLRB made by President Obama in January 2012 during a purported Senate recess were unconstitutional. CFPB Director Richard Cordray was appointed in the same manner and on the same day as the NLRB members, and his appointment is the subject of a lawsuit currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The NLRB’s petition is due on April 25, 2013.
CFPB Introduces Regional Directors
On March 12, the CFPB publicly introduced its four regional directors. Edwin Chow heads the West Region. He joined the CFPB in September 2010, bringing 26 years of experience with the Office of Thrift Supervision and its predecessor. The Midwest Region is led by Anthony Gibbs, who recently joined the CFPB after 19 years with a major bank. Steve Kaplan, a former Pennsylvania Secretary of Banking, leads the Northeast Region, and Jim Carley, previously at the division of banking regulation at the Federal Housing Finance Agency, heads the Southeast Region. The CFPB announced the directors as part of its push to hire more examiners for its field offices.
Senate Banking Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing for CFPB Director, SEC Commissioner
On March 12, the Senate Banking Committee held a confirmation hearing for Richard Cordray to serve as CFPB Director, and for Mary Jo White to serve as SEC Commissioner/Chairman. While majority and minority committee members commended Mr. Cordray for his leadership of the CFPB to date, the basic disagreement over the structure of the agency itself remains. Democrats maintain that Mr. Cordray deserves a confirmation vote, citing the facts that Congress already approved the structure of the CFPB, that it is the only financial regulator subject to a funding cap and whose rules are subject to a veto. Republicans argue that the CFPB lacks transparency and accountability, and that it should be changed to a commission structure and subject to congressional appropriations. In his testimony, Mr. Cordray stressed his efforts to be transparent and accountable, and Chairman Johnson (D-ND) entered into the record a letter from Rep. Stivers (R-OH) to the Committee calling on members to confirm Mr. Cordray as someone who could help bridge the gap on policy differences. Committee members also generally supported Ms. White. In her testimony, Ms. White addressed concerns from Senators on both sides about potential conflicts of interest given her recent work as a defense attorney, and stated her primary focus will be to finalize rules required by the Dodd-Frank Act and the JOBS Act. Additional priorities identified by committee members that Ms. White agreed should be agency priorities included finalizing rules for (i) credit rating agency conflicts of interest, (ii) money market funds, (iii) CEO pay versus median employee pay disclosures, (iv) high frequency trading, and (vi) crowd funding. Ms. White also pledged to vigorously enforce existing laws. The committee is scheduled to vote on both nominees on March 19, 2013.
CFPB Publishes Preliminary List of Rural and Underserved Counties For Escrow Rule Implementation
On March 12, the CFPB published a preliminary list of rural and underserved counties for use in implementing certain new mortgage rules, including the rule on escrow account requirements for first-lien higher-priced mortgage loans (HPMLs). That rule created a new exemption for small creditors that operate predominantly in rural or underserved areas. Such a creditor is not required to establish an escrow account for taxes and insurance for an HPML if (i) during the preceding calendar year, it extended more than 50 percent of its total covered transactions on properties that are located in designated rural or underserved counties; (ii) the creditor and its affiliates together originated 500 or fewer covered transactions during the preceding calendar year; (iii) as of the end of the preceding calendar year, the creditor had total assets of less than $2 million; and (iv) the creditor and its affiliates do not maintain certain types of escrow accounts. The CFPB expects to finalize the list of counties, together with technical changes to the rule, before the escrow rule takes effect on June 1, 2013, and notes that some counties’ rural status may change for the 2014 list based on the 2010 Census. The list also impacts implementation of several other CFPB mortgage rules that take effect in January 2014, including the ability to repay/qualified mortgage rule, the HOEPA rule, and the appraisals for HPMLs rule. BuckleySandler has prepared detailed analyses of each of those rules.
New Study Claims Mortgage Lenders Discriminate against Women
On March 12, the Chicago-based Woodstock Institute released research claiming that mortgage lenders discriminate against female applicants. The research is presented in a “fact sheet” and previews a longer report the group plans to publish later this year. The study reviewed 2010 HMDA data on first lien single-family home purchase and refinance mortgage applications in the Chicago area and purports to show that (i) female-headed joint applications are much less likely to be originated than male-headed joint applications and (ii) this disparity holds true across all racial categories and is most pronounced for African American women. The Woodstock Institute further claims that these disparities are more pronounced for refinance loans. Based on its conclusions, the group urges federal regulators and enforcement authorities to conduct further investigation, including through enforcement of HUD’s recently finalized disparate impact rule. It also recommends that the CFPB prioritize enhancing the HMDA rules to make public more information to better identify discriminatory lending practices.
House Passes Gramm-Leach-Bliley Privacy Disclosure Exemption
On March 12, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 749, a bill that would exempt from the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act’s annual privacy policy notice requirements any financial institution that (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. The bill is identical to one passed by the House last year, H.R. 5817, but which the Senate never addressed. H.R. 749 now awaits consideration by the Senate.
Massachusetts High Court Holds State Credit Card Law Intended to Protect against Invasion of Privacy, ZIP Codes Protected
On March 11, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that a credit card holder may bring an action for violation of a state law prohibiting businesses from requiring personal identification information as part of a credit card transaction, even in the absence of identity fraud. Tyler v. Michaels Stores, Inc., No. SJC-11145, 2013 WL 854097 (Mass. Mar. 11, 2013). The card holder moved the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court to certify three questions interpreting the statute after a case she brought against the retailer in federal court was dismissed. The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts had held that a retailer’s collection of ZIP codes during a credit card transaction can constitute a violation of the credit card law, but that the card holder failed to allege actual harm. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court agreed that a ZIP code amounts to personal information under the statute, and found that the law is “intended primarily” to protect card holders from invasion of privacy by merchants, not against credit card identity fraud. However, the court noted that the statute did not contain an express limitation barring card holders who were not the victim of fraud. On a third question, the court held that the term "credit card transaction form" refers equally to electronic and paper transaction forms.
CFPB To Hold Field Hearing on Consumer Complaints
On March 11, the CFPB announced a field hearing about its Consumer Complaint Database, to be held in Des Moines, IA on March 28, 2013. The CFPB has not yet announced witnesses but has stated the event will feature remarks from CFPB Director Richard Cordray, as well as testimony from consumer groups, industry representatives, and members of the public. The CFPB currently accepts complaints regarding credit cards, mortgages, bank accounts and services, auto/consumer loans, student loans, and consumer reporting, but so far has only published the credit card complaints in the public database. In the past, the CFPB has made policy announcements in connection with field hearings. Accordingly, the CFPB may announce that it is making additional types of complaints publicly available, or that it will accept complaints regarding an additional product or service.