PART A
‘’Sec. .
HP1301 LD 1869 |
First Regular Session - 123rd Legislature - Text: MS-Word, RTF or PDF |
LR 108 Item 2 |
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Bill Tracking | Chamber Status |
Amend the bill by inserting after the enacting clause and before section 1 the following:
PART A
‘’Sec. .
Amend the bill in section 2 in §6-105-A in subsection 1 in the first line (page 1, line 15 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: " rules" the following: ' , consistent with the principles for operation and implementation established by the system,'
Amend the bill in section 2 in §6-105-A by inserting after subsection 2 the following:
Any information provided by or to the administrator pursuant to this section that has been designated as confidential by another state's regulatory agency remains the property of the agency furnishing the information and must be kept confidential by the administrator and the system except as authorized by the agency that furnished the information.’
Amend the bill in section 4 in subsection 1-A by inserting after paragraph F the following:
Amend the bill in section 4 in subsection 1-A in paragraph V in subparagraph (2) in the last line (page 4, line 33 in L.D.) by striking out the following: " 3500.2; and" and inserting the following: ' 3500.2;'
Amend the bill in section 4 in subsection 1-A in paragraph V in subparagraph (3) in the last line (page 4, line 35 in L.D.) by striking out the following: " purposes." and inserting the following: ' purposes; and'
Amend the bill in section 4 in subsection 1-A in paragraph V by inserting after subparagraph (3) the following:
(4) The loan is not a construction loan.
Amend the bill in section 4 in subsection 1-A by inserting after paragraph Z the following:
Amend the bill in section 4 in subsection 1-A by relettering the paragraphs to read consecutively.
Amend the bill in section 19 in §8-206-C in subsection 1 in the 3rd line (page 7, line 9 in L.D.) by striking out the following: " 30" and inserting the following: ' 30-A'
Amend the bill in section 19 in §8-206-C in subsection 1 in paragraph G in the 4th and 5th lines (page 7, lines 39 and 40 in L.D.) by striking out the following: " regulatory agency that has jurisdiction over the creditor" and inserting the following: ' Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection'
Amend the bill in section 20 in §8-206-D in subsection 1 in paragraph B in the last line (page 9, line 31 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: " loan." the following: ' The administrator shall adopt rules defining with reasonable specificity the requirements for compliance with this paragraph. Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.'
Amend the bill in section 20 in §8-206-D in subsection 1 by striking out all of paragraph G (page 10, lines 15 to 43 and page 11, lines 1 to 4 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
(1) The determination of a borrower's reasonable ability to repay a subprime mortgage loan must include, but may not be limited to, consideration of the borrower's income, including statements submitted by or on behalf of the borrower in the loan application, except that a creditor may not disregard facts and circumstances that indicate that the income statements submitted by or on behalf of the borrower are inaccurate or incomplete, credit history, current obligations and employment status; the debt-to-income ratio of the borrower's monthly gross income, including the costs of property taxes and insurance; and other available financial resources other than the borrower's equity in the principal dwelling that secures or would secure the subprime mortgage loan.
(2) The calculation assumptions used in evaluating the ability to repay for subprime mortgage loans must include:
(a) The monthly payment amounts based on, at a minimum, the fully indexed rate, assuming a fully amortizing repayment schedule;
(b) Verification of all sources of income by tax returns, payroll receipts, bank records, reasonable alternative or reasonable 3rd-party verification; and
(c) For products that permit negative amortization, the repayment analysis based upon the initial loan amount plus any balance increase that may accrue from the negative amortization provision.
(3) The administrator shall adopt, amend and repeal routine technical rules in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A defining with reasonable specificity the requirements set forth in subparagraphs (1) and (2). In adopting rules under this subparagraph, the administrator shall give due consideration and weight to the following federal regulations and guidelines, as amended from time to time:
(a) Final Interagency Guidance on Nontraditional Mortgage Product Risks;
(b) Credit Risk Management Guidance for Home Equity Lending;
(c) Expanded Guidance for Subprime Lending Programs; and
(d) Interagency Guidance on Subprime Lending.
