Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection July 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

With certain exceptions, Regulation Z requires creditors to make a reasonable, good faith determination of a consumer's ability to repay any residential mortgage loan, and loans that meet Regulation Z's requirements for ``qualified mortgages'' obtain certain protections from liability. One category of qualified mortgages (QMs) is loans that are eligible for purchase or guarantee by either the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). Under Regulation Z, this category of QMs (Temporary GSE QM loans) is scheduled to expire no later than January 10, 2021. The Bureau currently plans to allow the Temporary GSE QM loan category to expire in January 2021 or after a short extension, if necessary, to facilitate a smooth and orderly transition away from the Temporary GSE QM loan category. The Bureau is considering whether to propose revisions to Regulation Z's general qualified mortgage definition in light of that planned expiration and is issuing this ANPR to request information about possible revisions.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection, titled ``Equal Access to Justice Act.''

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is issuing its seventh Fair Lending Report of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Fair Lending Report) to Congress. The Bureau is committed to ensuring fair access to credit and eliminating discriminatory lending practices. This report describes the Bureau's fair lending activities in prioritization, supervision, enforcement, rulemaking, interagency coordination, and outreach for calendar year 2018.

The Board and the Bureau (Agencies) are amending Regulation CC, which implements the Expedited Funds Availability Act (EFA Act), to implement a statutory requirement in the EFA Act to adjust the dollar amounts under the EFA Act for inflation. The Agencies are also amending Regulation CC to incorporate the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (EGRRCPA) amendments to the EFA Act, which include extending coverage to American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam, and making certain other technical amendments.