Source: https://www.cga.ct.gov/2015/BA/2015SB-00924-R01-BA.htm
Timestamp: 2019-03-19 19:41:11
Document Index: 354963213

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 504', '§ 501', '§ 503', '§ 1633', '§ 1639', '§ 1639', '§ 1639', '§ 741', '§ 27', '§ 29', '§ 504', '§ 36']

sSB 924 (File 143, as amended by Senate "A")*
This bill makes numerous unrelated changes in various banking statutes. Among other things, it:
4. allows a Connecticut bank or savings and loan association that applies for a name change to meet certain mailing requirements by using any method of mailing that provides a signature as proof of delivery;
9. allows mortgage lenders to make certain mortgage insurance disclosures based on closing costs required to be furnished under federal TILA; and
10. makes technical changes in the consumer collection agency statutes to incorporate, by reference throughout, the sections previously enacted by PA 13-253 that (a) added new fund management and recordkeeping requirements and (b) require compliance with the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
1. changes, from October 1, 2015 to August 1, 2015, the effective date of the revisions to the Connecticut TILA and related provisions;
2. incorporates in the Connecticut TILA, the integrated disclosure requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act);
3. explicitly allows banks and credit unions to provide virtual banking services;
4. allows mortgage lenders to make certain mortgage insurance disclosures on the estimate of closing costs required to be furnished under the federal TILA (§ 504);
5. makes technical and conforming changes, effective August 1, 2015, that replace (a) references to “HUD-1 settlement statement” with “closing disclosure” to reflect the new residential mortgage loan disclosure form developed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) under the Dodd-Frank Act (§§ 501 & 502) and (b) statutory citations to reflect the transfer of regulatory oversight from the Federal Reserve to CFPB (§§ 503 & 505); and
6. makes other minor and technical changes.
By law, Connecticut is exempt from the credit transactions and credit billing provisions of the federal TILA because, as required by federal law, the Connecticut TILA requirements are substantially similar to the federal TILA requirements, and there are adequate provisions for enforcement in Connecticut law (15 USC §§ 1633 & 1666j). The bill makes several revisions to the Connecticut TILA to incorporate required substantive provisions of the federal TILA and related regulations. Among other things, it:
3. requires compliance with other Connecticut state laws regarding high-cost mortgages, but specifies that the provisions of the federal TILA prevail if there are any inconsistencies;
4. specifies that the Connecticut TILA and related regulations do not affect the validity or enforceability of any contract or obligation under state or federal law, except for (a) the right to rescind certain transactions, (b) civil damages awarded, and (c) certain credit card sales transactions;
7. gives the commissioner further discretion in carrying out enforcement activities against a creditor at risk of becoming undercapitalized who made an inaccurate disclosure about annual percentage rates or finance charges; and
8. provides a creditor immunity from liability for disclosure errors and penalties for false and inaccurate statements made in reliance on the validity of (a) the commissioner's advisory opinions, final decisions, or orders; (b) a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau interpretation; or (c) the Consumer Credit Protection Act or the interpretation or approval of the Federal Reserve System's officials and employees.
The bill also expands the commissioner's existing enforcement authority under the Connecticut TILA by giving him the authority to impose penalties on creditors who violate certain federal requirements. Under federal law, a creditor who extends credit or provides any service for a credit transaction secured by a consumer's principal dwelling may not engage in any act or practice that violates the independence of the property's appraisal (15 USC § 1639e). Under the bill, in addition to any other applicable penalty, the commissioner may impose a civil penalty on a creditor who violates this provision. The federal penalty for the first violation is a fine up to $10,000 for each day the violation continues. The amount increases to $20,000 for subsequent violations (15 USC § 1639e(k)).
Under federal law, a creditor may not extend credit in the form of a “higher-risk mortgage” to any consumer without first obtaining a written appraisal of the property (see BACKGROUND). Such appraisal must meet specific requirements. Under the bill, willful violators are liable to the applicant or borrower for $2,000 in addition to any other applicable federal penalties (15 USC § 1639h).
