[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 227 (Monday, November 25, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 64705-64707]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25428]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

12 CFR Part 204

[Regulation D; Docket No. R-1686]
RIN 7100-AF 66


Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Board is amending Regulation D, Reserve Requirements of 
Depository Institutions, to reflect the annual indexing of the reserve 
requirement exemption amount and the low reserve tranche for 2020. The 
Regulation D amendments set the amount of total reservable liabilities 
of each depository institution that is subject to a zero percent 
reserve requirement in 2020 at $16.9 million (up from 16.3 million in 
2019). This amount is known as the reserve requirement exemption 
amount. The Regulation D amendments also set the amount of net 
transaction accounts at each depository institution (over the reserve 
requirement exemption amount) that is subject to a three percent 
reserve requirement in 2020 at $127.5 million (up from $124.2 million 
in 2019). This amount is known as the low reserve tranche. The 
adjustments to both of these amounts are derived using statutory 
formulas specified in the Federal Reserve Act. The Board is also 
announcing changes in two other amounts, the nonexempt deposit cutoff 
level and the reduced reporting limit, that are used to determine the 
frequency at which depository institutions must submit deposit reports.

DATES: 
    Effective date: December 26, 2019.
    Compliance dates: The new low reserve tranche and reserve 
requirement exemption amount will apply to the fourteen-day reserve 
maintenance period that begins January 16, 2020. For depository 
institutions that report deposit data weekly, this maintenance period 
corresponds to the fourteen-day computation period that begins December 
17, 2019. For depository institutions that report deposit data 
quarterly, this maintenance period corresponds to the seven-day 
computation period that begins December 17, 2019. The new values of the 
nonexempt deposit cutoff level, the reserve requirement exemption 
amount, and the reduced reporting limit will be used to determine the 
frequency at which a depository institution submits deposit reports 
effective in either June or September 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sophia H. Allison, Senior Special 
Counsel (202-452-3565), Legal Division, or Francis A. Martinez, Senior 
Financial Institution and Policy Analyst (202-245-4217), Division of 
Monetary Affairs; for users of Telecommunications Device for the Deaf 
(TDD) only, contact (202/263-4869); Board of Governors of the Federal 
Reserve System, 20th and C Streets NW, Washington, DC 20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 19(b)(2) of the Federal Reserve Act 
(12 U.S.C. 461(b)(2)) requires each depository institution to maintain 
reserves against its transaction accounts and nonpersonal time 
deposits, as prescribed by Board regulations, for the purpose of 
implementing monetary policy. Section 11(a)(2) of the Federal Reserve 
Act (12 U.S.C. 248(a)(2)) authorizes the Board to require reports of 
liabilities and assets from depository institutions to enable the Board 
to conduct monetary policy. The Board's actions with respect to each of 
these provisions are discussed in turn below.