Amend the bill in section 20 in §8-206-D in subsection 2 in paragraph A in the 3rd line (page 11, line 9 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: " action." the following: ' The borrower shall pay any reasonable costs incurred by the creditor or servicer before the cure of default.'
Amend the bill in section 20 in §8-206-D in subsection 2 by striking out all of paragraph B (page 11, lines 13 to 14 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
Amend the bill in section 21 in §8-206-E in subsection 1 in the last line (page 11, line 33 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: " loan." the following: ' This section does not apply to a purchaser or assignee of a residential mortgage loan except as permitted in section 8-206-C, subsection 2.'
Amend the bill in section 21 in §8-206-E in subsection 2 in paragraph C in the first line (page 12, line 7 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: " damages" the following: ' for violations of section 8-206-C or section 8-206-D, subsection 1, paragraph B'
Amend the bill in section 21 in §8-206-E by striking out all of subsection 6 (page 12, lines 24 to 30 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 22 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 22. 9-A MRSA §8-206-F is enacted to read:
§ 8-206-F. Investigative and legal compliance personnel
Sec. 23. 9-A MRSA §8-206-G is enacted to read:
§ 8-206-G. Annual report to Legislature
The Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection shall report to the Legislature by January 15th of each year regarding the status of mortgage lending in this State and any unfair, deceptive or abusive mortgage lending practices that affect consumers. The report must include, but is not limited to, information on consumer complaints relating to mortgage lending, any enforcement actions, the number of foreclosures in the State, and support for financial literacy and consumer education and counseling. In preparing the report, the superintendent shall consult with the Bureau of Financial Institutions and the Attorney General.’
Amend the bill by inserting after section 28 the following:
‘Sec. 29. 9-A MRSA §10-303-A is enacted to read:
§ 10-303-A. Good faith and fair dealing
Amend the bill in section 33 in the first and 2nd lines (page 16, lines 14 and 15 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "Director of the Office of Consumer Credit Regulation" and inserting the following: 'Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection'
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 35 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 35. Application. That section of this Part that amends the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 9-A, section 8-206-A and those sections of this Part that enact Title 9-A, section 8-103, subsection 1-A and Title 9-A, sections 8-206-C, 8-206-D and 8-206-E apply to all residential mortgage loans and high-rate, high-fee mortgages originated or entered into on or after the effective date of this Part. ’
Amend the bill in section 36 in the last line (page 16, line 35 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "Act." and inserting the following: 'Part.'
Amend the bill in section 37 in subsection 1 in the next to the last line (page 17, line 3 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "Act" and inserting the following: 'Part'
Amend the bill in section 37 in subsection 2 in the first line (page 17, line 5 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "Act" and inserting the following: 'Part'
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 38 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 38. Rulemaking. The Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection and the Superintendent of Financial Institutions shall adopt rules as authorized by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 9-A, section 8-206-D, subsection 1, paragraph B before January 1, 2008.
Sec. 39. Effective date. That section of this Part that enacts the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 9-A, section 8-206-F takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the 123rd Legislature. The remainder of this Part takes effect January 1, 2008.
PART B
Sec. B-1. 2 MRSA §6, sub-§2, as repealed and replaced by PL 2005, c. 683, Pt. A, §1, is amended to read:
Sec. B-2. 2 MRSA §6, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2005, c. 405, Pt. D, §3, is further amended to read:
Sec. B-3. 9-A MRSA §6-103, as amended by PL 1995, c. 502, Pt. H, §2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§ 6-103. Administration
There is created and established the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. The Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection is the head of the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection. As used in this Act, and except as provided in section 1-301, subsection 2, "administrator" means the Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection. The administrator is appointed by the Governor and subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over insurance and financial services matters and to confirmation by the Legislature. The administrator is appointed for a 5-year term, or until a successor is appointed and qualified. Any vacancy occurring must be filled by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term. The administrator may be removed from office for cause by the Governor and Title 5, section 931, subsection 2 does not apply.
Sec. B-4. Transition provisions. The following provisions govern the transition of the Office of Consumer Credit Regulation to the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection.
