On July 15, 2026, former Iowa Attorney General Thomas J. Miller filed an amicus brief supporting Colorado in the en banc proceedings before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in National Association of Industrial Bankers, et al. v. Weiser. Unlike the other amicus briefs filed in support of Colorado, Miller’s submission is unique because it is based not on academic research, economic analysis, or general principles of statutory interpretation, but on his personal experience administering Iowa’s consumer credit laws from the time the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980 (“DIDMCA”) was enacted in 1980 through more than four decades thereafter.… Continue Reading
Vought tells Congress CFPB needs major changes, even abolishment
During recent Congressional Hearings Acting CFPB Director Russell Vought, testifying for the first time in that capacity, stated that the Trump Administration has succeeded in improving the structure and operation of the CFPB, but more work needs to be done.
In fact, in testimony before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs he said he would prefer that the agency be abolished.… Continue Reading
Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast: Agentic Commerce Is Coming—Will the Legal System Be Ready?
Artificial intelligence is rapidly evolving from a tool that assists human decision-making into technology capable of acting independently. The next frontier, often referred to as agentic AI or agentic commerce, envisions AI agents negotiating contracts, making purchases, authorizing payments, and completing commercial transactions with little or no human intervention.
While enormous investments are being made to develop this technology, far less attention has been devoted to an equally important question: What legal infrastructure will govern autonomous commercial transactions?… Continue Reading
Massachusetts Governor proposes medical debt rules
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has proposed regulations that would stop certain companies in the state from reporting medical debt to consumer credit agencies.
The proposal would prohibit licensed medical care providers and debt collectors working for them from reporting medical debt to credit bureaus, intending to help patients avoid long-term financial harm after an unexpected illness or medical emergency. … Continue Reading
Hopper reaches $35 million agreement with the FTC
The FTC recently announced the settlement (subject to court approval) of an action premised in part on its Unfair and Deceptive Fees Rule (the so-called “Junk Fee Rule”
The FTC and the companies that operate the Hopper travel apps reached an agreement that would require the companies to pay $35 million.… Continue Reading
New York City Proposes Sweeping “All-In Pricing” Rule Targeting Junk Fees Across Virtually Every Industry
On July 8, 2026, the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) proposed a far-reaching rule that would prohibit businesses from charging consumers hidden “junk fees” and require “all-in” pricing for virtually every good and service advertised in New York City. If adopted, the proposal would represent one of the broadest municipal price-transparency regulations in the country and would significantly expand the City’s efforts to combat so-called junk fees beyond the hotel industry. … Continue Reading
Federal Banking Agencies Issue Joint Guidance on Lending to Individuals Not Legally Authorized to Work in the United States
On July 13, 2026, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) issued interagency guidance reminding the financial institutions they supervise of their existing safety and soundness obligations when extending credit to individuals who are not legally authorized to work in the United States.… Continue Reading
Court Establishes Briefing Schedule on Preliminary Injunction Motion Challenging Oregon’s DIDMCA Opt-Out Law
On July 13, 2026, we reported that the National Association of Industrial Bankers (NAIB), the Online Lenders Alliance (OLA), and the American Financial Services Association (AFSA), represented by Ballard Spahr, had filed a motion for a preliminary injunction on July 9, 2026 seeking to prevent Oregon officials from enforcing Oregon’s recently enacted DIDMCA opt-out law while the litigation proceeds.… Continue Reading
CFPB Releases Semiannual Regulatory Agenda: A Surprisingly Active Rulemaking Program
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has released its Semiannual Regulatory Agenda covering the period from January 2026 through November 2026. Published through the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) as part of the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, the agenda provides an important roadmap of the Bureau’s anticipated regulatory activity during the remainder of the year.… Continue Reading
FTC Takes Aim at AI Accuracy
The Federal Trade Commission recently issued a proposed policy statement that could reshape how financial services firms use AI-powered tools. The proposed statement, titled “Proposed Policy Statement Concerning the Suppression of Accuracy in Artificial Intelligence Systems,” puts AI developers on notice that altering AI outputs away from accuracy, even if done to comply with a state law, may constitute consumer deception under Section 5 of the FTC Act.… Continue Reading