The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has released its Spring 2016 rulemaking agenda. The agenda sets the following timetables for key rulemaking initiatives: 

Arbitration. The Spring 2016 agenda does not reflect the CFPB's release of its proposed arbitration rule on May 5, 2016, stating only that the CFPB "is preparing to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking this spring." The CFPB’s proposed rule would prohibit covered providers of certain consumer financial products and services from using an agreement with a consumer that provides for arbitration of any future dispute between the parties to bar the consumer from filing or participating in a class action with respect to the covered consumer financial product or service. The proposed rule would also require a covered provider that is involved in an individual arbitration pursuant to a pre-dispute arbitration agreement to submit specified arbitral records to the CFPB. We do not expect to see a final rule until next year.

Payday and deposit advance loans. The Spring 2016 agenda also does not reflect the CFPB's announcement that it will hold a field hearing on small dollar lending in Kansas City, Missouri on June 2, 2016. We anticipate the field hearing will coincide with the CFPB's release of its proposed rule which is expected to cover single-payment payday and auto title loans, deposit advance products, and certain high-rate installment and open-end loans. The Spring 2016 agenda indicates only that the CFPB is "conducting a rulemaking to address consumer harms from practices related to payday loans and other similar credit products" and gives a June 2016 estimated date for issuance of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NRPM).

Prepaid financial products. In November 2014, the CFPB issued a proposed rule for prepaid financial products, including general-purpose reloadable prepaid cards and certain digital and mobile wallets. The Spring 2016 agenda estimates the issuance of a final rule in July 2016. The Fall 2015 agenda had estimated that a final rule would be issued in March 2016.

Overdrafts. The CFPB issued a June 2013 white paper and a July 2014 report on checking account overdraft services. In the Spring 2016 agenda, as it did in the Fall 2015 agenda, the CFPB states that it "is continuing to engage in additional research and has begun consumer testing initiatives related to the opt-in process." Although the Fall 2015 agenda had estimated a January 2016 date for further prerule activities, the new agenda moves that date to August 2016.  In light of the fact that most of the banks subject to CFPB supervisory jurisdiction have changed the order in which they process electronic debits, we believe the CFPB feels less urgency to promulgate a rule prohibiting the use of a high-to-low dollar amount order to process such debits.

Debt collection. In November 2013, the CFPB issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning debt collection. In the Spring 2016 agenda, as it did in the Fall 2015 agenda, the CFPB states that "it is in the process of analyzing responses to a survey seeking information from consumers about their experiences with debt collectors and is engaged in qualitative testing to determine what information would be useful for consumers to have about debt collection and how that information should be provided to them." The agenda estimates that further prerule activities, which are expected to involve the convening of a Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act panel, will occur in June 2016. The CFPB had estimated in its Fall 2015 agenda that further prerule activities would occur in February 2016.

Larger participants. As it did in its Fall  2015 agenda, the CFPB states in the Spring 2016 agenda that it is considering  "larger participant" rules for "consumer installment loans and vehicle title loans." It also repeats the statement in the Fall 2015 agenda that the CFPB is "also considering whether rules to require registration of these or other non-depository lenders would facilitate supervision, as has been suggested to the Bureau by both consumer advocates and industry groups." (Pursuant to Dodd-Frank Section 1022, the CFPB is authorized to "prescribe rules regarding registration requirements applicable to a covered person, other than an insured depository institution, insured credit union, or related person.") While the prior agenda estimated a September 2016 date for prerule activities, the new agenda estimates a December 2016 date.

Small business lending data.  Dodd-Frank Section 1071 amended the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to require financial institutions to collect and maintain certain data in connection with credit applications made by women- or minority-owned businesses and small businesses.  Such data includes the race, sex, and ethnicity of the principal owners of the business. The Spring 2016 agenda estimates a December 2016 date for prerule activities. We recently reported that the CFPB had filled the position of Assistant Director for the Office of Small Business Lending Markets. The CFPB's job posting indicated that the Assistant Director would head the CFPB's team involved in developing rules to implement Section 1071. In the Spring 2016 agenda, the CFPB states that it "will focus on outreach and research to develop its understanding of the players, products, and practices in the small business lending market and of the potential ways to implement section 1071. The CFPB then expects to begin developing proposed regulations concerning the data to be collected and appropriate procedures, information safeguards, and privacy protections for information-gathering under this section."

Mortgage rules. In November 2014, the CFPB issued a proposal to amend various provisions of its mortgage servicing rules. The Spring 2016 agenda estimates issuance of a final rule in July 2016. The previous agenda had estimated a June 2016 date. The new agenda also estimates a September 2016 date for issuance of a proposed interagency rule to implement Dodd-Frank amendments to Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery And Enforcement Actconcerning appraisals. The previous agenda had estimated an April 2016 date.  In April 2016, the CFPB announced its intention to reopen the rulemaking for the TILA/RESPA Integrated Disclosure rule. At that time, the CFPB indicated that a NRPM would likely be issued in late July and, consistent with that timetable, the Spring 2016 agenda estimates a July 2016 date for a NRPM.

Student Loan Servicing and Consumer Reporting. As they were in the Fall 2015 agenda, both of these topics continue to be listed as "long-term action" items in the Spring 2016 agenda.