83_FR_48749 83 FR 48562 - Limited Exception for a Capped Amount of Reciprocal Deposits From Treatment as Brokered Deposits

83 FR 48562 - Limited Exception for a Capped Amount of Reciprocal Deposits From Treatment as Brokered Deposits

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 187 (September 26, 2018)

Page Range48562-48569
FR Document2018-20303

The FDIC seeks comment on a notice of proposed rulemaking to conform its current regulations that implement brokered deposits and interest rate restrictions with recent changes to section 29 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act made by section 202 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act related to reciprocal deposits, which took effect on May 24, 2018. Conforming amendments to the FDIC's regulations governing deposit insurance assessments are also being proposed. This rulemaking is the first part of a two-part effort to revisit the brokered deposit rules. The FDIC is currently working on the second part, which is planned for later this year and which will seek comment on the brokered deposit regulations more generally. We encourage comments not related to the implementation of section 202 to be submitted as part of the broader rulemaking effort.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 187 (Wednesday, September 26, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 187 (Wednesday, September 26, 2018)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48562-48569]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20303]


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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2018 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 48562]]



FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION

12 CFR Parts 327 and 337

RIN 3064-AE89


Limited Exception for a Capped Amount of Reciprocal Deposits From 
Treatment as Brokered Deposits

AGENCY: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FDIC seeks comment on a notice of proposed rulemaking to 
conform its current regulations that implement brokered deposits and 
interest rate restrictions with recent changes to section 29 of the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Act made by section 202 of the Economic 
Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act related to 
reciprocal deposits, which took effect on May 24, 2018. Conforming 
amendments to the FDIC's regulations governing deposit insurance 
assessments are also being proposed. This rulemaking is the first part 
of a two-part effort to revisit the brokered deposit rules. The FDIC is 
currently working on the second part, which is planned for later this 
year and which will seek comment on the brokered deposit regulations 
more generally. We encourage comments not related to the implementation 
of section 202 to be submitted as part of the broader rulemaking 
effort.

DATES: Comments on the rules must be received by October 26, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN 3064-AE89, by any 
of the following methods:
     Agency Website: http://www.FDIC.gov/regulations/laws/federal/.
     Mail: Robert E. Feldman, Executive Secretary, Attention: 
Comments/Legal ESS, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 550 17th 
Street NW, Washington, DC 20429.
     Hand Delivery/Courier: Comments may be hand-delivered to 
the guard station at the rear of the 550 17th Street NW building 
(located on F Street) on business days between 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
     Email: comments@FDIC.gov.
    Instructions: Comments submitted must include ``FDIC'' and ``RIN 
3064-AE89.'' Comments received will be posted without change to http://www.FDIC.gov/regulations/laws/federal/, including any personal 
information provided.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Division of Risk Management 
Supervision--Thomas F. Lyons, Chief, Policy and Program Development, 
(202) 898-6850, tlyons@fdic.gov; Judy Gross, Senior Policy Analyst, 
(202) 898-7047, jugross@fdic.gov; Division of Insurance and Research--
Ashley Mihalik, Senior Policy Analyst, (202) 898-3793, 
amihalik@fdic.gov; Legal Division--Vivek V. Khare, Counsel, (202) 898-
6847, vkhare@fdic.gov; Thomas Hearn, Counsel, (202) 898-6967; 
thearn@fdic.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Policy Objectives

    The policy objective of this proposed rule is to implement section 
202 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection 
Act, codified in 12 U.S.C. 1831f, which took effect on May 24, 2018.\1\ 
The main effect of the legislation and this proposed rule is to permit 
FDIC-insured financial institutions, under certain circumstances, to 
except certain amounts of reciprocal deposits from treatment as 
brokered deposits.
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    \1\ Public Law 115-174, 132 Stat. 1296-1368 (2018).
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II. Background

    The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act 
(the Act) was enacted on May 24, 2018.\2\ Section 202 of the Act amends 
section 29 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (FDI Act) \3\ to except 
a capped amount of reciprocal deposits from treatment as brokered 
deposits for certain insured depository institutions. In addition, 
section 202 ensures that the interest rate restrictions in section 29 
remain applicable to any deposit, including reciprocal deposits, 
whether or not they fall under the limited exception. Section 202 was 
effective immediately upon enactment.
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    \2\ Public Law 115-174, 132 Stat. 1296-1368 (2018).
    \3\ See 12 U.S.C. 1831f.
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    As more fully discussed below, well-capitalized institutions are 
not restricted from accepting or soliciting brokered deposits and have 
no restrictions on the rates they pay on deposits. However, under 
section 29, less than well-capitalized institutions may not accept or 
solicit brokered deposits and may not offer rates on any deposits that 
are significantly higher than the prevailing rates in the institution's 
normal market area. Section 29 defines the term ``deposit broker'' and 
provides a list of exclusions to that term. Funds obtained through a 
deposit broker are considered brokered deposits. Section 202 amends 
section 29 to effectively provide that a capped amount of reciprocal 
deposits will not be considered funds obtained through a deposit broker 
for certain insured depository institutions, and thus such deposits 
will be non-brokered. Reciprocal deposits that do not meet the section 
202 exception are brokered deposits under section 29.
    At this time, institutions with reciprocal deposits that meet 
section 202's limited exception can refer to the Supplemental 
Instructions provided as part of the June 30, 2018, Call Report 
Instructions for information on reporting reciprocal deposits under the 
new law.\4\ The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council 
(FFIEC) has indicated that it anticipates issuing additional 
instructions regarding the application of section 202 to reciprocal 
deposits for purposes of reporting in the Call Report for September 30, 
2018.
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    \4\ FFIEC Supplemental Instructions, Call Report Date, p. 2, 
June 30, 2018. https://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2018/fil18039a.pdf.
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    This rulemaking is the first part of a two-part effort to revisit 
the brokered deposit rules. The FDIC is currently working on the second 
part, which is planned for later this year and will seek comment on the 
brokered deposit regulations more generally.

A. Section 29 of the FDI Act

    Under section 29 of the FDI Act, an insured depository institution 
is restricted from accepting deposits by or through a deposit broker 
unless the institution is well capitalized for Prompt Corrective Action 
(PCA)

[[Page 48563]]

purposes.\5\ The FDIC may waive this restriction if the insured 
depository institution is adequately capitalized; however, the 
restriction cannot be waived if the institution is undercapitalized.\6\ 
Section 29 also imposes restrictions on the deposit interest rates that 
an insured depository institution may offer if the institution is not 
well capitalized.\7\ These interest rate restrictions cannot be waived. 
Section 337.6 of the FDIC's Rules and Regulations implements section 29 
of the FDI Act.\8\ Through this regulation, the FDIC has largely 
tracked the statutory definition of ``deposit broker'' and its 
exceptions.
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    \5\ 12 U.S.C. 1831f(a).
    \6\ 12 U.S.C. 1831f(c).
    \7\ 12 U.S.C. 1831f.
    \8\ 12 U.S.C. 1831f(a).
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    A ``deposit broker,'' as defined by section 29 of the FDI Act, 
includes ``any person engaged in the business of placing deposits, or 
facilitating the placement of deposits, of third parties with insured 
depository institutions or the business of placing deposits with 
insured depository institutions for the purpose of selling interests in 
those deposits to third parties. . . .'' Under the FDIC's regulations, 
a ``brokered deposit'' is thus defined as a deposit accepted through a 
``deposit broker.'' \9\ The definition of ``deposit broker'' is subject 
to ten statutory exceptions in section 29 \10\ and one regulatory 
exception.\11\
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    \9\ 12 CFR 337.6(a)(2).
    \10\ 12 U.S.C. 1831 f(g)(2), (i).
    \11\ 12 CFR 337.6(a)(5)(ii)(J); see also, 57 FR 23933-01.
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B. Reciprocal Deposits

    The reciprocal deposit arrangement is based upon a network of banks 
that place funds at other participating banks in order for depositors 
to receive insurance coverage for the entire amount of their 
deposits.\12\ In these arrangements, institutions within the network 
are both sending and receiving identical amounts of deposits 
simultaneously. Because reciprocal arrangements can be complex, and 
involve numerous banks, they are often managed by a third-party network 
sponsor. As a result of this arrangement, the institutions themselves 
(along with the network sponsors) are ``in the business of placing 
deposits, or facilitating the placement of deposits, of third parties 
with insured depository institutions,'' \13\ and the involvement of 
deposit brokers within the reciprocal network means the deposits are 
brokered deposits.\14\
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    \12\ See FDIC Advisory Opinion No. 03-03 (July 29, 2003).
    \13\ Excerpt of the definition of ``deposit broker.'' 12 U.S.C. 
1831f.
    \14\ See FDIC's 2011 Study on Core and Brokered Deposits, issued 
July 2011, Sections IV.E. and VIII.E.
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    For assessment purposes, reciprocal deposits have been treated more 
favorably than other types of brokered deposits. In 2009, through 
rulemaking, the FDIC amended its risk-based assessment rate methodology 
for small institutions, i.e., insured depository institutions with less 
than $10 billion dollars in total assets.\15\ In that rulemaking, the 
FDIC added an ``adjusted brokered deposit ratio'' that applied to small 
institutions that were well capitalized and well rated. This ratio 
measured the extent to which significant reliance on brokered deposits 
helped to fund rapid asset growth. After consideration of comments 
received in response to the proposed rule, reciprocal deposits were not 
included as part of the adjusted brokered deposit ratio. In its final 
rule, the FDIC stated that ``[it] recognizes that reciprocal deposits 
may be a more stable source of funding for healthy banks than other 
types of brokered deposits and that they may not be as readily used to 
fund rapid asset growth.'' \16\ When the FDIC updated its risk-based 
assessment rate methodology for established small banks in 2016, it 
replaced the adjusted brokered deposit ratio with a brokered deposit 
ratio.\17\ The new ratio, which measures significant reliance on 
brokered deposits (rapid asset growth is considered as a separate 
measure) and applies to all established small banks, continues to 
exclude reciprocal deposits for institutions that are well capitalized 
and well rated.\18\
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    \15\ 79 FR 9525 (March 4, 2009).
    \16\ Id. at 9532.
    \17\ Generally, an established small bank is a small institution 
that has been federally insured for at least five years. See 81 FR 
32180 (May 20, 2016).
    \18\ See 12 CFR 327.16(a)(1)(ii).
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III. Discussion of Treatment of Reciprocal Deposits Under the Act

