Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published a proposed rule with request for public comment that would amend Regulation Z to: 1) decrease the safe harbor for credit card late fees to $8 and eliminate altogether a higher safe harbor amount for subsequent late payments; 2) eliminate the annual inflation adjustments for the late
According to a recent year-in-review report by WebRecon, Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) filings continued their slow-but-steady increased pace throughout 2022. On the other hand, filings under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) were both significantly down from previous years. Likewise, complaints filed with the CFPB were
As discussed here, on October 27, 2022, the CFPB released an Outline of Proposals and Alternatives Under Consideration for public comments on the CFPB’s Section 1033 rulemaking. The window for providing written feedback closed on January 25, 2023. Below we have highlighted some of the submissions by industry and consumer groups.
The proposed rules
As discussed here, on December 7, 2022, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) made a preliminary conclusion that a New York commercial financing law was not preempted by the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). The Bureau indicated it was also considering whether to make a preemption determination regarding similar state laws in California, Utah, and Virginia. On January 20, 2023, California Attorney General Rob Bonta submitted a letter to the CFPB agreeing with its preliminary determination that California’s Commercial Financing Disclosures Law (CFDL) is not preempted by TILA because the CFDL only applies to commercial financing and not to consumer credit transactions within the scope of TILA. Attorney General Bonta further urged the CFPB to “revisit the Federal Reserve Board’s (Board) vague and overbroad articulation of the TILA preemption standard. The CFPB should articulate a narrower standard that emphasizes that preemption should be limited to situations where it is impossible to comply with both TILA and the state law or where the state law stands as an obstacle to the full purposes TILA, which is to provide consumers with full and meaningful disclosure of credit terms in consumer credit transactions.”
Bankers are opposing any effort by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) to reduce or eliminate the late fee safe harbor, citing a potentially significant adverse impact on community banks and credit unions. In a letter dated January 20, the American Bankers Association (ABA), Credit Union National Association (CUNA), Independent Community Bankers of
On January 24, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced it is seeking public comment on how the consumer credit market is functioning as part of its biennial review required by the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (CARD Act). The CFPB will be accepting comments until April 24.
The CARD Act
Do “negative option” subscription services constitute unfair or deceptive practices under the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA)? According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in its recent circular, these subscription services may violate the CFPA when a seller: 1) misrepresents or fails to clearly disclose the material terms of the program; (2) fails
Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich released opinion No. 22-(R22-011), concluding earned wage access (EWA) products that are fully non-recourse and no-interest are not “consumer lender loans” under Arizona law. Thus, those who make, procure, or advertise EWA products are not required to be licensed as a “consumer lender” by Arizona’s Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions. The AG’s findings apply to EWA providers working with an employer as well as those working directly with an employee.
Combatting appraisal bias continues to be a top priority for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), as recently emphasized by Deputy Director Zixta Q. Martinez during her remarks at the National Fair Housing Alliance event previewing the documentary Our America: Lowballed. Martinez stated that the CFPB has been actively working with the White House Property
As discussed here, on October 19, 2022 the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Community Financial Services Association of America Ltd. (CFSA) v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) held that the CFPB’s funding mechanism violates the Appropriations Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Fifth Circuit based its decision on the fact that, among other