The bill also makes various technical and conforming changes in related statutes.
The bill eliminates the requirement for Connecticut credit unions to file semi-annual reports with the commissioner, listing their assets, liabilities, and other information the commissioner requires. Instead, it requires that they file financial and statistical reports with NCUA as required by federal regulation (12 CFR § 741.6). By law, failure to do so still results in paying a fine to the state.
Under existing law, at least 10 days before the deadline for objections, the applicant must mail a copy of the application and the deadline notice by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to each bank or out of state bank that has its main office or a branch in the towns where the applicant has its main office or a branch. The bill allows the applicant to use any method of mailing that provides a signature as proof of delivery.
Existing law requires the bank to file a copy with the commissioner. The bill establishes a deadline by which the bank must do so. Under the bill, unless the commissioner extends the deadline for good cause, the bank must file the audit with the commissioner by the earlier of (1) the date the bank is required to file with the federal banking regulator or (2) 120 days after the close of the bank's fiscal year.
§§ 27 and 506 & 507 – Virtual Banking
The bill defines “virtual banking” as the provision of banking services by any bank, out-of-state bank, or Connecticut or federal credit union that are made available to customers through telecommunication or accessed by the Internet. Under the bill, the means by which a customer engages in virtual banking include television, telephone, mobile device, fax, or computer. For purposes of the banking law, these means are not equivalent to an automatic teller machine, satellite device, branch, or office.
Under the bill, any bank or credit union (1) may provide virtual banking services and (2) must comply with the federal Electronic Funds Transfer Act and its implementing regulation to the extent the virtual banking transaction is subject to such act or regulation.
Under existing law, the commissioner may not approve the acquisition of a bank or holding company if the acquiring person (1) has inadequate anti-money-laundering policies or (2) does not have a record of compliance with anti-money-laundering laws. Under the bill, this applies only to the extent that the acquiring person is subject to anti-money-laundering laws and regulations.
§§ 29 & 30 EXEMPT REGISTRANTS AND MORTGAGE BONDS
By law, banks, credit unions, their wholly owned subsidiaries, and some of their operating subsidiaries, are exempt from mortgage lender, mortgage correspondent lender, or mortgage broker licensure requirements.
Under existing law, any person exempt from licensure may register on the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System (NMLS) as an exempt registrant to sponsor a mortgage loan originator, or loan processor or underwriter. Under the bill, the commissioner's approval of such registration is an approval to use NMLS for sponsoring and bonding, not an approval of exempt status.
Existing law requires the principal on a bond to (1) confirm annually that it maintains the required penal sum and (2) file the information with the commissioner by September 1 each year or by a date the commissioner sets. The bill requires that the confirmation be completed (1) in connection with any renewal request and (2) after reviewing the preceding four quarters ending June 30. It also eliminates the requirement that the principal file the information by September 1, but maintains the requirement that they do so as the commissioner requires.
Under existing law, the penal sum of the required bond for each mortgage lender, mortgage correspondent lender, mortgage broker, or exempt registrant is determined by the aggregate dollar amount of the residential mortgage loans originated at its licensed locations during the 12-month period ending on July 31 of the current year. The bill requires instead that the look-back period be the preceding four quarters ending June 30.
§ 504 ─ MORTGAGE INSURANCE DISCLOSURE
By law, a mortgage lender that requires a borrower to pay for mortgage insurance as a condition of obtaining a first mortgage loan, must disclose in writing, among other things, a good faith estimate of any initial and monthly mortgage insurance cost. If the transaction is subject to the federal RESPA, current law allows a mortgage lender to make the disclosure as part of the good faith estimate of closing costs required to be furnished under that act. Under the same circumstances, the bill allows a mortgage lender to make the disclosure as part of the good faith estimate of closing costs required to be furnished under federal TILA.
The bill makes technical changes in the consumer collection agency statutes and related provisions to incorporate, by reference, the sections of the statutes (CGS § 36a-811 & 812) enacted by PA 13-253 that (1) added new fund management and recordkeeping requirements and (2) require agencies to comply with the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.