I. Reserve Requirements

    Pursuant to section 19(b) of the Federal Reserve Act (Act), 
transaction account balances maintained at each depository institution 
are subject to reserve requirement ratios of zero, three, or ten 
percent. Section 19(b)(11)(A) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 461(b)(11)(A)) 
provides that a zero percent reserve requirement shall apply at each 
depository institution to total reservable liabilities that do not 
exceed a certain amount, known as the reserve requirement exemption 
amount. Section 19(b)(11)(B) provides that, before December 31 of each 
year, the Board shall issue a regulation adjusting the reserve 
requirement exemption amount for the next calendar year if total 
reservable liabilities held at all depository institutions increase 
from one year to the next. No adjustment is made to the reserve 
requirement exemption amount if total reservable liabilities held at 
all depository institutions should decrease during the applicable time 
period. The Act requires the percentage increase in the reserve 
requirement exemption amount to be 80 percent of the increase in total 
reservable liabilities of all depository institutions over the one-year 
period that ends on the June 30 prior to the adjustment.
    Total reservable liabilities of all depository institutions 
increased by 4.3 percent, from $8,042 billion to $8,387 billion, 
between June 30, 2018, and June 30, 2019. Accordingly, the Board is 
amending Regulation D to set the reserve requirement exemption amount 
for 2020 at $16.9 million, an increase of $0.6 million from its level 
in 2019.\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Consistent with Board practice, the low reserve tranche and 
reserve requirement exemption amounts have been rounded to the 
nearest $0.1 million.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(2) of the Act (12 U.S.C. 461(b)(2)), 
transaction account balances maintained at each depository institution 
over the reserve requirement exemption amount and up to a certain 
amount, known as the low reserve tranche, are subject to a three 
percent reserve requirement. Transaction account balances over the low 
reserve tranche are subject to a ten percent reserve requirement. 
Section 19(b)(2) also provides that, before December 31 of each year, 
the Board shall issue a regulation adjusting the low reserve tranche 
for the next calendar year. The Act requires the adjustment in the low 
reserve tranche to be 80 percent of the percentage increase or decrease 
in total transaction accounts of all depository institutions over the 
one-year period that ends on the June 30 prior to the adjustment.
    Net transaction accounts of all depository institutions increased 
3.4 percent, from $2,410 billion to $2,491 billion, between June 30, 
2018, and June 30, 2019. Accordingly, the Board is amending Regulation 
D to set the low reserve tranche for net transaction accounts for 2020 
at $127.5 million, an increase of $3.3 million from 2019.
    The new low reserve tranche and reserve requirement exemption 
amount will be effective for all depository institutions for the 
fourteen-day reserve maintenance period beginning January 16, 2020. For 
depository institutions that report deposit data weekly, this 
maintenance period corresponds to the fourteen-day computation period 
that begins December 17, 2019. For depository institutions that report 
deposit data quarterly, this maintenance period corresponds to the 
seven-day computation period that begins December 17, 2019.

II. Deposit Reports

    Section 11(b)(2) of the Federal Reserve Act authorizes the Board to 
require depository institutions to file reports of their liabilities 
and assets as

[[Page 64706]]

the Board may determine to be necessary or desirable to enable it to 
discharge its responsibility to monitor and control the monetary and 
credit aggregates. The Board screens depository institutions each year 
and assigns them to one of four deposit reporting panels (weekly 
reporters, quarterly reporters, annual reporters, or nonreporters). The 
panel assignment for annual reporters is effective in June of the 
screening year; the panel assignment for weekly and quarterly reporters 
is effective in September of the screening year.
    In order to ease reporting burden, the Board permits smaller 
depository institutions to submit deposit reports less frequently than 
larger depository institutions. The Board permits depository 
institutions with net transaction accounts above the reserve 
requirement exemption amount but total transaction accounts, savings 
deposits, and small time deposits below a specified level (the 
``nonexempt deposit cutoff'') to report deposit data quarterly. 
Depository institutions with net transaction accounts above the reserve 
requirement exemption amount and with total transaction accounts, 
savings deposits, and small time deposits greater than or equal to the 
nonexempt deposit cutoff are required to report deposit data weekly. 
The Board requires certain large depository institutions to report 
weekly regardless of the level of their net transaction accounts if the 
depository institution's total transaction accounts, savings deposits, 
and small time deposits exceeds or is equal to a specified level (the 
``reduced reporting limit''). The nonexempt deposit cutoff level and 
the reduced reporting limit are adjusted annually, by an amount equal 
to 80 percent of the increase, if any, in total transaction accounts, 
savings deposits, and small time deposits of all depository 
institutions over the one-year period that ends on the June 30 prior to 
the adjustment.
    From June 30, 2018, to June 30, 2019, total transaction accounts, 
savings deposits, and small time deposits at all depository 
institutions increased 3.5 percent, from $12,601 billion to $13,046 
billion. Accordingly, the Board is increasing the nonexempt deposit 
cutoff level by $29.0 million to $1.058 billion for 2020 (up from 
$1.029 billion in 2019). The Board is also increasing the reduced 
reporting limit by $60.6 million to $2.208 billion for 2020 (up from 
$2.147 billion in 2019).\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ Consistent with Board practice, the nonexempt deposit cutoff 
level and the reduced reporting limit have been rounded to the 
nearest $1 million.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Beginning in 2020, the boundaries of the four deposit reporting 
panels will be defined as follows. Those depository institutions with 
net transaction accounts over $16.9 million (the reserve requirement 
exemption amount) or with total transaction accounts, savings deposits, 
and small time deposits greater than or equal to $2.208 billion (the 
reduced reporting limit) are subject to detailed reporting, and must 
file a Report of Transaction Accounts, Other Deposits and Vault Cash 
(FR 2900 report) either weekly or quarterly. Of this group, those with 
total transaction accounts, savings deposits, and small time deposits 
greater than or equal to $1.058 billion (the nonexempt deposit cutoff 
level) are required to file the FR 2900 report each week, while those 
with total transaction accounts, savings deposits, and small time 
deposits less than $1.058 billion are required to file the FR 2900 
report each quarter. Those depository institutions with net transaction 
accounts less than or equal to $16.9 million (the reserve requirement 
exemption amount) and with total transaction accounts, savings 
deposits, and small time deposits less than $2.208 billion (the reduced 
reporting limit) are eligible for reduced reporting, and must either 
file a deposit report annually or not at all. Of this group, those with 
total deposits greater than $16.9 million (but with total transaction 
accounts, savings deposits, and small time deposits less than $2.208 
billion) are required to file the Annual Report of Deposits and 
Reservable Liabilities (FR 2910a) report annually, while those with 
total deposits less than or equal to $16.9 million are not required to 
file a deposit report. A depository institution that adjusts reported 
values on its FR 2910a report in order to qualify for reduced reporting 
will be shifted to an FR 2900 reporting panel.

