[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 237 (Friday, December 10, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 69183-69185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32066]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Office of Thrift Supervision

12 CFR Parts 503, 505, 557, 559, 563, 572

[No. 99-79]


Technical Amendments

AGENCY: Office of Thrift Supervision, Treasury.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) is amending its 
regulations to incorporate a number of technical and conforming 
amendments. OTS is updating statutory references and regulatory cross-
references, amending provisions that contain minor drafting errors, and 
making other minor changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 10, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary H. Gottlieb, Senior Paralegal 
(Regulations), (202) 906-7135, or Karen A. Osterloh, Assistant Chief 
Counsel, (202) 906-6639, Regulations and Legislation Division, Chief 
Counsel's Office, Office of Thrift Supervision, 1700 G Street, NW., 
Washington DC 20552.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OTS is amending its regulations to 
incorporate a number of technical and conforming amendments. 
Specifically, OTS is amending:
     Part 503--Privacy Act. OTS has updated office names and 
employee titles.
     Part 505--Freedom of Information Act. OTS has updated 
office names, employee titles, and references for requesting records by 
e-mail.
     Part 557--Deposits. OTS has added an inadvertently omitted 
statutory citation to Sec. 557.11.
     Part 559--Subordinate Organizations. OTS has corrected an 
erroneous cross-reference to a FDIC regulation requiring savings 
associations to file a notice before acquiring or establishing a 
subsidiary or conducting new activities through a subsidiary.
     Part 563--Operations. OTS has clarified that its frequency 
of examination regulation relates solely to safety and soundness 
examinations, as opposed to compliance examinations. OTS has also 
corrected a typographical error in its transactions with affiliates 
regulations.
     Part 572--Loans in Areas Having Special Flood Hazards. OTS 
has deleted a cross-reference to Federal Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA) regulations at 44 CFR Part 65, Appendix

[[Page 69184]]

A, which had contained the text of the Standard Flood Hazard 
Determination Form (Form). FEMA removed Appendix A in 1998. OTS has 
revised its regulation to indicate where lenders may obtain copies of 
the Form.

Administrative Procedure Act; Riegle Community Development and 
Regulatory Improvement Act of 1994

    The OTS has found good cause to dispense with both prior notice and 
comment on this final rule and a 30-day delay of its effective date 
mandated by the Administrative Procedure Act.1 OTS believes 
that it is contrary to public interest to delay the effective date of 
the rule, as it corrects provisions that have caused confusion. Because 
the amendments in the rule are not substantive, making them effective 
immediately will not detrimentally affect savings associations.
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    \1\ 5 U.S.C. 553.
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    In addition, this document is exempt from the requirement found in 
section 302 of the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory 
Improvement Act of 1994 2 that regulations must not take 
effect before the first day of the quarter following publication, as it 
imposes no new requirements.
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    \2\ Pub. L. No. 103-325, 12 U.S.C. 4802.
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Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act,3 it is certified that this technical corrections 
regulation will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
number of small entities.
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    \3\ Pub. L. No. 96-354, 5 U.S.C. 601.
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Executive Order 12866

    OTS has determined that this rule is not a ``significant regulatory 
action'' for purposes of Executive Order 12866.

Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995

    OTS has determined that the requirements of this final rule will 
not result in expenditures by State, local, and tribal governments, or 
by the private sector, of $100 million or more in any one year. 
Accordingly, a budgetary impact statement is not required under section 
202 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This final rule does not involve a collection of information under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) This final 
rule, however, amends existing Sec. 572.6, which contains paperwork 
burden. The final rule does not change the burden.

List of Subjects

12 CFR Part 503

    Privacy.

12 CFR Part 505

    Freedom of Information.

12 CFR Part 557

    Investments, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Savings 
associations.

12 CFR Part 559

    Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Savings associations, 
Subsidiaries.

12 CFR Part 563

    Accounting, Advertising, Crime, Currency, Investments, Reporting 
and recordkeeping requirements, Savings associations, Securities, 
Surety bonds.

12 CFR Part 572

    Flood insurance, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Savings 
associations.
    Accordingly, the Office of Thrift Supervision hereby amends title 
12, chapter V of the Code of Federal Regulations as set forth below.

PART 503--PRIVACY ACT

    1. The authority citation for part 503 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552a; 12 U.S.C. 1462a, 1463, 1464.

    2. Section 503.1 is amended by revising the last sentence of 
paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) to read as follows:


Sec. 503.1  Scope and procedures.

