[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 146 (Wednesday, July 30, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40779-40780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19986]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

31 CFR Part 103

RIN 1506-AA09, 1506-AA20, 1506-AA19


Financial Crimes Enforcement Network; Bank Secrecy Act 
Regulations; Money Services Businesses--Definition and Registration; 
Suspicious Transaction Reporting; Special Currency Transaction 
Reporting

AGENCY: Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Treasury.

ACTION: Proposed regulations; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (``FinCEN'') is 
extending the comment period for the three proposed Bank Secrecy Act 
regulations for money services businesses published on May 21, 1997. 
FinCEN previously announced that four open working meetings on these 
proposals are being held. It has also distributed copies of a report on 
money services businesses prepared for it by Coopers & Lybrand (and 
referred to in the documents containing the proposed regulations), and 
draft copies of the forms that will be used to implement the proposed 
regulations. FinCEN is extending the comment period, in light of the 
scheduling of the opening meetings and distribution of the relevant 
additional materials, to ensure that all parties interested in the 
proposed regulations are given adequate time to submit their written 
comments.

DATES: Written comments on all aspects of the proposals are welcome and 
must be received on or before September 30, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to: Office of Legal 
Counsel, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Department of the 
Treasury, 2070 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna, VA 22182, Attention: (as 
applicable) NPRM--MSB Registration, NPRM--Suspicious Transaction 
Reporting--Money Services Businesses, NPRM--Money Transmitters--Special 
CTR Rule. Comments also may be submitted by electronic mail to the 
following Internet address: ``[email protected]'' with the 
appropriate attention line in the body of the text.


[[Page 40780]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Djinis, Associate Director, and 
Charles Klingman, Financial Institutions Policy Specialist, FinCEN, at 
(703) 905-3920; Stephen R. Kroll, Legal Counsel, Joseph M. Myers, 
Deputy Legal Counsel, Cynthia L. Clark, on detail to the Office of 
Legal Counsel, Albert R. Zarate, Attorney-Advisor, and Eileen P. Dolan, 
Legal Assistant, Office of Legal Counsel, FinCEN, at (703) 905-3590.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 21, 1997, FinCEN issued three 
proposed regulations relating to the treatment of money services 
businesses under the Bank Secrecy Act. The first proposed regulation 
(62 FR 27890) would define money services businesses and require the 
businesses to register with the Department of the Treasury and to 
maintain a current list of their agents. The second proposed regulation 
(62 FR 27900) would require money transmitters, and issuers, sellers, 
and redeemers, of money orders and traveler's checks, to report 
suspicious transactions involving at least $500 in funds or other 
assets. The third proposed regulation (62 FR 27909) would require money 
transmitters and their agents to report and retain records of 
transactions in currency or monetary instruments of at least $750 in 
connection with the transmission or other transfer of funds to any 
person outside the United States, and to verify the identity of senders 
of such transmissions or transfers.
    FinCEN is announcing today the extension of the comment period, 
from August 19, 1997 to September 30, 1997, for all three of these 
proposed regulations. FinCEN wishes to give all persons interested in 
commenting on the regulations adequate time to do so.
    On July 8, 1997 (62 FR 36475), July 18, 1997 (62 FR 38511), and 
elsewhere in today's Federal Register, FinCEN announced that it would 
hold four open working meetings to give interested persons the 
opportunity to discuss with FinCEN officials issues arising under the 
proposed regulations. The last of these meetings is scheduled for 
August 15, 1997, four days before the original date of the expiration 
of the comment period.
    In addition, FinCEN has distributed, and will soon make available 
on its website, (i) copies of a report on money services businesses 
prepared for it by Coopers & Lybrand (and referred to in the documents 
containing the proposed regulations), and (ii) draft copies of the 
forms that will be used to implement the proposed regulations. The 
address of FinCEN's website is ``http://www.ustreas.gov/treasury/ bureaus/fincen''.
    FinCEN believes that the extension will, inter alia, provide 
adequate time for the results of the open meetings and review of the 
additional relevant material that it is distributing, to be reflected 
in the written comments on the three proposed regulations.

    Dated: July 24, 1997.
Eileen P. Dolan,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.
[FR Doc. 97-19986 Filed 7-29-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4820-03-P