Regulatory Roundup: Action Expected Soon

AG LENDING: The OCC is expected to issue guidance in the next several weeks on how to classify certain types of agricultural loans, in light of recent market swings.

RISK-BASED CAPITAL: The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight is readying a proposal that would create risk-based capital standards for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The proposal must be approved by the Office of Management and Budget and then by Congress before being published for public comment, possibly in the latter half of 1999. A draft version is currently under review at the OMB.

CRA GUIDANCE: The Exam Council is expected to issue revised guidance in February on the Community Reinvestment Act. The interpretive document, written in question-and-answer format, will explain whether banks should report small-business refinances and renewals, and how to apply CRA to Internet banks and thrifts.

BROKER-DEALERS: The Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is expected to issue a proposed rule during the first quarter that would require securities brokers and dealers to report suspicious transactions by customers.

PRIVACY: The OCC is expected to issue guidance this month on how to preserve customers' privacy. The guidance, which will not be legally binding, will suggest how to communicate privacy policies on bank Web sites and how to comply with disclosure requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

FAILED BANKS: The FDIC is preparing to issue this quarter a proposed rule that would prohibit people who helped cause the failure of a bank or thrift from buying that institution's assets.

CRA SURVEY: The OCC is mulling a plan to survey the 50 largest banks to find out if they are living up to their CRA pledges. If the agency decides to go ahead, it is expected to conduct the survey early this year.

LOAN CHARGEOFFS: The Exam Council is expected in the next several months to revise its loan chargeoff policy. Regulators are expected to drop a controversial plan to require banks to write off all bad loans within 150 days. Instead, they will retain the 120-day writeoff period for closed-end loans and the 180-day period for open-end loans.

SUBPRIME LENDING: The OCC is finalizing guidance on subprime lending. The guidance will urge banks to research the market before entering, prepare detailed business plans, and price credits based by risk, not by what competitors charge.

MONEY LAUNDERING: Fincen expects to approve a final rule against money laundering for nonbanks-such as check cashers and currency exchanges-during the first quarter.

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