Our special guest is Ian Moloney, Senior Vice President and Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs with the American Fintech Council (AFC).  After reviewing how EWA products are used by consumers and the differences between employer- and provider-based products, we discuss the regulatory challenges faced by the EWA industry, the regulatory approaches states have taken to EWA, actions taken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau related to EWA, and proposed federal legislation dealing with EWA.  ..read more

The Committee on Codes of Conduct of the Judicial Conference of the United States (Committee) has unanimously concluded that Fifth Circuit Judge Willett is not required to recuse in the trade group plaintiffs’ appeal in their lawsuit challenging the CFPB’s final credit card late fee rule (Rule). Last Friday, pursuant to a directive issued by the Clerk of the Fifth Circuit, the trade group plaintiffs and the CFPB filed letter briefs with the Fifth Circuit regarding whether an ownership interest in a nonparty large credit card issuer would be substantially affected by the outcome of the case.&nb ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 base ..read more

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 ..read more

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.  ..read more

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 ..read more

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.  ..read more