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

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to reinstate with change a previously approved collection, titled, ``Generic Information Collection Plan for Studies of Consumers Using Controlled Trials in Field and Economic Laboratory Settings.'' Also in accordance with the PRA, the Bureau is requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the following generic Information Collections titled, ``Savings and Debt Study,'' ``Vague Language in Disclosures Study,'' ``Tiered Disclosure Study,'' ``Financial Scale Development Testing,'' and ``Disclosure Market Study'' under this Generic Information Collection Plan. Each of these information collections are contemporaneously being submitted to OMB with the request to reinstate with change the aforementioned generic information collection plan.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is issuing this final rule to delay the August 19, 2019 compliance date for the mandatory underwriting provisions of the regulation promulgated by the Bureau in November 2017 governing Payday, Vehicle Title, and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans (2017 Final Rule or Rule). Compliance with these provisions of the Rule is delayed by 15 months, to November 19, 2020. The Bureau is also making certain conforming changes and corrections to address several clerical and non-substantive errors it has identified in the Rule.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting to reinstate with change a previously approved information collection, titled, ``Generic Information Collection Plan for the Development and Testing of Disclosures and Related Materials.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting to reinstate with change a previously approved collection titled, ``Generic Information Collection Plan for Information on Compliance Costs and Other Effects of Regulations.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection titled, ``Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B) 12 CFR 1002.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection, titled, ``Truth In Lending Act (Regulation Z) 12 CFR 1026.''

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), this notice sets forth the announcement of a public meeting of the Community Bank Advisory Council (CBAC or Council) of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau). The notice also describes the functions of the Council.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is publishing a plan for the review of rules which have or will have a significant economic impact upon a substantial number of small entities, pursuant to section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting 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 proposing two alternatives to amend Regulation C to increase the threshold for reporting data about closed-end mortgage loans so that institutions originating fewer than either 50 closed-end mortgage loans, or alternatively 100 closed-end mortgage loans, in either of the two preceding calendar years would not have to report such data as of January 1, 2020. The proposed rule would also adjust the threshold for reporting data about open-end lines of credit by extending to January 1, 2022, the current temporary threshold of 500 open-end lines of credit and setting the threshold at 200 open-end lines of credit upon the expiration of the proposed extension of the temporary threshold. The Bureau is also proposing to incorporate into Regulation C the interpretations and procedures from the interpretive and procedural rule that the Bureau issued on August 31, 2018, and to implement further section 104(a) of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.

The Electronic Fund Transfers Act (EFTA), as amended by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), establishes certain protections for consumers sending international money transfers, or remittance transfers. The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection's (Bureau) remittance rules (Remittance Rule or Rule) implement these protections. This document seeks information and evidence that may inform possible changes to the Rule that would not eliminate, but would mitigate the effects of the expiration of a statutory exception for certain financial institutions. EFTA expressly limits the length of the temporary exception to July 21, 2020 and does not authorize the Bureau to extend this term. Therefore, the exception will expire on July 21, 2020 unless Congress changes the law. In addition, the Bureau seeks information and evidence related to the scope of coverage of the Rule, including whether to change a safe harbor threshold in the Rule that determines whether a person makes remittance transfers in the normal course of its business, and whether an exception for small financial institutions may be appropriate.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to revise an existing information collection titled, ``Joint Standards for Assessing the Diversity Policies and Practices.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection titled, ``Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Regulation X) 12 CFR 1024.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection titled, ``Consumer Response Government and Congressional Portal Boarding Forms.''

Pursuant to the authorities given to the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) under the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) Director Kraninger invites the public to apply for membership for appointment to its Consumer Advisory Board (CAB), Community Bank Advisory Council, Credit Union Advisory Council (CUAC), and Academic Research Council (ARC), (collectively, advisory committees). Membership of the advisory committees includes representatives of consumers, diverse communities, the financial services industry, academics, and economists. Appointments to the committees are generally for two years. However, the Director may amend the respective committee charters from time to time during the charter terms, as the Director deems necessary to accomplish the purpose of the committees. The Bureau expects to announce the selection of new members in September 2019.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau), after consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat of the General Services Administration, will renew the Consumer Advisory Board (the committee or the CAB) effective on March 21, 2019. The CAB will ``advise and consult with the Bureau in the exercise of its functions under the Federal consumer financial laws'' and ``provide information on emerging practices in the consumer financial products or services industry, including regional trends, concerns, and other relevant information,'' as outlined in section 1014(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau), after consultation with the Committee Management Secretariat of the General Services Administration, will establish the Credit Union Advisory Council (the committee or the CUAC) effective on March 21, 2019. The CUAC was established to consult with the Bureau in the exercise of its functions under the federal consumer financial laws as they pertain to credit unions with total assets of $10 billion or less.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection titled, ``Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B) 12 CFR 1002.''

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is issuing this Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to solicit information relating to residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing. The Bureau will consider the information it receives in response to this ANPR in implementing section 307 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (EGRRCPA). In relevant part, EGRRCPA section 307 amends the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) to mandate that the Bureau prescribe certain regulations relating to PACE financing. Specifically, the regulations must carry out the purposes of TILA's ability-to-repay (ATR) requirements, currently in place for residential mortgage loans, with respect to PACE financing, and apply TILA's general civil liability provision for violations of the ATR requirements the Bureau will prescribe for PACE financing. The regulations must ``account for the unique nature'' of PACE financing. This ANPR solicits information to better understand the PACE financing market and the unique nature of PACE financing.

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), this notice sets forth the announcement of a public meeting of the Community Bank Advisory Council (CBAC or Council) of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau). The notice also describes the functions of the Council.

Under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), this notice sets forth the announcement of a public meeting of the Consumer Advisory Board (CAB or Board) of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau). The notice also describes the functions of the Board.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to delay the August 19, 2019 compliance date for the mandatory underwriting provisions of the regulation promulgated by the Bureau in November 2017 governing Payday, Vehicle Title, and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans (2017 Final Rule or Rule) by 15 months to November 19, 2020. This proposal is related to another proposal, published separately in this issue of the Federal Register, seeking comment on whether the Bureau should rescind the mandatory underwriting provisions of the 2017 Final Rule.

The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is issuing its sixth 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 2017.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of a generic Information Collection titled, ``Making Ends Meet Survey,'' under the Generic Information Collection Plan titled, ``Generic Information Collection Plan for Surveys Using the Consumer Credit Panel.''

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is requesting to renew the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection titled, ``Joint Standards for Assessing the Diversity Policies and Practices.''