After its passage by the Washington state legislature, Substitute Senate Bill (SSB) 6025, the Washington “predatory loan prevention act”, was approved by Governor Jay Inslee on March 25, 2024, with an effective date of June 6, 2024.

Unlike the original version of this act proposed in Senate Bill 6025 and its identical companion bill, House Bill 1874, SSB 6025 as enacted does not include language expanding the definition of “loan” under the Washington Consumer Loan Act.… Continue Reading

Last Wednesday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia terminated on its docket the case challenging the CFPB’s final credit card late fee rule (Rule) which had been transferred to D.D.C. by the Texas federal district court.  The termination occurred after the Texas court entered an order reopening the case and providing notice to D.D.C.… Continue Reading

The FTC recently issued a report to Congress on its collaboration with state attorneys general.  Titled “Working Together to Protect Consumers: A Study and Recommendations on FTC Collaboration with the State Attorneys General,” the report was issued pursuant to the FTC Collaboration Act of 2021.  The Collaboration Act required the FTC to conduct a study “on facilitating and refining existing efforts with State Attorneys General to prevent, publicize, and penalize frauds and scams being perpetrated on individuals in the United States” and directed the FTC to report the results of the study to Congress together with recommendations for enhancing collaboration between the FTC and state AGs.… Continue Reading

The CFPB has released the Spring 2024 edition of Supervisory Highlights.  The report discusses CFPB examinations in connection with credit reporting and furnishing that were completed from April 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.

Key findings by CFPB examiners are described below.

Examinations of credit reporting companies (CRCs) found the following deficiencies:

  • CRCs failed to timely implement blocks of information after receiving the requisite information relating to an alleged identity theft, without otherwise making a reasonable determination with respect to one of the permitted bases for declining to block such information as provided in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and Regulation V. 
… Continue Reading

On April 4, acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael J. Hsu provided his remarks for the second year in a row at the Just Economy Conference hosted by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. He focused his remarks on the latest developments of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) in its continuing efforts to elevate fairness in the financial industry.… Continue Reading

In connection with the petition to ban pre-dispute consumer arbitration agreements pending before the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on “forced arbitration,” Congressman Andy Barr (R-Ky.) and Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and the American Financial Services Association (AFSA) have voiced their strong opposition to further regulation of consumer arbitration. … Continue Reading

Our special guest is David Pommerehn, SVP, General Counsel, Head of Regulatory Affairs at the Consumer Bankers Association. In January 2024, the CFPB proposed two new rules: one restricting overdraft fees and the other prohibiting NSF fees on certain declined transactions.  The proposals are among the CFPB’s latest moves in furtherance of the Biden Administration’s “junk fees” agenda. … Continue Reading

Colorado’s attempt to opt out of interest rate exportation by out-of-state, state-chartered banks ultimately will fail, and will cause irreparable harm in the interim: therefore, enforcement of the opt out should be preliminarily enjoined, according to the plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction (the “Motion”) filed April 2, 2024 in federal district court in Colorado in NAIB et al.… Continue Reading

FDIC’s Chairman Martin J. Gruenberg recently gave remarks at the National Community Reinvestment Coalition on the FDIC’s economic inclusion strategy. 

FDIC Commitment to Economic Inclusion

Chairman Gruenberg began by outlining the importance of federally insured bank accounts to the ability of individuals and families to participate in and fully benefit from economic opportunities. … Continue Reading

The CFPB issued a new circular advising remittance transfer providers that false advertising about the cost or speed of sending remittance transfers can be considered a violation of the Consumer Financial Protection Act even if a provider’s disclosures are in compliance with the CFPB’s Remittance Rule.  The circular is intended to address CFPB concerns regarding fees charged on international money transfers and false claims regarding the speed of such transfers. … Continue Reading