In a blog post published on July 30 on Consumer Law and Policy Blog, Professor Jeff Sovern discusses comments from CFPB officials that the Bureau will not use the disparate effects or impact test to determine if discrimination has occurred when using its UDAAP authority. In those comments, Director Rohit Chopra and Assistant Director Eric
UDAAP
This week’s podcast episode: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s campaign against CFPB Director Chopra’s attempt “to radically reshape the American financial services sector”: A discussion with Bill Hulse, Vice President, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness
We first review the views expressed by Director Chopra and CFPB actions taken under his leadership that led the Chamber to launch its campaign. We then discuss the campaign’s specific components, which consist of digital ads, Freedom of Information Act requests, and letters to Director Chopra. Our discussion includes an in-depth look at the basis…
CFPB corrects the record on response to trade groups’ letter on UDAAP updates to exam manual
We recently blogged about the request made by four leading trade groups for the CFPB to rescind the recent updates to the UDAAP section of its Supervision and Examination Manual that instruct examiners to consider discrimination in connection with non-credit products and services as an unfair act or practice.
The trade groups made their request…
Trade groups take aim at CFPB’s expansion of UDAAP authority
Four leading trade groups are calling on the CFPB to rescind the recent updates to the UDAAP section of its Supervision and Examination Manual that instruct examiners to consider discrimination in connection with non-credit products and services as an unfair act or practice. The four groups are the American Bankers Association, the Consumer Bankers, the…
New CFPB interpretive rule outlines broad state CFPA enforcement authority
The CFPB has issued a new interpretive rule regarding the authority of state attorneys general and state regulators (State Officials) to enforce the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).
CFPA Section 1042(a) (12 U.S.C. Section 5552) authorizes “the attorney general (or the equivalent thereof) of any State” to bring “a civil action…to enforce the provisions of…
Why the CFPB’s expansion of its UDAAP authority to target discrimination requires rulemaking
In a new blog post published on the Consumer Law & Policy Blog, Professor Jeff Sovern advocates very strongly in support of interpreting the “unfairness” prong of UDAAP to encompass discrimination in connection with credit and non-credit consumer financial products and services offered by banks and other persons covered by the Consumer Financial Protection Act…
This week’s podcast: The CFPB takes aim at discrimination as “unfair”: What does it mean for your business?
The CFPB recently announced that it is updating its exam manual to direct its examiners to consider discriminatory conduct an “unfair” act or practice represents a significant expansion of its UDAAP authority. We discuss: the CFPB’s legal theory; types of products/services/bases for discrimination the CFPB could reach using unfairness and role of disparate impact analysis;…
CFPB updates examination manual to use UDAAP authority to target discriminatory practices, including those involving non-credit products or services
Consistent with expectations that the CFPB under Director Chopra’s leadership would take an expansive view of its statutory authorities, the CFPB has announced its intention to use its authority to prohibit unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices (UDAAPs) to target discriminatory conduct, even where fair lending laws may not apply.
Specifically, the CFPB is…
CA DFPI issues draft rules to implement CCFPL provisions on complaint handling, UDAAP definition for commercial transactions
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has issued an invitation for comments from interested parties on draft rules to implement certain provisions of the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL) which became effective on January 1, 2021. The CCFPL provisions that the draft rules would implement deal with (1) procedures for a…
New article argues for use of federal and state laws prohibiting unfair acts or practices to bring discrimination claims
An article recently published by the Student Borrower Protection Center titled “Discrimination is ‘Unfair’,” argues that the CFPB, FTC, state attorneys general and regulators, and in some cases private individuals, should consider challenging discrimination as an “unfair” practice covered by federal and state laws prohibiting unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts and practices. (The authors are…