Law and regulation

Banks and consumer groups are both eagerly awaiting an FCC decision about whether to loosen federal restrictions on robo-calling consumers. A $10.2 million settlement announced this week involving JPMorgan Chase brought the issue back to the forefront.

On the same day the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced a probe into student loan servicing practices, stakeholders ranging from the Department of Education to borrower advocates outlined their wish lists for reforms.

Despite years of debate, lawmakers are still grappling with key questions over how to set enhanced data security and notification standards to prevent cyber attacks, including whether they should preempt state laws.

State Street Corp. said it expects to face an enforcement action by the Federal Reserve and the Massachusetts Division of Banks after it failed to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act, anti-money laundering rules and U.S. economic sanctions.

BB&T's transaction with Barclays to generate tax credits was "simply a money machine" with no economic purpose and can't be used to seek hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. tax rebates, an appeals court ruled Thursday.

Other regional Federal Home Loan Banks are lining up so their members can securitize FHA and VA loans through Chicago FHLB conduit.

Vendors that specialize in Bank Secrecy Act compliance can help ease community banks' regulatory burden while strengthening their controls.

The consumer watchdog says it is taking a closer look at various practices associated with student loan servicing as other regulators and analysts grow increasingly wary about the vast amount of non-dischargeable debt in the economy.

The Obama admnistration voiced major concerns Wednesday with a Senate regulatory reform package up for a vote next week in the Banking Committee.

During a House hearing, marketplace lenders suggested that the U.S. government follow the lead of the U.K., which has set up a separate regulatory regime for the online industry.

WASHINGTON — Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and David Vitter, R-La., have joined forces for a second time this month on legislation to reform the Federal Reserve.

The U.S. Justice Department is set to rip up its agreement not to prosecute UBS Group AG for rigging benchmark interest rates, according to a person familiar with the matter, taking a new step to hold banks accountable for repeat offenses.

Global financial inclusion efforts have made big strides, but documentation requirements continue to hinder access to financial services, and women and the poor remain disproportionately underserved, according to the World Bank's annual study.

With the release of Sen. Shelby's regulatory reform bill, the debate over the legislation is just beginning to take shape. We sort through the possibilities for how it will unfold.

Many lenders shy away from adjusting monthly payments based on struggling borrowers' income for fear of losing too much money, but the Education Department's expansion of such plans for student loans and new data-crunching products have reframed the longtime discussion.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Martin Gruenberg, discussing progress in establishing big-bank resolution regimes, said the Federal Reserve is developing a rule "to codify" the swaps protocol involving termination rights.

WASHINGTON — A new mortgage disclosure regime due to take effect on Aug. 1 is unlikely to cause closing delays, according to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray.

Deutsche Bank has hired the former president of the Clearing House Association to take charge of its stress testing process.

The consumer watchdog agency, along with the Federal Communications Commission and state attorneys general, said the mobile carriers would refund $120 million in excessive third-party charges to consumers and pay another $38 million in fines.

GOP staff said the bill was intended to steer clear of provisions that would have automatically delayed or derailed the bill. But Democrats already were saying it went too far. Following is a complete guide to what's in the bill.