    Prior to enactment of the Act, all reciprocal deposits were 
classified as brokered deposits.\19\ Section 202 of the Act amends 
section 29 of the FDI Act to except a capped amount of reciprocal 
deposits from treatment as brokered deposits for certain insured 
depository institutions. Section 202's amendments took effect upon 
enactment on May 24, 2018, and the FDIC is proposing to amend its 
regulations to conform with the statutory amendments.
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    \19\ See FDIC's 2011 Study on Core and Brokered Deposits, issued 
July 2011, Section IV.
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    Section 202 defines ``reciprocal deposits'' as ``deposits received 
by an agent institution through a deposit placement network with the 
same maturity (if any) and in the same aggregate amount as covered 
deposits placed by the agent institution in other network member 
banks.'' Network member banks may receive other deposits through a 
network such as (1) deposits received without the institution placing 
into the network a deposit of the same maturity and same aggregate 
amount (sometimes referred to as ``one-way network deposits'') and (2) 
deposits placed by the institution into the network where the deposits 
were obtained, directly or indirectly, by or through a deposit broker. 
Such other network deposits meet the definition of brokered deposits 
but would not meet the definition of reciprocal deposits and thus would 
not be eligible to be excepted from an institution's brokered deposits 
under section 202.
    In this rulemaking, the FDIC is proposing to implement section 
202's limited exception by incorporating these statutory definitions 
into section 337.6(e)(2) of the brokered deposit rules, without change. 
These definitions must be satisfied in order for a capped amount of 
reciprocal deposits to be excepted from treatment as brokered deposits.

A. Deposit Placement Network, Covered Deposits, and Network Member Bank

    The term ``deposit placement network'' is defined in section 202 as 
a network in which an insured depository institution participates, 
together with other insured depository institutions, for the processing 
and receipt of reciprocal deposits. Institutions that are members of 
the deposit placement network are ``network member banks.''
    The deposits that an ``agent institution'' places at other banks in 
return for reciprocal deposits are termed ``covered deposits'' under 
section 202. The term covered deposit is defined as a deposit that (1) 
is submitted for placement through a deposit placement network and (2) 
does not consist of funds that were obtained for the agent institution, 
directly or indirectly, by or through a deposit broker before 
submission for placement through the deposit placement network.

B. Agent Institution

    Consistent with section 202, proposed section 337.6(e)(2) defines 
``agent institution'' as an insured depository institution that places 
a covered deposit through a deposit placement network at other insured 
depository institutions in amounts that are less than or equal to the 
standard maximum deposit insurance amount, and specifies the

[[Page 48564]]

interest rate to be paid for such amounts, if the insured depository 
institution:
     Is well capitalized \20\ and has a composite condition of 
outstanding (CAMELS ``1'') or good (CAMELS ``2'') when most recently 
examined under section 10(d) of the FDI Act (described as ``well 
rated''); \21\
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    \20\ See generally, 12 CFR part 325, subpart B or 12 CFR part 
324, subpart H (FDIC); 12 CFR part 208 (Board of Governors for the 
Federal Reserve System); 12 CFR part 6 (Office of the Comptroller of 
the Currency). 12 U.S.C. 1831o. ``Well capitalized'' is already 
defined in 12 CFR 337.6(a)(3)(i).
    \21\ The effective date of a CAMELS composite rating is the date 
of written notification to the institution by its primary federal 
regulator or state authority of its supervisory rating. See e.g., 12 
CFR 327.4(f).
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     has obtained a waiver pursuant to section 29(c) of the FDI 
Act; or
     does not receive an amount of reciprocal deposits that 
causes the total amount of reciprocal deposits held by the agent 
institution to be greater than the average of the total amount of 
reciprocal deposits held by the agent institution on the last day of 
each of the four calendar quarters preceding the calendar quarter in 
which the agent institution was found not to have a composite condition 
of outstanding or good or was determined to be not well capitalized.

C. Caps Applicable to Agent Institutions

    Consistent with section 202, under the proposed regulation, an 
``agent institution'' can except reciprocal deposits from being 
classified as brokered deposits up to its applicable statutory caps, as 
explained below.
General Cap
    An agent institution may except reciprocal deposits up to the 
lesser of the following amounts (referred to as the general cap) from 
being classified as brokered deposits: \22\
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    \22\ See FFIEC Supplemental Instructions, Call Report Date, June 
30, 2018 https://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2018/fil18039a.pdf.
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     $5 billion or
     An amount equal to 20 percent of the agent institution's 
total liabilities.
    Reciprocal deposits in excess of the general cap, as well as those 
reciprocal deposits that do not meet section 202's limited exception, 
are brokered deposits.
Special Cap
    A special cap applies if the institution is either not well rated 
or not well capitalized. In this case, the institution may meet the 
definition of ``agent institution'' by maintaining its reciprocal 
deposits at or below the special cap, which is the average amount of 
reciprocal deposits held at quarter-end during the last four quarters 
preceding the quarter that the institution fell below well capitalized 
or well rated. The FDIC notes that section 202 does not provide a date 
by which an institution must demonstrate that its amount of reciprocal 
deposits are within the special cap. The FDIC is considering evaluating 
whether an institution's reciprocal deposits meet the special cap based 
on information reported in its Call Reports. For an institution that is 
determined to fall below well rated, the FDIC would evaluate its 
compliance with the special cap based on Call Report data submitted for 
the reporting date immediately following when the determination is 
made. The FDIC seeks comment on any unintended consequences this may 
cause to institutions.
Application of Statutory Caps
    Below are descriptions of how the two statutory caps would apply to 
an agent institution based upon its capital and composite ratings.
    1. Well capitalized and well rated. Institutions that are both well 
capitalized and well rated can have non-brokered reciprocal deposits up 
to the general cap. Any amount of reciprocal deposits over the general 
cap will no longer meet the limited exception and therefore that amount 
would be considered to be ``brokered deposits.'' Well-capitalized 
institutions can accept all brokered deposits, including reciprocal 
deposits that are brokered deposits, without any restrictions.
    2. Not well capitalized or not well rated. Institutions that are 
either not well capitalized or not well rated are subject to the lesser 
of either the special cap or the general cap. The amount of reciprocal 
deposits within the institution's applicable cap would not be 
considered brokered deposits. In no event, however, can an 
institution's non-brokered reciprocal deposits exceed the general cap. 
With respect to an institution that is well capitalized but not well 
rated, if it received reciprocal deposits above the special cap, it 
would no longer meet the definition of ``agent institution.'' In this 
situation, an institution would need to decide whether to (1) retain 
all of its reciprocal deposits and report them as brokered deposits 
(assuming the institution was well capitalized \23\), or (2) lower the 
amounts of its reciprocal deposits to within the special cap by the end 
of the quarter that it is notified that it is no longer well rated, in 
which case all of the institution's reciprocal deposits could be 
excepted from its brokered deposits. An institution that is less than 
adequately capitalized or adequately capitalized without a waiver would 
have the option to lower its reciprocal deposits to within the special 
cap by the end of the quarter for which, in the ordinary course, the 
change in capital status is reported, or work with its primary federal 
regulator to establish a supervisory plan for addressing reciprocal 
deposits. The FDIC requests comment on other ways an institution that 
is not well rated or not well capitalized could manage its holdings of 
reciprocal deposits in excess of the special cap, consistent with the 
applicable provisions of section 202 so that its reciprocal deposits 
would be treated as non-brokered.
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    \23\ 12 U.S.C. 1831f(c). Institutions that are adequately 
capitalized may seek a waiver from the FDIC to accept brokered 
deposits. Waivers under section 29(c) are only available (1) on a 
case-by-case basis, (2) upon application to the FDIC, (3) to 
adequately capitalized institutions, and (4) upon a finding that the 
acceptance of such deposits does not constitute an unsafe or unsound 
practice with respect to such institution. Less than adequately 
capitalized institutions (undercapitalized or significantly 
undercapitalized institutions) are not eligible to seek a waiver 
from the FDIC.
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D. Example of Section 202's Applicability

    A well rated and well capitalized community bank (``the Bank'') has 
a banking relationship with its local municipality. The municipality 
wishes to place deposits in excess of the standard maximum deposit 
insurance amount at the Bank. In an effort to provide insurance 
coverage for the entire amount of the deposit, the Bank offers the 
municipality the option to place its deposits through a deposit 
placement network at a specified interest rate.
    In this case, the Bank is an ``agent institution'' because it is 
both well rated and well capitalized. After establishing itself as an 
``agent institution,'' the Bank must next determine whether the 
municipal deposits that it wishes to submit into the deposit placement 
network are covered deposits. If the deposits are placed directly by 
the municipality, without any assistance of a third-party, the deposits 
meet the definition of a ``covered deposit.''
    Next, if the municipal deposits are ``covered deposits,'' to meet 
the statutory definition of ``reciprocal deposits,'' the institution 
must receive deposits with the same maturity (if any) and in the same 
aggregate amount as the covered deposits it placed with other network 
banks. If the definitional framework set forth in section 202 is 
satisfied, the Bank may except an amount of the deposits it receives 
from

[[Page 48565]]

the deposit network--up to the general cap--from treatment as brokered 
deposits.
    In contrast to the example described above, if the Bank places 
deposits obtained by or through the assistance of deposit broker into a 
deposit placement network, then those deposits would not meet the 
definition of a ``covered deposit.'' As a result, deposits that the 
Bank receives in exchange for its brokered deposits from other network 
member banks would not qualify as ``reciprocal deposits'' and therefore 
would not meet section 202's limited exception.

