[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 33 (Friday, February 20, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7785-7786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3547]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

12 CFR Part 229

[Regulation CC; Docket No. R-1352]


Availability of Funds and Collection of Checks

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: The Board of Governors (Board) is amending the routing number 
guide to next-day availability checks and local checks in Regulation CC 
to delete the reference to the Baltimore branch office of the Federal 
Reserve Bank of Richmond and to reassign the Federal Reserve routing 
symbols currently listed under that office to the head office of the 
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. These amendments reflect the 
restructuring of check-processing operations within the Federal Reserve 
System.

DATES: The final rule will become effective on April 18, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey S. H. Yeganeh, Financial 
Services Manager (202/728-5801), or Joseph P. Baressi, Financial 
Services Project Leader (202/452-3959), Division of Reserve Bank 
Operations and Payment Systems; or Sophia H. Allison, Senior Counsel 
(202/452-3565), Legal Division. For users of Telecommunications Devices 
for the Deaf (TDD) only, contact 202/263-4869.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Regulation CC establishes the maximum period 
a depositary bank may wait between receiving a deposit and making the 
deposited funds available for withdrawal.\1\ A depositary bank 
generally must provide faster availability for funds deposited by a 
``local check'' than by a ``nonlocal check.'' A check is considered 
local if it is payable by or at or through a bank located in the same 
Federal Reserve check-processing region as the depositary bank.
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    \1\ For purposes of Regulation CC, the term ``bank'' refers to 
any depository institution, including commercial banks, savings 
institutions, and credit unions.
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    Appendix A to Regulation CC contains a routing number guide that 
assists banks in identifying local and nonlocal banks and thereby 
determining the maximum permissible hold periods for most deposited 
checks. The appendix includes a list of each Federal Reserve check-
processing office and the first four digits of the routing number, 
known as the Federal Reserve routing symbol, of each bank that is 
served by that office for check-processing purposes. Banks whose 
Federal Reserve routing symbols are grouped under the same office are 
in the same check-processing region and thus are local to one another.
    On April 18, 2009, the Reserve Banks will transfer the check-
processing operations of the Baltimore branch office of the Federal 
Reserve Bank of Richmond to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank 
of Philadelphia. As a result of this change, some checks that are drawn 
on and deposited at banks located in the Baltimore and Philadelphia 
check-processing regions and that currently are nonlocal checks will 
become local checks subject to faster availability schedules. To assist 
banks in identifying local and nonlocal checks and making funds 
availability decisions, the Board is amending the list of routing 
symbols in appendix A associated with the Federal Reserve Banks of 
Richmond and Philadelphia to reflect the transfer of check-processing 
operations from the Baltimore branch office of the Federal Reserve Bank 
of Richmond to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank of 
Philadelphia. To coincide with the effective date of the underlying 
check-processing changes, the amendments to appendix A are effective 
April 18, 2009. The Board is providing notice of the amendments at this 
time to give affected banks ample time to make any needed processing 
changes. Early notice also will enable affected banks to amend their 
availability schedules and related disclosures if necessary and provide 
their customers with notice of these changes.\2\
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    \2\ Section 229.18(e) of Regulation CC requires that banks 
notify account holders who are consumers within 30 days after 
implementing a change that improves the availability of funds.
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Administrative Procedure Act

    The Board has not followed the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) 
relating to notice and public participation in connection with the 
adoption of the final rule. The revisions to appendix A are technical 
in nature and are required by the statutory and regulatory definitions 
of ``check-processing

[[Page 7786]]

region.'' Because there is no substantive change on which to seek 
public input, the Board has determined that the Sec.  553(b) notice and 
comment procedures are unnecessary. In addition, the underlying 
consolidation of Federal Reserve Bank check-processing offices involves 
a matter relating to agency management, which is exempt from notice and 
comment procedures.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3506; 5 CFR 1320 Appendix A.1), the Board has reviewed the final rule 
under authority delegated to the Board by the Office of Management and 
Budget. The technical amendment to appendix A of Regulation CC will 
delete the reference to the Baltimore branch office of the Federal 
Reserve Bank of Richmond and reassign the routing symbols listed under 
that office to the head office of the Federal Reserve Bank of 
Philadelphia. The depository institutions that are located in the 
affected check-processing regions and that include the routing numbers 
in their disclosure statements would be required to notify customers of 
the resulting change in availability under Sec.  229.18(e). However, 
all paperwork collection procedures associated with Regulation CC 
already are in place, and the Board accordingly anticipates that no 
additional burden will be imposed as a result of this rulemaking.

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 229

    Banks, Banking, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

Authority and Issuance

0
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Board is amending 12 CFR 
part 229 to read as follows:

PART 229--AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND COLLECTION OF CHECKS 
(REGULATION CC)

0
1. The authority citation for part 229 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 4001-4010, 12 U.S.C. 5001-5018.


0
2. The Third and Fifth Federal Reserve District routing symbol lists in 
appendix A are amended by removing the headings and listings for the 
Fifth Federal Reserve District and revising the listings for the Third 
Federal Reserve District to read as follows:

Appendix A to Part 229--Routing Number Guide to Next-Day Availability 
Checks and Local Checks
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    \1\ The first two digits identify the bank's Federal Reserve 
District. For example, 01 identifies the First Federal Reserve 
District (Boston), and 12 identifies the Twelfth District (San 
Francisco). Adding 2 to the first digit denotes a thrift 
institution. For example, 21 identifies a thrift in the First 
District, and 32 denotes a thrift in the Twelfth District.
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* * * * *

Third Federal Reserve District

[Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia]

Head Office

               0110 \1\                                 2110
                   0111                                 2111
                   0112                                 2112
                   0113                                 2113
                   0114                                 2114
                   0115                                 2115
                   0116                                 2116
                   0117                                 2117
                   0118                                 2118
                   0119                                 2119
                   0210                                 2210
                   0211                                 2211
                   0212                                 2212
                   0213                                 2213
                   0214                                 2214
                   0215                                 2215
                   0216                                 2216
                   0219                                 2219
                   0260                                 2260
                   0280                                 2280
                   0310                                 2310
                   0311                                 2311
                   0312                                 2312
                   0313                                 2313
                   0319                                 2319
                   0360                                 2360
                   0510                                 2510
                   0514                                 2514
                   0520                                 2520
                   0521                                 2521
                   0522                                 2522
                   0540                                 2540
                   0550                                 2550
                   0560                                 2560
                   0570                                 2570
 

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    By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, February 13, 2009.
Jennifer J. Johnson,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. E9-3547 Filed 2-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-P