On July 29, 2022, the New York Department of Financial Services (“NYDFS”) released Draft Amendments to its Cyber Security Regulations.  The Amendments, if adopted, would further regulatory trends and impose important new requirements on covered entities.

The Amendments contain three significant changes relating to ransomware.  First, the Amendment specifically adds “the deployment of ransomware within a material part of the covered entity’s information system” as a cybersecurity event requiring notice to the superintendent within 72 hours. … Continue Reading

Overdraft and NSF fees remain very much on the radar of the CFPB, the federal banking agencies, and certain state banking agencies.  The very fact that the CFPB continues to closely monitor bank call reports with respect to overdraft and NSF fee revenues demonstrates the Bureau’s ongoing focus on this issue. … Continue Reading

The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued an Industry Letter providing guidance on overdraft and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees to depository institutions that it supervises.

The DFS indicates that, through the supervisory process, it has identified several unfair or deceptive acts or practices regarding the imposition of overdraft and NSF fees. … Continue Reading

Around the nation, regulators are preparing to implement and enforce new consumer-like disclosure laws for small business commercial finance providers.

New York regulators have yet to issue final regulations implementing the state’s Commercial Finance Disclosure Law (CFDL), which went into effect on January 1, 2022.  As we previously reported, the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) advised that commercial finance providers’ obligations under the CFDL do not ripen until the NYDFS “issues final implementing regulations and those regulations take effect.” … Continue Reading

The New York Senate has confirmed Governor Hochul’s nomination of Adrienne Harris to serve as Superintendent of the state’s Department of Financial Services.  Ms. Harris has been serving as Acting Superintendent since the departure of her predecessor, Linda Lacewell, in August 2021.

Ms. Harris previously served as a Senior Advisor in the Treasury Department during the Obama Administration. … Continue Reading

The New York Department of Financial Services has issued a letter announcing that it has concluded that the obligation of providers of commercial financing under the Commercial Finance Disclosure Law (CFDL) to provide consumer-like disclosures does not arise “until the Department issues final implementing regulations and those regulations take effect.”

The CFDL was enacted by S 5740-B and requires consumer-like disclosures for “commercial financing” transactions of $2.5 million or less. … Continue Reading

Expansion of CRA coverage.  On November 1, New York Governor Hochul signed into law amendments (S.5246-A/A.6247-A) to the New York Community Reinvestment Act (NYCRA) that expand the NYCRA’s coverage to non-depository mortgage lenders.  The amendments are effective November 1, 2022.  New York now joins a small group of states, including Illinois and Massachusetts, that apply CRA-type laws to non-depository mortgage lenders.… Continue Reading

On October 29, the New York Department of Financial Services issued proposed amendments to 23 NYCRR 1, its regulation titled “Debt Collection by Third-Party Debt Collectors and Debt Buyers.”  The proposed amendments would make significant changes to the sections of the current regulation dealing with initial disclosure requirements, statute of limitations disclosures, substantiation requirements, and telephone and electronic communications. … Continue Reading

On October 20, 2021, the New York Department of Financial Services published a notice in the New York State Register announcing that it has issued a proposed regulation to implement S 5470–B, which requires consumer-like disclosures for “commercial financing” transactions of $2.5 million or less.  Comments on the proposal must be submitted by December 19, 2021.… Continue Reading

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced this week that she has nominated Adrienne Harris to serve as Superintendent of the state’s Department of Financial Services.  If confirmed by the New York Senate, Ms. Harris would succeed Linda Lacewell whose last day at the DFS was August 24.

Ms. Harris previously served as a Senior Advisor in the Treasury Department during the Obama Administration. … Continue Reading