Regulatory Roundup: Open for Comment

CHECK CLEARING: Proposal by the Federal Reserve Board to give banks more options to return checks electronically. Published in the Federal Register on Feb. 22. Comments due April 30.

THRIFT RULES: Proposal by the Office of Thrift Supervision clarifying when a unitary thrift holding company is allowed to own more than one thrift and still engage in nonfinancial activities. Published Feb. 8. Comments due April 9.

EFT '99: Advanced notice of proposed rulemaking by the Treasury Department on whether banks, thrifts, and credit unions should be allowed to subcontract electronic benefit transfer services with unregulated institutions, such as check cashers, currency dealers, and money transmitters. Published Jan. 8. Comments due April 8.

ACH TIMING: Proposal by the Fed to make automated clearing house transactions final at 8 a.m. of the settlement day, which is when the central bank actually makes the funds available to consumers. Published Dec. 18. Comments due March 18.

TAXES: Interim rule by the Internal Revenue Service lets taxes be paid by credit or debit card. The IRS will not pay processing fees, and credit card companies will not be permitted to use the information they collect for marketing purposes. Published Dec. 15. Effective Jan. 1. Comments due March 15.

CHECK CLEARING: Proposal by the Fed to shorten to four days from five the amount of time a bank generally has to credit an out-of-town check to a customer's account. Published Dec. 14. Comments due March 15. LOSS RESERVES: The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision on Oct. 14 proposed global standards for loan-loss reserves and loan classifications. Comments due March 15.

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