National Credit Union Administration September 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The NCUA Board (Board) proposes to amend Interpretive Ruling and Policy Statement (IRPS) 87-2, as amended by IRPS 03-2, and two NCUA regulations that apply asset thresholds to grant relief from risk-based net worth and interest rate risk requirements. The amended IRPS would result in more robust consideration of regulatory relief for more small credit unions in future rulemakings. The amended regulations would grant immediate and prospective relief from regulatory burden to a larger group of small credit unions.

The NCUA Board (Board) proposes to amend the definition of ``rural district'' in NCUA's Chartering and Field of Membership Manual. The proposed amendment to the definition of ``rural district'' permits a geographic area to qualify as a rural district if, among other criteria, it has a total population that does not exceed the greater of 200,000 people or three percent of the population of the state in which the majority of the district is located. The current definition limits the rural district's population to 200,000, regardless of the population of the state containing the majority of the rural district.

The Board, Bureau, FDIC, FHFA, NCUA, and OCC (collectively, the Agencies) are proposing to amend Regulation Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), and the official interpretation to the regulation. The proposed revisions to Regulation Z would implement a new TILA provision requiring appraisals for ``higher-risk mortgages'' that was added to TILA as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. For mortgages with an annual percentage rate that exceeds the average prime offer rate by a specified percentage, the proposed rule would require creditors to obtain an appraisal or appraisals meeting certain specified standards, provide applicants with a notification regarding the use of the appraisals, and give applicants a copy of the written appraisals used.