Board agrees to consider finalizing three rules

(Sept. 24, 2021) Earlier in the meeting, the NCUA Board voted – 2-1, with Harper the “no” vote – to act on three outstanding proposed rules over the span of the final three months of the year. Under the board’s vote, an expanded list of permissible activities and services of CUSOs would be considered for final action at the board’s Oct. 21 meeting

Action on two other outstanding proposals – on FOM shared service facility requirements, and mortgage servicing – were also scheduled for action at upcoming board meetings (Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, respectively). All three rules have been awaiting final action since this spring, following the close of their comment periods.

The CUSO proposal would allow the origination by a service organization of any type of loan that a federal credit union may originate, and grant the NCUA Board additional flexibility to approve permissible CUSO activities and services. In the comment request, the agency also sought comments on broadening federal credit unions’ authority to invest in CUSOs.

The proposal was issued by the NCUA Board Jan. 14, also on a vote of 2-1, with then-Board Member Harper dissenting (he became chairman later that month). Harper, making his objection, noted the NCUA’s lack of direct supervisory authority over CUSOs and indicated the proposal raised potential consumer protection concerns.

He essentially repeated those objections at Thursday’s meeting, calling the proposal the “wrong rule at the wrong time.” He asserted that the rule is not related to COVID-19 pandemic relief, and more likely to cause harm to small credit unions rather than help them. “It will grow an already unregulated space within the credit union system with little accountability to consumers and credit unions,” Harper said.

He also reiterated a call (which he has made before Congress) for NCUA to have oversight authority of CUSOs and other third-party vendors.

Regarding the FOM shared service facility requirements and mortgage servicing proposals, the NCUA chairman voiced continued opposition to both, but also aired some optimism about “a path forward” for each.

Under the FOM shared service facility requirements, any federal credit union shared branch, ATM, or electronic facility would meet the definition of “service facility” for membership requirements in multiple-common-bond FCU that participates in a shared branching network, thus expanding membership reach of federal credit unions. Under the mortgage servicing proposal, the agency’s investment regulation would be amended to permit FCUs to purchase mortgage servicing rights from other federally insured credit unions subject to certain conditions.

Those two proposals were issued for comment in December, on a vote of 2-1 for both with Harper dissenting on both.

Thursday’s action on the three proposals was advanced jointly by Vice Chairman Kyle Hauptman and Board Member Rodney Hood. They presented a joint memo to the board for approval that set the meeting dates, specifically meant to force action on the three outstanding proposals. “The items put forth by this Board Action Memorandum shall be brought before the Board as final rules in the timeframe set by this action. Nothing in this action should be construed to alter NCUA’s obligations under the Government in the Sunshine Act,” their memo stated.

LINK:

Board action memorandum: Action on NCUA Board Agenda Items for 2021