E. Conforming Assessments Amendments

    The FDIC is proposing to make conforming amendments to its 
assessments regulations to be consistent with the statutory definition 
of reciprocal deposits. Prior to enactment of section 202, all 
reciprocal deposits as defined in the assessment regulations met the 
definition of brokered deposits. Because section 202 excepts certain 
reciprocal deposits from treatment as brokered deposits, the FDIC is 
proposing to replace the current definition of ``reciprocal deposits'' 
in section 327.8(q) with a new term, ``brokered reciprocal deposit.'' A 
``brokered reciprocal deposit'' is a ``reciprocal deposit'' as defined 
under section 202, and proposed section 337.6(e)(2)(v), that does not 
meet the statute's limited exception (e.g., deposits over the 
applicable caps discussed above). The FDIC is also proposing to make 
conforming amendments to sections 327.16(a)(1)(ii) and 327.16(e)(3), 
which reference reciprocal deposits.
    For assessment purposes, ``brokered reciprocal deposits'' will 
continue to be excluded from the brokered deposit ratio for established 
small institutions that are well capitalized and well rated.\24\ For 
new small banks and large and highly complex banks that are less than 
well capitalized or not well rated, ``brokered reciprocal deposits'' 
will continue to be included in an institution's total brokered 
deposits for the brokered deposit adjustment.\25\
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    \24\ The brokered deposit ratio may increase assessment rates 
for established small banks with brokered deposits greater than 10 
percent of total assets. Since 2009, when the ratio was first used 
as one of the financial measures used to determine an established 
small bank's assessment rate, the ratio has excluded reciprocal 
deposits from brokered deposits if the bank is well capitalized and 
well rated. See 12 CFR 327.16(a)(1)(ii).
    \25\ The brokered deposit adjustment applies to all new small 
institutions in Risk Categories II, III, and IV, and all large and 
all highly complex institutions, except large and highly complex 
institutions (including new large and new highly complex 
institutions) that are well capitalized and have a CAMELS composite 
rating of 1 or 2. The brokered deposit adjustment can increase 
assessments for institutions that have brokered deposits in excess 
of 10 percent of domestic deposits. See 12 CFR 327.16(e)(3).
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    The FDIC notes that the statutory definition of ``reciprocal 
deposit'' is substantially similar to the current regulatory definition 
in Part 327, with one difference. Section 202's definition of 
``reciprocal deposits'' is limited to funds obtained from a deposit 
placement network in exchange for funds placed into the network that 
meet the definition of ``covered deposits,'' which excludes funds that 
were obtained, directly or indirectly, by or through a deposit broker 
before submission for placement through the deposit placement network. 
As such, funds that do not meet the statutory definition of 
``reciprocal deposit'' because they are obtained in exchange for funds 
that the institution acquired by or through a deposit broker are 
``brokered deposits'' and would not meet the proposed definition of 
``brokered reciprocal deposits.''
    The FDIC seeks comment on the extent to which institutions may be 
affected by the FDIC's proposal to conform the definition of reciprocal 
deposits for assessment purposes with the definition provided in 
section 202.

F. Interest Rates

    Section 202 applies the statutory interest rate restrictions under 
section 29 to all reciprocal deposits. More specifically, section 202 
amends section 29(e) of the FDI Act by ensuring that the interest rate 
restrictions apply to less than well capitalized banks that accept 
reciprocal deposits.\26\ As a result, section 202 confirms that the 
current statutory and regulatory rate restrictions for less than well 
capitalized institutions continue to apply to any deposit, including a 
reciprocal deposit that is a covered deposit.\27\ To ensure consistent 
treatment of the interest rate restrictions under section 202, the FDIC 
is proposing conforming amendments to section 337.6(b)(2)(ii) of its 
rules and regulations.
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    \26\ 12 U.S.C. 1831f(h).
    \27\ 12 U.S.C. 1831f(g)(3) and (e).
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IV. Expected Effects

    As noted previously, section 202 of the Act took effect upon 
enactment, and the proposed rule would conform part 337 with the 
legislation and align the assessment rules with the statute's 
definition of ``reciprocal deposits.'' The proposed rule applies to all 
FDIC-insured depository institutions. As of March 31, 2018, there were 
5,616 FDIC-insured institutions. Of these, 2,528 institutions report 
having brokered deposits, which totaled $980 billion. Of the 
institutions reporting brokered deposits, 1,185 institutions also 
report having reciprocal deposits, totaling $48 billion.

Benefits

    The proposed rule could affect deposit insurance assessments for a 
small number of FDIC-insured institutions. As discussed in Section II: 
Background, the brokered deposit ratio is one of the financial measures 
used to determine assessment rates for established small banks. The 
brokered deposit ratio may increase assessment rates for established 
small banks with brokered deposits greater than 10 percent of total 
assets.\28\ Among these banks, those that are well capitalized and well 
rated can already deduct reciprocal deposits from brokered deposits and 
generally would not be affected by the proposed rule, for assessment 
purposes.\29\ Furthermore, the proposed rule would not affect the 
assessment rates of banks that do not have reciprocal deposits or whose 
brokered deposits comprise less than 10 percent of total assets. The 
FDIC estimates that fewer than ten (0.178 percent) small FDIC-insured 
institutions that are either not well capitalized or not well rated (or 
both) could have a lower assessment rate under the proposed rule if 
their reciprocal deposits are excepted from brokered deposits.\30\ For 
large institutions, generally insured depository institutions with 
greater than $10 billion in total assets, the proposed rule may alter 
the core deposit ratio, resulting in a change in the bank's 
assessment.\31\ The FDIC estimates that 20 (0.356 percent) FDIC-insured 
institutions could have a lower assessment due to the effect of the 
proposed rule on their core deposit ratio, if their reciprocal deposits 
are excepted from treatment as brokered. Based on data as of March 31, 
2018, the FDIC estimates that no more than 30 institutions would have 
reduced assessment rates, all else equal, and the FDIC's aggregate 
assessment revenue

[[Page 48566]]

would be reduced by an estimated $4.3 million annually.
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    \28\ All else equal, a higher brokered deposit ratio will result 
in a higher assessment rate.
    \29\ See 12 CFR 327.16(a)(1)(ii).
    \30\ FDIC Call Report, March 31, 2018.
    \31\ The core deposit ratio applies to large and highly-complex 
institutions and is measured as domestic deposits, excluding 
brokered deposits and uninsured non-brokered time deposits, divided 
by total liabilities. Reciprocal deposits that are brokered 
reciprocal deposits will continue to be excluded from the ratio. See 
12 CFR 327.16(b) and Appendix B.
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    Adequately capitalized institutions may also benefit from the 
proposed rule through a reduction in administrative costs. Under 
existing regulations, these institutions must seek and receive a 
regulatory waiver from the FDIC in order to accept brokered 
deposits.\32\ The proposed rule would allow these institutions that 
previously accepted reciprocal deposits to continue to receive 
reciprocal deposits up to the lesser of the general or special cap 
without requesting a waiver. This allowance results in a de minimis 
savings of administrative expenses for affected institutions. The 
number of institutions that may benefit from this potential reduction 
in administrative costs is difficult to accurately estimate with 
available data because it depends on the specific financial conditions 
of each bank, fluctuating market conditions for reciprocal deposits, 
and future management decisions.
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    \32\ 12 U.S.C. 1831f(c); 12 CFR 337.6(c).
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    Undercapitalized institutions may also benefit from the proposed 
rule by accepting reciprocal deposits up to the lesser of either the 
general or special cap, even though they are otherwise prohibited from 
receiving brokered deposits.\33\ Under existing regulations, 
undercapitalized institutions cannot solicit or accept any reciprocal 
deposits because all reciprocal deposits are treated as brokered 
deposits. Because the proposed rule excepts a certain amount of 
reciprocal deposits from treatment as brokered, undercapitalized 
institutions that, when better capitalized, previously accepted 
reciprocal deposits may now be allowed to receive reciprocal deposits 
up to the lesser of the general or special cap despite being 
undercapitalized. If undercapitalized institutions can receive 
reciprocal deposits, the result may be increased utilization of 
reciprocal deposits in the future. However, this effect is difficult to 
estimate with available data because the decision to receive reciprocal 
deposits depends on the specific financial conditions of each bank, 
fluctuating market conditions for reciprocal deposits, and future 
management decisions.
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    \33\ 12 CFR 337.6(b).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    There are 2,528 (45 percent) institutions that report holding some 
amount of brokered deposits and 1,185 (21 percent) that report holding 
some amount of reciprocal deposits. The changes could affect some 
metrics that rely on the amount of brokered deposits reported on the 
Call Report, such as:

 Net Noncore Funding Dependence Ratio
 Brokered Deposits Maturing in less than year to Brokered 
Deposits Ratio
 Brokered Deposits to Deposits Ratio
 Listing Service and Brokered Deposits to Deposits Ratio
 Reciprocal Brokered Deposits to Total Brokered Deposits Ratio

Cost

    With regards to the difference in the current regulatory definition 
of ``reciprocal deposits'' for assessment purposes, which was added 
pursuant to the FDIC's assessment authority under section 7 of the FDI 
Act, and the statutory definition of reciprocal deposits that was added 
to section 29 of the FDI Act, the FDIC notes that banks do not report 
data on the amount (if any) of deposits that were obtained, directly or 
indirectly, by or through a deposit brokered before submission for 
placement through the deposit placement network. As a result, the FDIC 
cannot estimate whether this change to align the assessment regulation 
definition of ``reciprocal deposits'' with the statutory definition of 
that term in section 29 of the FDI Act would affect the amount of 
reciprocal deposits that a bank would report or whether it would affect 
any bank's assessment rate.
    With regards to costs to the Deposit Insurance Fund, the FDIC 
estimates that, assuming all currently reported reciprocals align with 
the statutory definition, all else equal, the FDIC's aggregate 
assessment revenue would be reduced by an estimated $4.3 million 
annually. Additional reduced assessment revenue could occur if 
institutions shift their funding mix away from funding sources that 
affect assessment rates, such as brokered deposits, towards reciprocal 
deposits. Historically, when resolving failed institutions, the FDIC 
has found that potential acquiring institutions have generally been 
unwilling to pay a premium for reciprocal deposits, typically treating 
them consistent with other brokered deposits. It is not clear whether 
reciprocal deposits that are no longer considered brokered as a result 
of section 202 would be viewed by potential acquiring institutions as 
more akin to traditional retail deposits for purposes of warranting a 
premium. As a result, the FDIC requests comment on whether these non-
brokered reciprocal deposits would be considered differently in the 
failing bank context. Additionally, the proposed rule could pose some 
additional regulatory costs associated with changes to internal systems 
or processes, or changes to reporting requirements.

