We are delighted to announce that David McGrath, Majority Staff of the House Financial Services Committee and one of the architects of the CFPB Reform Act of 2026 Discussion Draft will be our featured guest for Ballard Spahr’s webinar on Monday, August 24, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET.… Continue Reading

Reuters reported yesterday that an internal email sent by a senior Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) official warned examination staff to avoid making “inflammatory or newsworthy” comments during examinations and cautioned that doing so could result in “the most unpleasant manner” of repercussions. Although Reuters did not publish the complete email, the excerpts it quoted have already generated considerable attention and raise important questions about the Bureau’s evolving supervisory philosophy.… Continue Reading

CFPB Deputy Director Mark Paoletta has become the Bureau’s Acting Director following the expiration of Russell Vought’s service as Acting Director on August 1. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, Vought could serve as Acting Director only for a limited period.

President Trump has nominated Brian Johnson to serve as the CFPB’s next Director, but the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has not yet voted on his nomination.… Continue Reading

The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have issued substantially identical notices of proposed rulemaking to modernize the regulations governing extensions of credit by banks to their executive officers, directors, principal shareholders, and their related interests. Because the agencies supervise different categories of insured depository institutions, each is proposing amendments to its own regulations, although the proposals are virtually identical in substance.… Continue Reading

The federal banking agencies, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, have issued a joint statement establishing a coordinated approach for the handling of highly sensitive information during bank examinations. While the statement does not impose new supervisory expectations, it represents an important acknowledgment that the examination process itself can create cybersecurity and information security risks if highly sensitive information is not handled appropriately.… Continue Reading

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently issued a report recommending that the federal banking agencies adopt a more rigorous and transparent process for identifying and eliminating outdated, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome banking regulations. Although the report focuses on improving the agencies’ review process rather than recommending the repeal of any specific regulations, its conclusions align closely with the Trump Administration’s broader effort to reduce regulatory burdens throughout the federal government.… Continue Reading

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has taken the next step in its challenge to a bank-fintech lending program by appealing the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s decision in Opportunity Financial, LLC v. Hewlett. According to the Superior Court docket, a Notice of Appeal was filed on July 21, 2026, ensuring that the closely watched dispute over the “true lender” doctrine will now move to the California Second Appellate District Court of Appeal. … Continue Reading

A New York trial court, in a decision issued on July 20, 2026, has handed the New York Attorney General a significant early victory in her lawsuit against Early Warning Services, LLC (“EWS”), the operator of the Zelle peer-to-peer payment network. In People of the State of New York v. Early Warning Services, LLC, Index No.… Continue Reading

The new California Business and Consumer Services Agency (BCSA), launched on July 1, 2026, will focus on improper practices that drive costs up for state residents, agency Secretary Rohit Chopra said, in a recent blog post.

“A key priority for the agency is to crack down on harmful and corrupt practices that wrongfully raise costs for families and honest businesses,” Chopra wrote.… Continue Reading

At the July 27, 2026 meeting of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC), Comptroller of the Currency Jonathan Gould outlined the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s approach to financial literacy, emphasizing digital financial education, responsible innovation, and the important role that banks, particularly community banks, play in helping consumers navigate an increasingly complex financial system.… Continue Reading