On October 19, 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Board (“CFPB”) released a proposed rule that, if enacted, would grant consumers greater access rights to the data their financial institutions hold. Under the proposed Personal Financial Data Rights Rule (the “Proposed Rule”), bank customers nationwide would have privacy rights similar to what is afforded under the dozen state privacy laws that have been enacted in recent years. … Continue Reading

On September 21, 2023, with limited time to digest the comments received by September 11, 2023 from the request for information regarding medical payment products, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) started the FCRA rulemaking process. The press release describes a “rulemaking process to remove medical bills from Americans’ credit reports.”… Continue Reading

Last week, a group of consumer advocate organizations filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the CFPB that would prohibit the use of pre-dispute arbitration clauses in consumer contracts in favor of arbitration clauses that would permit consumers to choose between arbitration and litigation only after a dispute has arisen. We published a blog last Friday in which we enumerated the many flaws in the Petition and urged the CFPB to reject it.… Continue Reading

Earlier this week, a group of consumer advocate organizations filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the CFPB that would prohibit the use of pre-dispute arbitration clauses in consumer contracts in favor of arbitration clauses that would permit consumers to choose between arbitration and litigation only after a dispute has arisen. There are numerous compelling reasons why the CFPB should not engage in such rulemaking.… Continue Reading

A group of federal agencies have proposed reconsideration of value (ROV) guidance for residential real estate valuations. The agencies are the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Reserve Board (Board) and National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Comments on the proposed guidance will be due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.… Continue Reading

Pursuant to section 1473(q) of the Dodd-Frank Act, a group of federal agencies have proposed a quality control rule for automated valuation models (AVMs). The agencies are the Comptroller of the Currency, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal Reserve Board and National Credit Union Administration.… Continue Reading

The CFPB recently announced that it is conducting a review of the Regulation Z mortgage loan originator rules under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) and is seeking comments on the economic impact of the rules on small entities.  The CFPB advises that “[t]hese comments may assist the Bureau in determining whether the Loan Originator Rules should be continued without change or amended or rescinded to minimize any significant economic impact of the rules upon a substantial number of such small entities, consistent with the stated objectives of applicable Federal statutes.” … Continue Reading

The CFPB recently announced that it is seeking input on a trial disclosure sandbox application from the Independent Community Bankers Association (ICBA) for alternative disclosures under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA)/Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) Integrated Disclosure (TRID) rule for construction and construction-to-permanent loans.  The application is a template application, which means that if even approved by the CFPB it will not actually be operative. … Continue Reading

The CFPB recently issued a final rule increasing the asset exemption threshold under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) and a final rule increasing the asset exemption threshold for the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) requirement to maintain an escrow account for a higher-priced mortgage loan (HPML). 

Banks, savings associations and credit unions are not subject to HMDA for a calendar year if their assets as of December 31, of the prior calendar year did not exceed an asset threshold. … Continue Reading

The CFPB recently issued a technical rule to reinstate the closed-end loan reporting threshold under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) of 25 originated covered loans in each of the prior two calendar years that was adopted in an October 2015 rule. The technical rule will be effective on the date that it is published in the Federal Register.… Continue Reading