12 U.S.C. § 4803: Streamlining of regulatory…

Summary

Federal banking agencies must, during the two-year period starting September 23, 1994, review their rules and written policies. While keeping safety, the law, and the public interest in mind, they must simplify rules to improve efficiency, cut unnecessary costs, remove outdated or duplicate requirements, and avoid needless limits on credit. For rules under section 1828(o), they must consider how standards affect credit for small businesses, homeowners, farmers, and low- and moderate-income communities. They must also check whether banks and credit unions are forced to create unnecessary internal written policies, work with other federal banking agencies to make common rules uniform, and send a joint report to Congress at the end of the two years describing their progress. The Federal Reserve Board must, after consulting its consumer advisory council and other interested parties, review disclosures under the Truth in Lending Act for variable-rate mortgages to make them simpler and clearer. The Board must make any lawful regulatory changes and, within two years after completing the review, report to Congress on what it did and any recommended legislation.

Title 12, §4803

Banks and Banking, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Review of regulations; regulatory uniformity

During the 2-year period beginning on September 23, 1994, each Federal banking agency shall, consistent with the principles of safety and soundness, statutory law and policy, and the public interest—

(1)conduct a review of the regulations and written policies of that agency to—

(A)streamline and modify those regulations and policies in order to improve efficiency, reduce unnecessary costs, and eliminate unwarranted constraints on credit availability;

(B)remove inconsistencies and outmoded and duplicative requirements; and

(C)with respect to regulations prescribed pursuant to section 1828(o) of this title, consider the impact that such standards have on the availability of credit for small business, residential, and agricultural purposes, and on low- and moderate-income communities;

(2)review the extent to which existing regulations require insured depository institutions and insured credit unions to produce unnecessary internal written policies and eliminate such requirements, where appropriate;

(3)work jointly with the other Federal banking agencies to make uniform all regulations and guidelines implementing common statutory or supervisory policies; and

(4)submit a joint report to the Congress at the end of such 2-year period detailing the progress of the agencies in carrying out this subsection.

(b)Review of disclosures

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in consultation with the consumer advisory council to such Board, consumers, representatives of consumers, lenders, and other interested persons, shall—

(1)review the regulations and written policies of the Board with respect to disclosures pursuant to the Truth in Lending Act [15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.] with regard to variable-rate mortgages in order to simplify the disclosures, if necessary, and make the disclosures more meaningful and comprehensible to consumers;

(2)implement any necessary regulatory changes, consistent with applicable law; and

(3)not later than 2 years after completion of the review required by paragraph (1), submit a report to the Congress on the results of its actions taken in accordance with this subsection and any recommended legislative actions.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Truth in Lending Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is title I of Pub. L. 90–321, May 29, 1968, 82 Stat. 146, which is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 1601 et seq.) of chapter 41 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1601 of Title 15 and Tables.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 104–208 added par. (2) and redesignated former pars. (2) and (3) as (3) and (4), respectively.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Update on Review of

Regulations

and Paperwork Reductions Pub. L. 105–219, title IV, § 402, Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 935, provided that: “Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 7, 1998], the Federal banking agencies [see 12 U.S.C. 1813(z)] shall submit a report to the Congress detailing their progress in carrying out section 303(a) of the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994 [12 U.S.C. 4803(a)], since their submission of the report dated September 23, 1996, as required by section 303(a)(4) of that Act.”

§4803 Streamlining of Regulatory Requirements