III. Regulatory Analysis

Administrative Procedure Act

    The provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(b) relating to notice of proposed 
rulemaking have not been followed in connection with the adoption of 
these amendments. The amendments involve expected, ministerial 
adjustments prescribed by statute and by the Board's policy concerning 
reporting practices. The adjustments in the reserve requirement 
exemption amount, the low reserve tranche, the nonexempt deposit cutoff 
level, and the reduced reporting limit serve to reduce regulatory 
burdens on depository institutions. Accordingly, the Board finds good 
cause for determining, and so determines, that notice in accordance 
with 5 U.S.C. 553(b) is unnecessary.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) does not apply to a rulemaking 
where a general notice of proposed rulemaking is not required.\3\ As 
noted previously, the Board has determined that it is unnecessary to 
publish a general notice of proposed rulemaking for this final rule. 
Accordingly, the RFA's requirements relating to an initial and final 
regulatory flexibility analysis do not apply.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ 5 U.S.C. 603 and 604.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,\4\ the 
Board reviewed this final rule. No collections of information pursuant 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act are contained in the final rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ 44 U.S.C. 3506; 5 CFR part 1320.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 204

    Banks, banking, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Board is amending 12 
CFR part 204 as follows:

PART 204--RESERVE REQUIREMENTS OF DEPOSITORY INSTITUTIONS 
(REGULATION D)

0
1. The authority citation for part 204 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  12 U.S.C. 248(a), 248(c), 461, 601, 611, and 3105.


0
2. Section 204.4 is amended by revising paragraph (f) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  204.4   Computation of required reserves.

* * * * *
    (f) For all depository institutions, Edge and Agreement 
corporations, and United States branches and agencies of foreign banks, 
required reserves are computed by applying the reserve requirement 
ratios in table 1 to this paragraph (f) to net transaction accounts, 
nonpersonal time deposits, and Eurocurrency liabilities of the 
institution during the computation period.

[[Page 64707]]



                        Table 1 to Paragraph (f)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Reservable liability                 Reserve requirement
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net Transaction Accounts:                    ...........................
    $0 to reserve requirement exemption      0 percent of amount.
     amount ($16.9 million).
    Over reserve requirement exemption       3 percent of amount.
     amount ($16.9 million) and up to low
     reserve tranche ($127.5 million).
    Over low reserve tranche ($127.5         $3,318,000 plus 10 percent
     million).                                of amount over $127.5
                                              million.
    Nonpersonal time deposits..............  0 percent.
    Eurocurrency liabilities...............  0 percent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, acting through the Director of the Division of Monetary 
Affairs under delegated authority, November 19, 2019.
Ann Misback,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 2019-25428 Filed 11-22-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P