1. The Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection is the successor in every way to the powers, duties and functions of the former Office of Consumer Credit Regulation.
2. The current Director of the Office of Consumer Credit Regulation becomes the acting Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection and shall serve in that capacity until a successor is appointed and qualified in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 9-A, section 6-103.
3. All existing rules, regulations and procedures in effect, in operation or adopted in or by the Office of Consumer Credit Regulation or any of its administrative units or officers are hereby declared in effect and continue in effect until rescinded, revised or amended by the proper authority.
4. All existing contracts, agreements and compacts currently in effect in the Office of Consumer Credit Regulation continue in effect.
5. Any positions authorized and allocated subject to the personnel laws to the former Office of Consumer Credit Regulation are transferred to the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection and may continue to be authorized.
6. All records, property and equipment previously belonging to or allocated for the use of the former Office of Consumer Credit Regulation become, on the effective date of this Part, part of the property of the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection.
7. All existing forms, licenses, letterheads and similar items bearing the name of or referring to the Office of Consumer Credit Regulation may be used by the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection.
Sec. B-5. Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause. Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes the words "Office of Consumer Credit Regulation" appear or reference is made to that entity or those words, those words are amended to read or mean, as appropriate, "Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection" or "bureau," and the Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes.
Sec. B-6. Maine Revised Statutes amended; revision clause. Wherever in the Maine Revised Statutes the words "Director of the Office of Consumer Credit Regulation" appear or reference is made to that entity or those words, those words are amended to read or mean, as appropriate, "Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection" or "superintendent," and the Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when updating, publishing or republishing the statutes.
Sec. B-7. Effective date. This Part takes effect when approved.
PART C
Sec. C-1. 9-A MRSA §1-202, sub-§8, ¶A, as amended by PL 1997, c. 64, §1, is further amended to read:
(1) Pursuant to the terms of a construction financing agreement;
(2) To protect the security or to perform the covenants of the consumer;
(3) As negative amortization of principal under the terms of the financing agreement;
(4) From funds withheld at consummation pending the resolution of matters that otherwise would tend to delay or prevent closing, including, without limitation, remedy of title defects or repairs to meet appraisal standards; or
(5) Pursuant to the terms of a reverse mortgage transaction, as defined in section 8-103, subsection 1 1-A, paragraph H-1 X, if the transaction is made pursuant to a commitment to purchase issued by, or is in a form approved for purchase by, any state or federal agency, instrumentality or government-sponsored enterprise, including, without limitation, the Federal National Mortgage Association or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation;
Sec. C-2. 9-A MRSA §2-509, as amended by PL 2007, c. 99, §1, is further amended to read:
§ 2-509. Right to prepay
Subject to the provisions on rebate upon prepayment, section 2-510, the consumer may prepay, in full or in part, the unpaid balance of a consumer credit transaction at any time without penalty, except for minimum charges as permitted by law. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Title, a reasonable charge may be assessed upon a consumer related to prepayment of a consumer loan made by a supervised financial organization and secured by an interest in land, other than a high-rate, high-fee mortgage, as defined in section 8-103, subsection 1 1-A, paragraph F-1 P, if the charge is reasonably calculated to offset the cost of origination of the loan. The administrator shall adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. C-3. 9-A MRSA §8-104, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 155, Pt. C, §2, is amended to read:
(1) Any related financial arrangements of the borrowers, as determined by the administrator;
(2) The financial sophistication of the borrowers relative to the type of transaction; and
(3) The importance to the borrowers of the credit, related supporting property and coverage under this Title, as determined by the administrator;
Sec. C-4. 9-A MRSA §8-105, sub-§6, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 614, Pt. B, §3 and affected by §4, is amended to read:
(i) If, except as provided in subparagraph (ii), the amount disclosed as the finance charge does not vary from the actual finance charge by more than an amount equal to 1/2 of 1% of the total amount of credit extended; or
(ii) In the case of a transaction, other than a high-rate, high-fee mortgage as defined in section 8-103, subsection 1 1-A, paragraph F-1 P, that:
(a) Is a refinancing of the principal balance then due and any accrued and unpaid finance charges of a residential mortgage transaction, as defined in section 8-103, subsection 1 1-A, paragraph H W, or is any subsequent refinancing of such a transaction; and
(b) Does not provide any new consolidation or new advance, if the amount disclosed as the finance charge does not vary from the actual finance charge by more than an amount equal to 1% of the total amount of credit extended.
