Federal Reserve System February 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The OCC, Board, and FDIC (collectively, the agencies) are jointly issuing and requesting public comment on interim final rules to implement section 83001 of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), which was enacted on December 4, 2015. Section 83001 of the FAST Act permits the agencies to examine qualifying insured depository institutions with less than $1 billion in total assets no less than once during each 18-month period. Prior to enactment of the FAST Act, only qualifying insured depository institutions with less than $500 million in total assets were eligible for an 18-month on-site examination cycle. The interim final rules generally would allow well capitalized and well managed institutions with less than $1 billion in total assets to benefit from the extended 18-month examination schedule. In addition, the interim final rules make parallel changes to the agencies' regulations governing the on-site examination cycle for U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks, consistent with the International Banking Act of 1978. Finally, the FDIC is integrating its regulations regarding the frequency of safety and soundness examinations for State nonmember banks and State savings associations.

The Board of Governors (Board) requests public comment on an interim final rule that amends Regulation I to establish procedures for payment of dividends by the Federal Reserve Banks (Reserve Banks) to implement the provisions of section 32203 of the ``Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act.'' The interim final rule sets out the dividend rates applicable to Reserve Bank depository institution stockholders and amends provisions of Regulation I regarding treatment of accrued dividends when a Reserve Bank issues or cancels Federal Reserve Bank capital stock.

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) is proposing to repeal its Regulation C, which was issued to implement the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA). Title X of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) transferred rulemaking authority for a number of consumer financial protection laws, including HMDA, from the Board to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau). In December 2011, the Bureau published an interim final rule establishing its own Regulation C to implement HMDA, which substantially duplicated the Board's Regulation C. In October 2015, the Bureau finalized the interim final rule and expanded and revised its Regulation C, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act. HMDA requires covered financial institutions to collect and report loan data in connection with residential mortgage applications and loans. Although the Board retains authority to issue some consumer financial protection rules, all rulemaking authority under HMDA concerning mortgage loan transactions was transferred to the Bureau. Accordingly, the Board is proposing to repeal its Regulation C and the Official Staff Commentary that accompanies the regulation.

On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) delegated to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) its approval authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), to approve of and assign OMB numbers to collection of information requests and requirements conducted or sponsored by the Board. Board- approved collections of information are incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved collections of information. Copies of the PRA Submission, supporting statements and approved collection of information instruments are placed into OMB's public docket files. The Federal Reserve may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection that has been extended, revised, or implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently valid OMB number.

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) is repealing its Regulation AA, which was issued pursuant to its rule writing authority under section 18(f)(1) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act or Act). Section 1092(2) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) repealed section 18(f)(1) of the FTC Act, thus eliminating the Board's rule writing authority under the Act.

On November 30, 2015, the Board published in the Federal Register a notice of proposed rulemaking inviting public comment on a proposed rule to promote financial stability by improving the resolvability and resiliency of large, interconnected U.S. bank holding companies and the U.S. operations of large, interconnected foreign banking organizations pursuant to section 165 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) and related deduction requirements for all banking organizations subject to the Board's capital rules. Due to the range and complexity of the issues addressed in the notice of proposed rulemaking, the Board has determined that an extension of the public comment period until February 19, 2016, is appropriate. This action will allow interested persons additional time to analyze the notice and prepare their comments.