National Credit Union Administration June 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is issuing a final rule to regulate purchases by federally insured credit unions of indirect vehicle loans serviced by third-parties. The rule limits the aggregate amount of these loans serviced by any single third-party to a percentage of the credit union's net worth. The rule ensures that federally insured credit unions do not undertake undue risk with these purchases.

NCUA is amending its field of membership rules regarding service to underserved areas to limit underserved area additions to multiple common-bond credit unions and revise facility requirements for underserved areas. These amendments are being made after a comprehensive review of chartering policy based upon NCUA's experience addressing field of membership issues and the uncertainty resulting from recent litigation challenging service to underserved areas in Utah and the current ambiguity in the Federal Credit Union Act on this issue. This final rule will ensure continued reliable and efficient service to federal credit union members located in approved underserved areas and continue to allow multiple common-bond credit unions to add underserved areas to their charters. The final rule generally adopts the amendments as proposed. In addition, the final rule retains the definition of service facility as a credit union owned facility where shares are accepted for members' accounts, loan applications are accepted, and loans are disbursed.

NCUA proposes to amend its rules regarding the conversion of insured credit unions to mutual savings banks or mutual savings associations. The proposed revisions are primarily intended to improve the information available to members and the board of directors as they consider a possible conversion. The revisions include revised disclosures, revised voting procedures, procedures to facilitate communications among members, and procedures for members to provide their comments to directors before the credit union board votes on a conversion plan.

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), FinCEN, OCC, OTS, FDIC, and NCUA (collectively, the ``agencies'') hereby give notice that they have submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requests for review of the information collections described below. OCC, OTS, FDIC, NCUA, and FinCEN are submitting the Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) information collection to OMB for extension with revision. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Board) also participated in this review. However, the Board, under its Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) delegated authority, will publish a separate final notice and submit its SAR information collection to OMB. On February 17, 2006, the agencies and the Board, requested public comment on a major revision of the SAR form. OCC also requested comments on all information collections contained in 12 CFR part 21 (``Minimum Security Devices and Procedures, Reports of Suspicious Activities, and Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Program''). The agencies have made the proposed changes, as well as additional changes suggested by the commenters.