Sec. C-5. 9-A MRSA §8-106-A, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 326, §4, is amended to read:
§ 8-106-A. Number of percentage points
The dollar amount specified in section 8-103, subsection 1 1-A, paragraph F-1, subparagraph (2) P must be adjusted annually on January 1st by the annual percentage change in the Consumer Price Index, as reported on June 1st of the year preceding the adjustment.
This section may not be construed to limit the rate of interest or the finance charge that a person may charge a consumer for an extension of credit.
Sec. C-6. 9-A MRSA §8-204, sub-§5, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1981, c. 243, §25, is amended to read:
Sec. C-7. 9-A MRSA §8-206-A, sub-§15, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 326, §5, is amended to read:
Sec. C-8. 9-A MRSA §8-209, sub-§4, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 614, Pt. A, §14, is amended to read:
Sec. C-9. 9-A MRSA §8-209, sub-§4, ¶D, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 614, Pt. A, §14, is amended to read:
Sec. C-10. 10 MRSA §1141, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 261, is amended to read:
Sec. C-11. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
PROFESSIONAL AND FINANCIAL REGULATION, DEPARTMENT OF
Office of Consumer Credit Regulation 0091
Initiative: Allocates funds for a Chief Field Investigator position with responsibility for investigating complex allegations of mortgage-related violations, including directing and overseeing the office's fact-gathering process, and for supervising the investigative activities of existing compliance examination staff and allocates for a Staff Attorney position with responsibility for compliance and enforcement as provided under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 9-A, section 8-206-F.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT
|
2.000 | 2.000 |
Personal Services
|
$111,196 | $156,841 |
All Other
|
$22,514 | $20,144 |
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL | $133,710 | $176,985 |
Office of Consumer Credit Regulation 0091
Initiative: Allocates funds for the reclassification of the Director of the Office of Consumer Credit Regulation position to Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
Personal Services
|
$8,061 | $15,785 |
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL | $8,061 | $15,785 |
PROFESSIONAL AND FINANCIAL REGULATION, DEPARTMENT OF | ||
DEPARTMENT TOTALS | 2007-08 | 2008-09 |
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
|
$141,771 | $192,770 |
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS | $141,771 | $192,770 |
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
summary
This amendment does the following.
1. It clarifies that implementation of the multistate licensing system must reflect principles agreed upon by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and the American Financial Services Association.
2. It clarifies that records provided to the administrator that are confidential must be maintained as confidential and not disclosed except as authorized.
3. It clarifies that construction loans are excluded from the definition of "residential mortgage loan."
4. It adds a definition of "subprime mortgage loan."
5. It clarifies that counseling organizations must be approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Maine State Housing Authority or the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection.
6. It requires rulemaking to further define tangible net benefit before January 1, 2008.
7. It clarifies that the provision requiring a creditor to determine a borrower's reasonable ability to pay before making a loan applies only to subprime mortgage loans.
8. It clarifies that a borrower must pay the reasonable costs of the lender incurred before cure of default.
9. It clarifies that assignees or purchasers of loans are not subject to the violations provision except as specifically provided.
10. It clarifies that punitive damages are permitted for violations of the high-rate, high-fee mortgage provisions or the flipping provision when the violation is malicious or reckless.
11. It excludes residential mortgage loans from potential criminal liability and clarifies that fines and terms of imprisonment for violations of the bill's provisions are in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 17-A.
12. It requires the Superintendent of Consumer Credit Protection to report annually to the Legislature.
13. It adds a requirement of good faith and fair dealing on loan brokers.
14. It establishes the Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection to replace the current Office of Consumer Credit Regulation within the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation.