Federal Reserve System – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The OCC, Board, FDIC, NCUA, and Bureau (collectively, the agencies) are inviting comment on a proposed rule that would codify the Interagency Statement Clarifying the Role of Supervisory Guidance issued by the agencies on September 11, 2018 (2018 Statement). By codifying the 2018 Statement, the proposed rule is intended to confirm that the agencies will continue to follow and respect the limits of administrative law in carrying out their supervisory responsibilities. The 2018 Statement reiterated well-established law by stating that, unlike a law or regulation, supervisory guidance does not have the force and effect of law. As such, supervisory guidance does not create binding legal obligations for the public. The proposal would also clarify that the 2018 Statement, as amended, is binding on the agencies.

The OCC, Board, and FDIC (collectively, the agencies) are adopting as final the interim final rule published by the agencies on April 17, 2020, making temporary amendments to the agencies' regulations requiring appraisals for certain real estate-related transactions. The final rule adopts the deferral of the requirement to obtain an appraisal or evaluation for up to 120 days following the closing of certain residential and commercial real estate transactions, excluding transactions for acquisition, development, and construction of real estate. Regulated institutions should make best efforts to obtain a credible estimate of the value of real property collateral before closing the loan and otherwise underwrite loans consistent with the principles in the agencies' Standards for Safety and Soundness and Real Estate Lending Standards. The agencies' final rule allows regulated institutions to expeditiously extend liquidity to creditworthy households and businesses in light of recent strains on the U.S. economy as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID event). The final rule adopts the interim final rule with one revision in response to comments received by the agencies on the interim final rule.

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, without revision, the Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices (FR 2018; OMB No. 7100-0058).

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, without revision, the Disclosure Requirements Associated with Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) Regulation DD (FR DD; OMB No. 7100-0271).

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, without revision, the Recordkeeping and Disclosure Requirements Associated with Securities Transactions pursuant to the Board's Regulation H. OMB No. 7100-0196.

The OCC, Board, and FDIC (together, the agencies) are adopting as final the revisions to the definition of eligible retained income made under the interim final rule published in the Federal Register on March 20, 2020, for all depository institutions, bank holding companies, and savings and loan holding companies subject to the agencies' capital rule. The final rule revises the definition of eligible retained income to make more gradual any automatic limitations on capital distributions that could apply under the agencies' capital rule. Separately, in this final rule, the Board also is adopting as final the definition of eligible retained income made under the interim final rule published in the Federal Register on March 26, 2020, for purposes of the Board's total loss-absorbing capacity (TLAC) rule. The final rule adopts these interim final rules with no changes.

The Board is inviting comment on a notice of proposed rulemaking (proposal) to tailor the requirements in the Board's capital plan rule (capital plan rule), which applies to large bank holding companies and U.S. intermediate holding companies of foreign banking organizations. Specifically, as foreshadowed in the Board's October 2019 rulemaking that updated the prudential framework for these companies (tailoring framework), the proposal would make conforming changes to the capital planning, regulatory reporting, and stress capital buffer requirements for firms subject to Category IV standards to be consistent with the tailoring framework. To be consistent with recent changes to the Board's stress testing rules, the proposal would make other changes to the Board's stress testing rules, Stress Testing Policy Statement and regulatory reporting requirements relating to business plan change assumptions, capital action assumptions, and the publication of company-run stress test results for savings and loan holding companies. This proposal also solicits comment on the Board's guidance on capital planning for all firms supervised by the Board, in light of recent changes to relevant regulations and as part of the Board's ongoing practice of reviewing its policies to ensure that they are having their intended effect.

Due to the extraordinary disruptions from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) is extending through March 31, 2021 the temporary actions, announced on April 23, 2020, that encourage healthy depository institutions to utilize intraday credit extended by Federal Reserve Banks (Reserve Banks). The temporary actions were previously scheduled to expire on September 30, 2020.