* * * * *
    (b) * * * Requests for information and specific guidance on where 
to send requests for records may be mailed or delivered personally to: 
Privacy Act Request, Manager, Dissemination Branch, Information 
Management & Services Division, Office of Thrift Supervision, 1700 G 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20552.
    (c) * * * Requests for amendment should be addressed to: Privacy 
Act Amendment Request, Manager, Dissemination Branch, Information 
Management & Services Division, Office of Thrift Supervision, 1700 G 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20552.
    (d) * * * Appeals made by mail should be addressed to, or delivered 
personally to: Privacy Act Amendment Appeal, Deputy Chief Counsel for 
General Law, Office of Thrift Supervision, 1700 G Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20552.
* * * * *

PART 505--FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

    3. The authority citation for part 505 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552; 12 U.S.C. 1462a, 1463, 1464.

    4. Section 505.2 is amended by revising the last sentence to read 
as follows:


Sec. 505.2  Public reference room.

    * * * Contact the Dissemination Branch, Information Management & 
ServicesDivision, Office of Thrift Supervision, 1700 G Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20552, or visit the Public Reference Room at 1700 G 
Street, NW., Lower Level, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on business days.
    5. Section 505.3 is amended by revising the last two sentences to 
read as follows:


Sec. 505.3  Requests for records.

    * * * Requests may be mailed to: Freedom of Information Act 
Request, Dissemination Branch, Information Management & Services 
Division, Office of Thrift Supervision, 1700 G Street, NW., Washington, 
DC 20552, or marked ``FOIA'' and delivered in person to the Public 
Reference Room, Dissemination Branch, Information Management & Services 
Division, 1700 G Street, NW., Lower Level. Requests may also be sent by 
e-mail or facsimile.
    6. Section 505.4 is amended by revising the last three sentences to 
read as follows:


Sec. 505.4  Administrative appeal of initial determination to deny 
records.

    * * * Appeals by mail should be addressed to: Deputy Chief Counsel 
for General Law, 1700 G Street, NW., Washington, DC 20552. Appeals may 
be delivered personally to the Dissemination Branch, Information 
Management & Services Division, Office of Thrift Supervision 1700 G 
Street, NW., Lower Level. Appeals may also be sent by e-mail or 
facsimile.

PART 557--DEPOSITS

    7. The authority citation for part 557 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1462a, 1463, 1464.

    8. Section 557.11 is amended by revising paragraph (a) introductory 
text to read as follows:

[[Page 69185]]

Sec. 557.11  To what extent does federal law preempt deposit-related 
state laws?

    (a) Under sections 4(a), 5(a), and 5(b) of the HOLA, 12 U.S.C. 
1463(a), 1464(a), and 1464(b), OTS is authorized to promulgate 
regulations that preempt state laws affecting the operations of federal 
savings associations when appropriate to:
* * * * *

PART 559--SUBORDINATE ORGANIZATIONS

    9. The authority citation for part 559 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1462, 1462a, 1463, 1464, 1828.

    10. Section 559.11 is amended by revising the second sentence to 
read as follows:


Sec. 559.11  What notices are required to establish or acquire a new 
subsidiary or engage in new activities through an existing subsidiary?

    * * * The Notice must contain all of the information the Federal 
Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) requires under 12 CFR 362.15. * * 
*

PART 563--OPERATIONS

    11. The authority citation for part 563 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 375b, 1462, 1462a, 1463, 1464, 1467a, 1468, 
1817, 1820, 1828, 1831i, 3806; 42 U.S.C. 4106.

    12. Section 563.41 is amended by revising paragraph (b)(1)(v)(B) to 
read as follows:


Sec. 563.41  Loans and other transactions with affiliates and 
subsidiaries.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (1) * * *
    (v) * * *
    (B) That the Office determines presents a risk to the safety or 
soundness of the savings association, based on the nature of the 
activities conducted by the company, amount of transactions with the 
savings associations or its subsidiaries, financial condition of the 
company or its parent savings association, or other supervisory 
factors;
* * * * *
    13. Section 563.171 is amended by revising the section heading to 
read as follows:


Sec. 563.171  Frequency of safety and soundness examination.

* * * * *

PART 572--LOANS IN AREAS HAVING SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARDS

    14. The authority citation for part 572 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1462, 1462a, 1463, 1464; 42 U.S.C. 4012a, 
4104a, 4104b, 4106, 4128.

    15. Section 572.6 is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 572.6  Required use of standard flood hazard determination form.

    (a) Use of form. A savings association shall use the standard flood 
hazard determination form developed by the Director of FEMA when 
determining whether the building or mobile home offered as collateral 
security for a loan is or will be located in a special flood hazard 
area in which flood insurance is available under the Act. The standard 
flood hazard determination form may be used in a printed, computerized, 
or electronic manner. A savings association may obtain the standard 
flood hazard determination form from FEMA, P.O. Box 2012, Jessup, MD 
20794-2012.
* * * * *
    Dated: December 6, 1999.

    By the Office of Thrift Supervision.
Ellen Seidman,
Director.
[FR Doc. 99-32066 Filed 12-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6720-01-P