V. Alternatives

    The FDIC considered alternatives to the proposed rule but believes 
that the proposed amendments represent the most appropriate option. In 
particular, the FDIC considered whether a rulemaking implementing 
section 202 was necessary or appropriate. Section 202's amendments to 
section 29 became effective upon the Act's enactment on May 24, 2018, 
so one view considered was whether a rulemaking was necessary to 
implement the amendments. However, the FDIC believes that conforming 
section 337.6 with section 202's amendments will remove confusion that 
might arise if interested parties only consult section 337.6 for 
requirements related to brokered deposits.
    Section 202 did not address the assessment rules in part 327 with 
respect to reciprocal deposits. However, the definition of ``reciprocal 
deposits'' in part 327 varies with the definition of that term in 
section 202. As an alternative, the FDIC considered whether it should 
continue to use the existing definition of ``reciprocal deposits'' for 
assessment purposes. However, the FDIC is concerned that having two 
different definitions of ``reciprocal deposits'' could cause confusion 
as well as undue burden in the industry, particularly for reporting 
purposes.

VI. Request for Comment

    The FDIC seeks comment on its proposal to conform its current 
regulations that implement brokered deposit and interest rate 
restrictions with recent changes to section 29 made by section 202 of 
the Act. As noted earlier, this notice of proposed rulemaking is the 
first part of a two-part effort to revisit the brokered deposit rules. 
The FDIC is currently working on the second part, which is planned for 
later this year and which will seek comment on the brokered deposit 
regulations more generally. We encourage comments not related to the 
implementation of section 202 to be submitted as part of the broader 
rulemaking effort. The FDIC seeks comment on all aspects of this 
proposed rule and in particular the following questions that were 
provided in previous sections of this proposal.
     As indicated above, for an institution that is determined 
to not be well rated and can only meet the ``agent institution'' 
definition by maintaining its reciprocal deposits at or below the 
special cap, the FDIC is considering

[[Page 48567]]

evaluating this issue based on Call Report Data submitted for the 
reporting date immediately following when the determination is made. 
The FDIC seeks comment on any unintended consequences this approach may 
cause to institutions.
     The FDIC seeks comment on other ways an institution that 
is not well rated or not well capitalized could manage its holdings of 
reciprocal deposits in excess of the special cap, consistent with the 
applicable provisions of section 202's definition of ``agent 
institution,'' so that its reciprocal deposits would be treated as non-
brokered.
     The FDIC seeks comment on the extent to which institutions 
may be affected by the FDIC's proposal to conform the definition of 
reciprocal deposits for assessment purposes with the definition 
provided in section 202.
     The FDIC requests comment on whether reciprocal deposits 
that are no longer considered brokered deposits as a result of section 
202 would be viewed by a potential acquiring institution bidding on the 
deposits of a failed institution the same way it views traditional 
retail deposits for which a premium would be offered.
     The FDIC seeks comments on how the regulations should 
apply to de novo institutions that lack four prior quarters of 
reciprocal deposits to calculate the special cap.

VII. Solicitation of Comments on Use of Plain Language

    Section 722 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Public Law 106-102, 113 
Stat. 1338, 1471 (Nov. 12, 1999), requires the Federal banking agencies 
to use plain language in all proposed and final rules published after 
January 1, 2000. The FDIC invites your comments on how to make this 
revised proposal easier to understand. For example:
     Has the FDIC organized the material to suit your needs? If 
not, how could the material be better organized?
     Are the requirements in the proposed regulation clearly 
stated? If not, how could the regulation be stated more clearly?
     Does the proposed regulation contain language or jargon 
that is unclear? If so, which language requires clarification?
     Would a different format (grouping and order of sections, 
use of headings, paragraphing) make the regulation easier to 
understand?

VIII. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., 
generally requires an agency, in connection with a proposed rule, to 
prepare and make available for public comment an initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis that describes the impact of a proposed rule on 
small entities.\34\ However, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not 
required if the agency certifies that the rule will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. 
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has defined ``small entities'' 
to include banking organizations with total assets of less than or 
equal to $550 million.\35\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \34\ 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.
    \35\ The SBA defines a small banking organization as having $550 
million or less in assets, where ``a financial institution's assets 
are determined by averaging the assets reported on its four 
quarterly financial statements for the preceding year.'' See 13 CFR 
121.201 (as amended, effective December 2, 2014). ``SBA counts the 
receipts, employees, or other measure of size of the concern whose 
size is at issue and all of its domestic and foreign affiliates.'' 
See 13 CFR 121.103. Following these regulations, the FDIC uses a 
covered entity's affiliated and acquired assets, averaged over the 
preceding four quarters, to determine whether the covered entity is 
``small'' for the purposes of RFA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As of March 31, 2018, there were 5,616 FDIC-insured institutions, 
of which 4,177 are considered small entities for the purposes of 
RFA.\36\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \36\ FDIC Call Report, March 31, 2018.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The proposed rule could affect deposit insurance assessments for a 
small number of FDIC-insured, small entities. As discussed in Section 
II: Background, the brokered deposit ratio is one of the financial 
measures used to determine assessment rates for established small 
banks. The brokered deposit ratio may increase assessment rates for 
established small banks with brokered deposits greater than 10 percent 
of total assets.\37\ Among these banks, those that are well capitalized 
and well rated can already deduct reciprocal deposits from brokered 
deposits and generally would not be affected by the proposed rule, for 
assessment purposes.\38\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \37\ All else equal, a higher brokered deposit ratio will result 
in a higher assessment rate.
    \38\ See 12 CFR 327.16(a)(1)(ii).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Furthermore, the proposed rule would not affect the assessment 
rates of small banks that do not have reciprocal deposits or whose 
brokered deposits comprise less than 10 percent of total assets. The 
FDIC estimates that seven (0.2 percent) small, FDIC-insured entities 
that are either not well capitalized or not well rated (or both) could 
have a lower assessment rate under the proposed rule if their 
reciprocal deposits are excepted from brokered deposits.\39\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \39\ FDIC Call Report, March 31, 2018.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    There are 611 (14.6 percent) small entities that report holding 
some amount of reciprocal deposits and 1,499 (35.9 percent) that report 
holding some amount of brokered deposits. These changes could affect 
some metrics that rely on the amount of brokered deposits reported on 
the Call Report, such as:

 Net Noncore Funding Dependence Ratio
 Brokered Deposits Maturing in less than year to Brokered 
Deposits Ratio
 Brokered Deposits to Deposits Ratio
 Listing Service and Brokered Deposits to Deposits Ratio
 Reciprocal Brokered Deposits to Total Brokered Deposits Ratio

    Based on available information, it is difficult to determine 
whether additional regulatory costs or costs to the Deposit Insurance 
Fund could result. Nonetheless, the proposed rule could pose some 
additional regulatory costs associated with changes to internal systems 
or processes, or changes to reporting requirements. Based on the 
information above, the FDIC certifies that the proposed rule will not 
have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.
    The FDIC invites comments on all aspects of the supporting 
information provided in this RFA section. In particular, would this 
rule have any significant effects on small entities that the FDIC has 
not identified?

IX. Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521) (PRA), the FDIC may not conduct or 
sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, an information 
collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) control number. The FDIC has reviewed the proposed 
rule and determined that it revises certain reporting requirements that 
have been previously cleared by the OMB under various control 
numbers.\40\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ The reporting requirements are found in the three 
Consolidated Reports of Condition and Income (Call Reports) 
promulgated by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination 
Council (FFIEC). The Call Reports are designated FFIEC 031 
(Consolidated Report of Condition and Income for a Bank with 
Domestic and Foreign Offices); FFIEC 041 (Consolidated Report of 
Condition and Income for a Bank with Domestic Offices Only); and 
FFIEC 051 (Consolidated Report of Condition and Income for a Bank 
with Domestic Only and Total Assets of Less than $1 Billion). The 
FFIEC constituent bank regulatory agencies (the Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System (the Board), the Office of the 
Comptroller of the Currency (the OCC) and the FDIC) (the Agencies) 
have each obtained information collection clearances from OMB under 
the following Control Numbers: 7100-0036 (Board); 1557-0081 (OCC); 
and 3064-0052 (FDIC).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On May 24, 2018, EGRRCPA amended various statutes administered by 
the Agencies and affected regulations issued

[[Page 48568]]

by the Agencies.\41\ As described above, certain amendments made by 
EGRRCPA took effect on the day of EGRRCPA's enactment and immediately 
impacted institutions' regulatory reports. In response to emergency 
review requests, the Agencies received approval from OMB to revise the 
reporting of information in the Call Reports including the reciprocal 
deposits provisions described in this proposed rule. As a result of 
OMB's emergency approval of revisions to the information collections 
affected by the above statutory changes, the expiration date of these 
collections has been revised to February 28, 2019. The Agencies are now 
undertaking the regular PRA process for revising and extending these 
information collections for three years and plan to publish the 
required 60-day notice in the Federal Register.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \41\ Public Law 115-174, 132 Stat. 1296 (2018).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

X. Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act

    The Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act of 
1994 (RCDRIA), 12 U.S.C. 4701, requires that each Federal banking 
agency, in determining the effective date and administrative compliance 
requirements for new regulations that impose additional reporting, 
disclosure, or other requirements on insured depository institutions, 
consider, consistent with principles of safety and soundness and the 
public interest, any administrative burdens that such regulations would 
place on depository institutions, including small depository 
institutions, and customers of depository institutions, as well as the 
benefits of such regulations.\42\ In addition, new regulations that 
impose additional reporting, disclosures, or other new requirements on 
insured depository institutions generally must take effect on the first 
day of a calendar quarter that begins on or after the date on which the 
regulations are published in final form.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ 12 U.S.C. 4802.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The changes relating to ``reciprocal deposits'' and section 29 were 
effective upon enactment of section 202, and as described previously, 
institutions have already begun reporting reciprocal deposits as per 
the new law. The FDIC anticipates that any final rule relating to the 
amendments to part 337 of the FDIC's regulations would be effective 30 
days after publication in the Federal Register. However, the proposed 
rule also includes changes to conform section 202's statutory 
definition of ``reciprocal deposit'' with the current definition of 
``reciprocal deposit'' in the FDIC's assessments regulations in part 
327. The FDIC is inviting comment on any administrative burdens that 
the proposed changes would place on depository institutions, including 
small depository institutions, and customers of depository 
institutions. The FDIC will consider these comments in connection with 
determining an effective date for the proposed rule. Consistent with 
RCDRIA, the FDIC anticipates that any changes to the assessment rule 
would be effective on the first day of a calendar quarter that begins 
after the date on which a final rule is published.

List of Subjects

12 CFR Part 327

    Bank deposit insurance, Banks, Banking, Savings associations.

12 CFR Part 337

    Banks, Banking, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Savings 
associations.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the FDIC hereby proposes to 
amend parts 327 and 337 as follows:

PART 327--ASSESSMENTS

0
1. The authority for 12 CFR part 327 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  12 U.S.C. 1441, 1813, 1815, 1817-19, 1821.

0
2. Amend Sec.  327.8 by revising paragraph (q) to read as follows:


Sec.  327.8  Definitions.

* * * * *
    (q) Brokered reciprocal deposits--Reciprocal deposits as defined in 
Sec.  337.6(e)(2)(v) that are not excepted from the institution's 
brokered deposits pursuant to Sec.  337.6(e).
* * * * *


Sec.  327.16   [Amended]

0
3. Amend Sec.  327.16, by removing ``reciprocal deposit'' and adding in 
its place ``brokered reciprocal deposit as defined in section 
327.8(q)'' in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) and by removing ``reciprocal 
deposits as defined in Sec.  327.8(p)'' and adding in its place 
``brokered reciprocal deposits as defined in section 327.8(q)'' in 
paragraph (e)(3).

PART 337--UNSAFE AND UNSOUND BANKING PRACTICES

0
4. The authority for 12 CFR part 337 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  12 U.S.C. 375a(4), 375b, 1463(a)(1),1816, 1818(a), 
1818(b), 1819, 1820(d), 1828(j)(2), 1831, 1831f, 5412.

0
5. Amend Sec.  337.6 by revising paragraph (b)(2)(ii) introductory 
text, redesignating paragraph (e) as paragraph (f), and adding a new 
paragraph (e) to read as follows:


Sec.  337.6  Brokered deposits.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (2) * * *
    (ii) Any adequately capitalized insured depository institution that 
has been granted a waiver to accept, renew or roll over a brokered 
deposit, or is an agent institution that receives a reciprocal deposit 
(under Sec.  337.6(e)(2)(i)(C)), may not pay an effective yield on any 
such deposit which, at the time that such deposit is accepted, renewed 
or rolled over, exceeds by more than 75 basis points:
* * * * *
    (e) Limited exception for reciprocal deposits. (1) Limited 
exception. Reciprocal deposits of an agent institution shall not be 
considered to be funds obtained, directly or indirectly, by or through 
a deposit broker to the extent that the total amount of such reciprocal 
deposits does not exceed the lesser of:
    (i) $5,000,000,000; or
    (ii) An amount equal to 20 percent of the total liabilities of the 
agent institution.
    (2) Additional definitions that apply to the limited exception for 
reciprocal deposits--(i) Agent institution means an insured depository 
institution that places a covered deposit through a deposit placement 
network at other insured depository institutions in amounts that are 
less than or equal to the standard maximum deposit insurance amount, 
specifying the interest rate to be paid for such amounts, if the 
insured depository institution:
    (A)(1) When most recently examined under section 10(d) of the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1820(d)) was found to have a 
composite condition of outstanding or good; and
    (2) Is well capitalized;
    (B) Has obtained a waiver pursuant to paragraph (c) of this 
section; or
    (C) Does not receive an amount of reciprocal deposits that causes 
the total amount of reciprocal deposits held by the agent institution 
to be greater than the average of the total amount of reciprocal 
deposits held by the agent institution on the last day of each of the 
four calendar quarters preceding the calendar quarter in which the 
agent institution was found not to have a composite condition of 
outstanding or good or was determined to be not well capitalized.
    (ii) Covered deposit means a deposit that:

[[Page 48569]]

    (A) Is submitted for placement through a deposit placement network 
by an agent institution; and
    (B) Does not consist of funds that were obtained for the agent 
institution, directly or indirectly, by or through a deposit broker 
before submission for placement through a deposit placement network.
    (iii) Deposit placement network means a network in which an insured 
depository institution participates, together with other insured 
depository institutions, for the processing and receipt of reciprocal 
deposits.
    (iv) Network member bank means an insured depository institution 
that is a member of a deposit placement network.
    (v) Reciprocal deposits means deposits received by an agent 
institution through a deposit placement network with the same maturity 
(if any) and in the same aggregate amount as covered deposits placed by 
the agent institution in other network member banks.

    Dated at Washington, DC, on September 12, 2018.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Robert E. Feldman,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2018-20303 Filed 9-25-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6714-01-P



                                                 48562

                                                 Proposed Rules                                                                                                Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                               Vol. 83, No. 187

                                                                                                                                                               Wednesday, September 26, 2018



                                                 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                      • Hand Delivery/Courier: Comments                   reciprocal deposits, whether or not they
                                                 contains notices to the public of the proposed          may be hand-delivered to the guard                    fall under the limited exception. Section
                                                 issuance of rules and regulations. The                  station at the rear of the 550 17th Street            202 was effective immediately upon
                                                 purpose of these notices is to give interested          NW building (located on F Street) on                  enactment.
                                                 persons an opportunity to participate in the            business days between 7:00 a.m. and                      As more fully discussed below, well-
                                                 rule making prior to the adoption of the final                                                                capitalized institutions are not restricted
                                                                                                         5:00 p.m.
                                                 rules.
                                                                                                           • Email: comments@FDIC.gov.                         from accepting or soliciting brokered
                                                                                                           Instructions: Comments submitted                    deposits and have no restrictions on the
                                                 FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE                               must include ‘‘FDIC’’ and ‘‘RIN 3064–                 rates they pay on deposits. However,
                                                 CORPORATION                                             AE89.’’ Comments received will be                     under section 29, less than well-
                                                                                                         posted without change to http://                      capitalized institutions may not accept
                                                 12 CFR Parts 327 and 337                                www.FDIC.gov/regulations/laws/                        or solicit brokered deposits and may not
                                                                                                         federal/, including any personal                      offer rates on any deposits that are
                                                                                                         information provided.                                 significantly higher than the prevailing
                                                 RIN 3064–AE89
                                                                                                         FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      rates in the institution’s normal market
                                                 Limited Exception for a Capped                          Division of Risk Management                           area. Section 29 defines the term
                                                 Amount of Reciprocal Deposits From                      Supervision—Thomas F. Lyons, Chief,                   ‘‘deposit broker’’ and provides a list of
                                                 Treatment as Brokered Deposits                          Policy and Program Development, (202)                 exclusions to that term. Funds obtained
                                                                                                         898–6850, tlyons@fdic.gov; Judy Gross,                through a deposit broker are considered
                                                 AGENCY: Federal Deposit Insurance                       Senior Policy Analyst, (202) 898–7047,                brokered deposits. Section 202 amends
                                                 Corporation (FDIC).                                     jugross@fdic.gov; Division of Insurance               section 29 to effectively provide that a
                                                 ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking                   and Research—Ashley Mihalik, Senior                   capped amount of reciprocal deposits
                                                 and request for comments.                               Policy Analyst, (202) 898–3793,                       will not be considered funds obtained
                                                                                                         amihalik@fdic.gov; Legal Division—                    through a deposit broker for certain
                                                 SUMMARY:   The FDIC seeks comment on                    Vivek V. Khare, Counsel, (202) 898–                   insured depository institutions, and
                                                 a notice of proposed rulemaking to                      6847, vkhare@fdic.gov; Thomas Hearn,                  thus such deposits will be non-
                                                 conform its current regulations that                    Counsel, (202) 898–6967; thearn@                      brokered. Reciprocal deposits that do
                                                 implement brokered deposits and                         fdic.gov.                                             not meet the section 202 exception are
                                                 interest rate restrictions with recent                                                                        brokered deposits under section 29.
                                                                                                         SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                 changes to section 29 of the Federal                                                                             At this time, institutions with
                                                 Deposit Insurance Act made by section                   I. Policy Objectives                                  reciprocal deposits that meet section
                                                 202 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory                     The policy objective of this proposed              202’s limited exception can refer to the
                                                 Relief, and Consumer Protection Act                     rule is to implement section 202 of the               Supplemental Instructions provided as
                                                 related to reciprocal deposits, which                   Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief,                   part of the June 30, 2018, Call Report
                                                 took effect on May 24, 2018. Conforming                 and Consumer Protection Act, codified                 Instructions for information on
                                                 amendments to the FDIC’s regulations                    in 12 U.S.C. 1831f, which took effect on              reporting reciprocal deposits under the
                                                 governing deposit insurance                             May 24, 2018.1 The main effect of the                 new law.4 The Federal Financial
                                                 assessments are also being proposed.                    legislation and this proposed rule is to              Institutions Examination Council
                                                 This rulemaking is the first part of a                  permit FDIC-insured financial                         (FFIEC) has indicated that it anticipates
                                                 two-part effort to revisit the brokered                 institutions, under certain                           issuing additional instructions regarding
                                                 deposit rules. The FDIC is currently                    circumstances, to except certain                      the application of section 202 to
                                                 working on the second part, which is                    amounts of reciprocal deposits from                   reciprocal deposits for purposes of
                                                 planned for later this year and which                   treatment as brokered deposits.                       reporting in the Call Report for
                                                 will seek comment on the brokered                                                                             September 30, 2018.
                                                 deposit regulations more generally. We                  II. Background                                           This rulemaking is the first part of a
                                                 encourage comments not related to the                      The Economic Growth, Regulatory                    two-part effort to revisit the brokered
                                                 implementation of section 202 to be                     Relief, and Consumer Protection Act                   deposit rules. The FDIC is currently
                                                 submitted as part of the broader                        (the Act) was enacted on May 24, 2018.2               working on the second part, which is
                                                 rulemaking effort.                                      Section 202 of the Act amends section                 planned for later this year and will seek
                                                 DATES: Comments on the rules must be                    29 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act               comment on the brokered deposit
                                                 received by October 26, 2018.                           (FDI Act) 3 to except a capped amount                 regulations more generally.
                                                 ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,                     of reciprocal deposits from treatment as
                                                                                                                                                               A. Section 29 of the FDI Act
                                                 identified by RIN 3064–AE89, by any of                  brokered deposits for certain insured
                                                                                                         depository institutions. In addition,                   Under section 29 of the FDI Act, an
                                                 the following methods:                                                                                        insured depository institution is
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with PROPOSALS




                                                   • Agency Website: http://                             section 202 ensures that the interest rate
                                                                                                         restrictions in section 29 remain                     restricted from accepting deposits by or
                                                 www.FDIC.gov/regulations/laws/                                                                                through a deposit broker unless the
                                                 federal/.                                               applicable to any deposit, including
                                                                                                                                                               institution is well capitalized for
                                                   • Mail: Robert E. Feldman, Executive                    1 Public Law 115–174, 132 Stat. 1296–1368           Prompt Corrective Action (PCA)
                                                 Secretary, Attention: Comments/Legal                    (2018).
                                                 ESS, Federal Deposit Insurance                            2 Public Law 115–174, 132 Stat. 1296–1368             4 FFIEC Supplemental Instructions, Call Report
                                                 Corporation, 550 17th Street NW,                        (2018).                                               Date, p. 2, June 30, 2018. https://www.fdic.gov/
                                                 Washington, DC 20429.                                     3 See 12 U.S.C. 1831f.                              news/news/financial/2018/fil18039a.pdf.



                                            VerDate Sep<11>2014   17:24 Sep 25, 2018   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00001   Fmt 4702   Sfmt 4702   E:\FR\FM\26SEP1.SGM   26SEP1


                                                                    Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                           48563

                                                 purposes.5 The FDIC may waive this                       network means the deposits are                         agent institution through a deposit
                                                 restriction if the insured depository                    brokered deposits.14                                   placement network with the same
                                                 institution is adequately capitalized;                      For assessment purposes, reciprocal                 maturity (if any) and in the same
                                                 however, the restriction cannot be                       deposits have been treated more                        aggregate amount as covered deposits
                                                 waived if the institution is                             favorably than other types of brokered                 placed by the agent institution in other
                                                 undercapitalized.6 Section 29 also                       deposits. In 2009, through rulemaking,                 network member banks.’’ Network
                                                 imposes restrictions on the deposit                      the FDIC amended its risk-based                        member banks may receive other
                                                 interest rates that an insured depository                assessment rate methodology for small                  deposits through a network such as (1)
                                                 institution may offer if the institution is              institutions, i.e., insured depository                 deposits received without the
                                                 not well capitalized.7 These interest rate               institutions with less than $10 billion                institution placing into the network a
                                                 restrictions cannot be waived. Section                   dollars in total assets.15 In that                     deposit of the same maturity and same
                                                 337.6 of the FDIC’s Rules and                            rulemaking, the FDIC added an                          aggregate amount (sometimes referred to
                                                 Regulations implements section 29 of                     ‘‘adjusted brokered deposit ratio’’ that               as ‘‘one-way network deposits’’) and (2)
                                                 the FDI Act.8 Through this regulation,                   applied to small institutions that were                deposits placed by the institution into
                                                 the FDIC has largely tracked the                         well capitalized and well rated. This                  the network where the deposits were
                                                 statutory definition of ‘‘deposit broker’’               ratio measured the extent to which                     obtained, directly or indirectly, by or
                                                 and its exceptions.                                      significant reliance on brokered deposits              through a deposit broker. Such other
                                                   A ‘‘deposit broker,’’ as defined by                    helped to fund rapid asset growth. After               network deposits meet the definition of
                                                 section 29 of the FDI Act, includes ‘‘any                consideration of comments received in                  brokered deposits but would not meet
                                                 person engaged in the business of                        response to the proposed rule,                         the definition of reciprocal deposits and
                                                 placing deposits, or facilitating the                    reciprocal deposits were not included as               thus would not be eligible to be
                                                 placement of deposits, of third parties                  part of the adjusted brokered deposit                  excepted from an institution’s brokered
                                                 with insured depository institutions or                  ratio. In its final rule, the FDIC stated              deposits under section 202.
                                                 the business of placing deposits with                    that ‘‘[it] recognizes that reciprocal                   In this rulemaking, the FDIC is
                                                 insured depository institutions for the                  deposits may be a more stable source of                proposing to implement section 202’s
                                                 purpose of selling interests in those                    funding for healthy banks than other                   limited exception by incorporating these
                                                 deposits to third parties. . . .’’ Under                 types of brokered deposits and that they               statutory definitions into section
                                                 the FDIC’s regulations, a ‘‘brokered                     may not be as readily used to fund rapid               337.6(e)(2) of the brokered deposit rules,
                                                 deposit’’ is thus defined as a deposit                   asset growth.’’ 16 When the FDIC                       without change. These definitions must
                                                 accepted through a ‘‘deposit broker.’’ 9                 updated its risk-based assessment rate                 be satisfied in order for a capped
                                                 The definition of ‘‘deposit broker’’ is                  methodology for established small                      amount of reciprocal deposits to be
                                                 subject to ten statutory exceptions in                   banks in 2016, it replaced the adjusted                excepted from treatment as brokered
                                                 section 29 10 and one regulatory                         brokered deposit ratio with a brokered                 deposits.
                                                 exception.11                                             deposit ratio.17 The new ratio, which                  A. Deposit Placement Network, Covered
                                                 B. Reciprocal Deposits                                   measures significant reliance on                       Deposits, and Network Member Bank
                                                                                                          brokered deposits (rapid asset growth is
                                                   The reciprocal deposit arrangement is                                                                            The term ‘‘deposit placement
                                                                                                          considered as a separate measure) and
                                                 based upon a network of banks that                                                                              network’’ is defined in section 202 as a
                                                                                                          applies to all established small banks,
                                                 place funds at other participating banks                                                                        network in which an insured depository
                                                                                                          continues to exclude reciprocal deposits
                                                 in order for depositors to receive                                                                              institution participates, together with
                                                                                                          for institutions that are well capitalized
                                                 insurance coverage for the entire                                                                               other insured depository institutions,
                                                                                                          and well rated.18
                                                 amount of their deposits.12 In these                                                                            for the processing and receipt of
                                                 arrangements, institutions within the                    III. Discussion of Treatment of                        reciprocal deposits. Institutions that are
                                                 network are both sending and receiving                   Reciprocal Deposits Under the Act                      members of the deposit placement
                                                 identical amounts of deposits                               Prior to enactment of the Act, all                  network are ‘‘network member banks.’’
                                                 simultaneously. Because reciprocal                       reciprocal deposits were classified as                    The deposits that an ‘‘agent
                                                 arrangements can be complex, and                         brokered deposits.19 Section 202 of the                institution’’ places at other banks in
                                                 involve numerous banks, they are often                   Act amends section 29 of the FDI Act to                return for reciprocal deposits are termed
                                                 managed by a third-party network                         except a capped amount of reciprocal                   ‘‘covered deposits’’ under section 202.
                                                 sponsor. As a result of this arrangement,                deposits from treatment as brokered                    The term covered deposit is defined as
                                                 the institutions themselves (along with                  deposits for certain insured depository                a deposit that (1) is submitted for
                                                 the network sponsors) are ‘‘in the                       institutions. Section 202’s amendments                 placement through a deposit placement
                                                 business of placing deposits, or                         took effect upon enactment on May 24,                  network and (2) does not consist of
                                                 facilitating the placement of deposits, of               2018, and the FDIC is proposing to                     funds that were obtained for the agent
                                                 third parties with insured depository                    amend its regulations to conform with                  institution, directly or indirectly, by or
                                                 institutions,’’ 13 and the involvement of                the statutory amendments.                              through a deposit broker before
                                                 deposit brokers within the reciprocal                       Section 202 defines ‘‘reciprocal                    submission for placement through the
                                                                                                          deposits’’ as ‘‘deposits received by an                deposit placement network.
                                                   5 12 U.S.C. 1831f(a).
                                                   6 12
                                                                                                                                                                 B. Agent Institution
                                                        U.S.C. 1831f(c).                                    14 See  FDIC’s 2011 Study on Core and Brokered
                                                   7 12 U.S.C. 1831f.
                                                                                                          Deposits, issued July 2011, Sections IV.E. and           Consistent with section 202, proposed
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                                                   8 12 U.S.C. 1831f(a).                                  VIII.E.                                                section 337.6(e)(2) defines ‘‘agent
                                                   9 12 CFR 337.6(a)(2).                                    15 79 FR 9525 (March 4, 2009).                       institution’’ as an insured depository
                                                   10 12 U.S.C. 1831 f(g)(2), (i).                          16 Id. at 9532.
                                                                                                                                                                 institution that places a covered deposit
                                                   11 12 CFR 337.6(a)(5)(ii)(J); see also, 57 FR 23933–     17 Generally, an established small bank is a small
                                                                                                                                                                 through a deposit placement network at
                                                 01.                                                      institution that has been federally insured for at
                                                   12 See FDIC Advisory Opinion No. 03–03 (July 29,       least five years. See 81 FR 32180 (May 20, 2016).
                                                                                                                                                                 other insured depository institutions in
                                                 2003).                                                     18 See 12 CFR 327.16(a)(1)(ii).                      amounts that are less than or equal to
                                                   13 Excerpt of the definition of ‘‘deposit broker.’’      19 See FDIC’s 2011 Study on Core and Brokered        the standard maximum deposit
                                                 12 U.S.C. 1831f.                                         Deposits, issued July 2011, Section IV.                insurance amount, and specifies the


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                                                 48564              Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2018 / Proposed Rules

                                                 interest rate to be paid for such                       amount of reciprocal deposits held at                    amounts of its reciprocal deposits to
                                                 amounts, if the insured depository                      quarter-end during the last four quarters                within the special cap by the end of the
                                                 institution:                                            preceding the quarter that the                           quarter that it is notified that it is no
                                                   • Is well capitalized 20 and has a                    institution fell below well capitalized or               longer well rated, in which case all of
                                                 composite condition of outstanding                      well rated. The FDIC notes that section                  the institution’s reciprocal deposits
                                                 (CAMELS ‘‘1’’) or good (CAMELS ‘‘2’’)                   202 does not provide a date by which                     could be excepted from its brokered
                                                 when most recently examined under                       an institution must demonstrate that its                 deposits. An institution that is less than
                                                 section 10(d) of the FDI Act (described                 amount of reciprocal deposits are within                 adequately capitalized or adequately
                                                 as ‘‘well rated’’); 21                                  the special cap. The FDIC is considering                 capitalized without a waiver would
                                                   • has obtained a waiver pursuant to                   evaluating whether an institution’s                      have the option to lower its reciprocal
                                                 section 29(c) of the FDI Act; or                        reciprocal deposits meet the special cap                 deposits to within the special cap by the
                                                   • does not receive an amount of                       based on information reported in its Call                end of the quarter for which, in the
                                                 reciprocal deposits that causes the total               Reports. For an institution that is                      ordinary course, the change in capital
                                                 amount of reciprocal deposits held by                   determined to fall below well rated, the                 status is reported, or work with its
                                                 the agent institution to be greater than                FDIC would evaluate its compliance                       primary federal regulator to establish a
                                                 the average of the total amount of                      with the special cap based on Call                       supervisory plan for addressing
                                                 reciprocal deposits held by the agent                   Report data submitted for the reporting                  reciprocal deposits. The FDIC requests
                                                 institution on the last day of each of the              date immediately following when the                      comment on other ways an institution
                                                 four calendar quarters preceding the                    determination is made. The FDIC seeks                    that is not well rated or not well
                                                 calendar quarter in which the agent                     comment on any unintended                                capitalized could manage its holdings of
                                                 institution was found not to have a                     consequences this may cause to                           reciprocal deposits in excess of the
                                                 composite condition of outstanding or                   institutions.                                            special cap, consistent with the
                                                 good or was determined to be not well                                                                            applicable provisions of section 202 so
                                                 capitalized.                                            Application of Statutory Caps                            that its reciprocal deposits would be
                                                                                                            Below are descriptions of how the two                 treated as non-brokered.
                                                 C. Caps Applicable to Agent Institutions
                                                                                                         statutory caps would apply to an agent
                                                   Consistent with section 202, under                    institution based upon its capital and                   D. Example of Section 202’s
                                                 the proposed regulation, an ‘‘agent                     composite ratings.                                       Applicability
                                                 institution’’ can except reciprocal                        1. Well capitalized and well rated.                      A well rated and well capitalized
                                                 deposits from being classified as                       Institutions that are both well                          community bank (‘‘the Bank’’) has a
                                                 brokered deposits up to its applicable                  capitalized and well rated can have non-                 banking relationship with its local
                                                 statutory caps, as explained below.                     brokered reciprocal deposits up to the                   municipality. The municipality wishes
                                                                                                         general cap. Any amount of reciprocal                    to place deposits in excess of the
                                                 General Cap
                                                                                                         deposits over the general cap will no                    standard maximum deposit insurance
                                                   An agent institution may except                       longer meet the limited exception and                    amount at the Bank. In an effort to
                                                 reciprocal deposits up to the lesser of                 therefore that amount would be                           provide insurance coverage for the
                                                 the following amounts (referred to as the               considered to be ‘‘brokered deposits.’’                  entire amount of the deposit, the Bank
                                                 general cap) from being classified as                   Well-capitalized institutions can accept                 offers the municipality the option to
                                                 brokered deposits: 22                                   all brokered deposits, including                         place its deposits through a deposit
                                                   • $5 billion or                                       reciprocal deposits that are brokered                    placement network at a specified
                                                   • An amount equal to 20 percent of                    deposits, without any restrictions.                      interest rate.
                                                 the agent institution’s total liabilities.                 2. Not well capitalized or not well                      In this case, the Bank is an ‘‘agent
                                                   Reciprocal deposits in excess of the                  rated. Institutions that are either not                  institution’’ because it is both well rated
                                                 general cap, as well as those reciprocal                well capitalized or not well rated are                   and well capitalized. After establishing
                                                 deposits that do not meet section 202’s                 subject to the lesser of either the special              itself as an ‘‘agent institution,’’ the Bank
                                                 limited exception, are brokered                         cap or the general cap. The amount of                    must next determine whether the
                                                 deposits.                                               reciprocal deposits within the                           municipal deposits that it wishes to
                                                 Special Cap                                             institution’s applicable cap would not                   submit into the deposit placement
                                                                                                         be considered brokered deposits. In no                   network are covered deposits. If the
                                                    A special cap applies if the institution                                                                      deposits are placed directly by the
                                                 is either not well rated or not well                    event, however, can an institution’s
                                                                                                         non-brokered reciprocal deposits exceed                  municipality, without any assistance of
                                                 capitalized. In this case, the institution                                                                       a third-party, the deposits meet the
                                                 may meet the definition of ‘‘agent                      the general cap. With respect to an
                                                                                                         institution that is well capitalized but                 definition of a ‘‘covered deposit.’’
                                                 institution’’ by maintaining its                                                                                    Next, if the municipal deposits are
                                                 reciprocal deposits at or below the                     not well rated, if it received reciprocal
                                                                                                         deposits above the special cap, it would                 ‘‘covered deposits,’’ to meet the
                                                 special cap, which is the average                                                                                statutory definition of ‘‘reciprocal
                                                                                                         no longer meet the definition of ‘‘agent
                                                                                                         institution.’’ In this situation, an                     deposits,’’ the institution must receive
                                                   20 See generally, 12 CFR part 325, subpart B or 12
                                                                                                         institution would need to decide                         deposits with the same maturity (if any)
                                                 CFR part 324, subpart H (FDIC); 12 CFR part 208
                                                 (Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve             whether to (1) retain all of its reciprocal              and in the same aggregate amount as the
                                                 System); 12 CFR part 6 (Office of the Comptroller       deposits and report them as brokered                     covered deposits it placed with other
                                                 of the Currency). 12 U.S.C. 1831o. ‘‘Well
                                                                                                         deposits (assuming the institution was                   network banks. If the definitional
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                                                 capitalized’’ is already defined in 12 CFR                                                                       framework set forth in section 202 is
                                                 337.6(a)(3)(i).                                         well capitalized 23), or (2) lower the
                                                   21 The effective date of a CAMELS composite
                                                                                                                                                                  satisfied, the Bank may except an
                                                 rating is the date of written notification to the          23 12 U.S.C. 1831f(c). Institutions that are          amount of the deposits it receives from
                                                 institution by its primary federal regulator or state   adequately capitalized may seek a waiver from the
                                                 authority of its supervisory rating. See e.g., 12 CFR   FDIC to accept brokered deposits. Waivers under          not constitute an unsafe or unsound practice with
                                                 327.4(f).                                               section 29(c) are only available (1) on a case-by-case   respect to such institution. Less than adequately
                                                   22 See FFIEC Supplemental Instructions, Call          basis, (2) upon application to the FDIC, (3) to          capitalized institutions (undercapitalized or
                                                 Report Date, June 30, 2018 https://www.fdic.gov/        adequately capitalized institutions, and (4) upon a      significantly undercapitalized institutions) are not
                                                 news/news/financial/2018/fil18039a.pdf.                 finding that the acceptance of such deposits does        eligible to seek a waiver from the FDIC.



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                                                                    Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                                    48565

                                                 the deposit network—up to the general                       The FDIC notes that the statutory                    March 31, 2018, there were 5,616 FDIC-
                                                 cap—from treatment as brokered                           definition of ‘‘reciprocal deposit’’ is                 insured institutions. Of these, 2,528
                                                 deposits.                                                substantially similar to the current                    institutions report having brokered
                                                    In contrast to the example described                  regulatory definition in Part 327, with                 deposits, which totaled $980 billion. Of
                                                 above, if the Bank places deposits                       one difference. Section 202’s definition                the institutions reporting brokered
                                                 obtained by or through the assistance of                 of ‘‘reciprocal deposits’’ is limited to                deposits, 1,185 institutions also report
                                                 deposit broker into a deposit placement                  funds obtained from a deposit                           having reciprocal deposits, totaling $48
                                                 network, then those deposits would not                   placement network in exchange for                       billion.
                                                 meet the definition of a ‘‘covered                       funds placed into the network that meet
                                                 deposit.’’ As a result, deposits that the                                                                        Benefits
                                                                                                          the definition of ‘‘covered deposits,’’
                                                 Bank receives in exchange for its                        which excludes funds that were                             The proposed rule could affect
                                                 brokered deposits from other network                     obtained, directly or indirectly, by or                 deposit insurance assessments for a
                                                 member banks would not qualify as                        through a deposit broker before                         small number of FDIC-insured
                                                 ‘‘reciprocal deposits’’ and therefore                    submission for placement through the                    institutions. As discussed in Section II:
                                                 would not meet section 202’s limited                     deposit placement network. As such,                     Background, the brokered deposit ratio
                                                 exception.                                               funds that do not meet the statutory                    is one of the financial measures used to
                                                 E. Conforming Assessments                                definition of ‘‘reciprocal deposit’’                    determine assessment rates for
                                                 Amendments                                               because they are obtained in exchange                   established small banks. The brokered
                                                                                                          for funds that the institution acquired                 deposit ratio may increase assessment
                                                    The FDIC is proposing to make                         by or through a deposit broker are                      rates for established small banks with
                                                 conforming amendments to its                             ‘‘brokered deposits’’ and would not                     brokered deposits greater than 10
                                                 assessments regulations to be consistent                 meet the proposed definition of                         percent of total assets.28 Among these
                                                 with the statutory definition of                         ‘‘brokered reciprocal deposits.’’                       banks, those that are well capitalized
                                                 reciprocal deposits. Prior to enactment                     The FDIC seeks comment on the                        and well rated can already deduct
                                                 of section 202, all reciprocal deposits as               extent to which institutions may be                     reciprocal deposits from brokered
                                                 defined in the assessment regulations                    affected by the FDIC’s proposal to                      deposits and generally would not be
                                                 met the definition of brokered deposits.                 conform the definition of reciprocal                    affected by the proposed rule, for
                                                 Because section 202 excepts certain                      deposits for assessment purposes with                   assessment purposes.29 Furthermore,
                                                 reciprocal deposits from treatment as                    the definition provided in section 202.                 the proposed rule would not affect the
                                                 brokered deposits, the FDIC is                                                                                   assessment rates of banks that do not
                                                 proposing to replace the current                         F. Interest Rates
                                                                                                                                                                  have reciprocal deposits or whose
                                                 definition of ‘‘reciprocal deposits’’ in                    Section 202 applies the statutory                    brokered deposits comprise less than 10
                                                 section 327.8(q) with a new term,                        interest rate restrictions under section                percent of total assets. The FDIC
                                                 ‘‘brokered reciprocal deposit.’’ A                       29 to all reciprocal deposits. More                     estimates that fewer than ten (0.178
                                                 ‘‘brokered reciprocal deposit’’ is a                     specifically, section 202 amends section                percent) small FDIC-insured institutions
                                                 ‘‘reciprocal deposit’’ as defined under                  29(e) of the FDI Act by ensuring that the               that are either not well capitalized or
                                                 section 202, and proposed section                        interest rate restrictions apply to less                not well rated (or both) could have a
                                                 337.6(e)(2)(v), that does not meet the                   than well capitalized banks that accept                 lower assessment rate under the
                                                 statute’s limited exception (e.g.,                       reciprocal deposits.26 As a result,                     proposed rule if their reciprocal
                                                 deposits over the applicable caps                        section 202 confirms that the current                   deposits are excepted from brokered
                                                 discussed above). The FDIC is also                       statutory and regulatory rate restrictions              deposits.30 For large institutions,
                                                 proposing to make conforming                             for less than well capitalized                          generally insured depository
                                                 amendments to sections 327.16(a)(1)(ii)                  institutions continue to apply to any                   institutions with greater than $10 billion
                                                 and 327.16(e)(3), which reference                        deposit, including a reciprocal deposit                 in total assets, the proposed rule may
                                                 reciprocal deposits.                                     that is a covered deposit.27 To ensure                  alter the core deposit ratio, resulting in
                                                    For assessment purposes, ‘‘brokered                   consistent treatment of the interest rate               a change in the bank’s assessment.31
                                                 reciprocal deposits’’ will continue to be                restrictions under section 202, the FDIC                The FDIC estimates that 20 (0.356
                                                 excluded from the brokered deposit                       is proposing conforming amendments to                   percent) FDIC-insured institutions could
                                                 ratio for established small institutions                 section 337.6(b)(2)(ii) of its rules and                have a lower assessment due to the
                                                 that are well capitalized and well                       regulations.                                            effect of the proposed rule on their core
                                                 rated.24 For new small banks and large                                                                           deposit ratio, if their reciprocal deposits
                                                 and highly complex banks that are less                   IV. Expected Effects
                                                                                                                                                                  are excepted from treatment as
                                                 than well capitalized or not well rated,                   As noted previously, section 202 of                   brokered. Based on data as of March 31,
                                                 ‘‘brokered reciprocal deposits’’ will                    the Act took effect upon enactment, and                 2018, the FDIC estimates that no more
                                                 continue to be included in an                            the proposed rule would conform part                    than 30 institutions would have reduced
                                                 institution’s total brokered deposits for                337 with the legislation and align the                  assessment rates, all else equal, and the
                                                 the brokered deposit adjustment.25                       assessment rules with the statute’s                     FDIC’s aggregate assessment revenue
                                                                                                          definition of ‘‘reciprocal deposits.’’ The
                                                   24 The brokered deposit ratio may increase
                                                                                                          proposed rule applies to all FDIC-                        28 All else equal, a higher brokered deposit ratio
                                                 assessment rates for established small banks with
                                                 brokered deposits greater than 10 percent of total
                                                                                                          insured depository institutions. As of                  will result in a higher assessment rate.
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                                                                                                                                                                    29 See 12 CFR 327.16(a)(1)(ii).
                                                 assets. Since 2009, when the ratio was first used as
                                                 one of the financial measures used to determine an       (including new large and new highly complex               30 FDIC Call Report, March 31, 2018.

                                                 established small bank’s assessment rate, the ratio      institutions) that are well capitalized and have a        31 The core deposit ratio applies to large and
                                                 has excluded reciprocal deposits from brokered           CAMELS composite rating of 1 or 2. The brokered         highly-complex institutions and is measured as
                                                 deposits if the bank is well capitalized and well        deposit adjustment can increase assessments for         domestic deposits, excluding brokered deposits and
                                                 rated. See 12 CFR 327.16(a)(1)(ii).                      institutions that have brokered deposits in excess of   uninsured non-brokered time deposits, divided by
                                                   25 The brokered deposit adjustment applies to all      10 percent of domestic deposits. See 12 CFR             total liabilities. Reciprocal deposits that are
                                                 new small institutions in Risk Categories II, III, and   327.16(e)(3).                                           brokered reciprocal deposits will continue to be
                                                                                                             26 12 U.S.C. 1831f(h).
                                                 IV, and all large and all highly complex institutions,                                                           excluded from the ratio. See 12 CFR 327.16(b) and
                                                 except large and highly complex institutions                27 12 U.S.C. 1831f(g)(3) and (e).                    Appendix B.



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                                                 48566                Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2018 / Proposed Rules

                                                 would be reduced by an estimated $4.3                     • Net Noncore Funding Dependence                      systems or processes, or changes to
                                                 million annually.                                           Ratio                                               reporting requirements.
                                                    Adequately capitalized institutions                    • Brokered Deposits Maturing in less                  V. Alternatives
                                                 may also benefit from the proposed rule                     than year to Brokered Deposits Ratio
                                                 through a reduction in administrative                     • Brokered Deposits to Deposits Ratio                    The FDIC considered alternatives to
                                                 costs. Under existing regulations, these                  • Listing Service and Brokered Deposits               the proposed rule but believes that the
                                                 institutions must seek and receive a                        to Deposits Ratio                                   proposed amendments represent the
                                                 regulatory waiver from the FDIC in                        • Reciprocal Brokered Deposits to Total               most appropriate option. In particular,
                                                 order to accept brokered deposits.32 The                                                                        the FDIC considered whether a
                                                                                                             Brokered Deposits Ratio
                                                 proposed rule would allow these                                                                                 rulemaking implementing section 202
                                                 institutions that previously accepted                     Cost                                                  was necessary or appropriate. Section
                                                 reciprocal deposits to continue to                           With regards to the difference in the              202’s amendments to section 29 became
                                                 receive reciprocal deposits up to the                     current regulatory definition of                      effective upon the Act’s enactment on
                                                 lesser of the general or special cap                                                                            May 24, 2018, so one view considered
                                                                                                           ‘‘reciprocal deposits’’ for assessment
                                                 without requesting a waiver. This                                                                               was whether a rulemaking was
                                                                                                           purposes, which was added pursuant to
                                                 allowance results in a de minimis                                                                               necessary to implement the
                                                                                                           the FDIC’s assessment authority under
                                                 savings of administrative expenses for                                                                          amendments. However, the FDIC
                                                                                                           section 7 of the FDI Act, and the
                                                 affected institutions. The number of                                                                            believes that conforming section 337.6
                                                                                                           statutory definition of reciprocal
                                                 institutions that may benefit from this                                                                         with section 202’s amendments will
                                                                                                           deposits that was added to section 29 of
                                                 potential reduction in administrative                                                                           remove confusion that might arise if
                                                                                                           the FDI Act, the FDIC notes that banks
                                                 costs is difficult to accurately estimate                                                                       interested parties only consult section
                                                                                                           do not report data on the amount (if
                                                 with available data because it depends                                                                          337.6 for requirements related to
                                                                                                           any) of deposits that were obtained,
                                                 on the specific financial conditions of                                                                         brokered deposits.
                                                                                                           directly or indirectly, by or through a                  Section 202 did not address the
                                                 each bank, fluctuating market                             deposit brokered before submission for
                                                 conditions for reciprocal deposits, and                                                                         assessment rules in part 327 with
                                                                                                           placement through the deposit                         respect to reciprocal deposits. However,
                                                 future management decisions.
                                                                                                           placement network. As a result, the                   the definition of ‘‘reciprocal deposits’’
                                                    Undercapitalized institutions may
                                                 also benefit from the proposed rule by                    FDIC cannot estimate whether this                     in part 327 varies with the definition of
                                                 accepting reciprocal deposits up to the                   change to align the assessment                        that term in section 202. As an
                                                 lesser of either the general or special                   regulation definition of ‘‘reciprocal                 alternative, the FDIC considered
                                                 cap, even though they are otherwise                       deposits’’ with the statutory definition              whether it should continue to use the
                                                 prohibited from receiving brokered                        of that term in section 29 of the FDI Act             existing definition of ‘‘reciprocal
                                                 deposits.33 Under existing regulations,                   would affect the amount of reciprocal                 deposits’’ for assessment purposes.
                                                 undercapitalized institutions cannot                      deposits that a bank would report or                  However, the FDIC is concerned that
                                                 solicit or accept any reciprocal deposits                 whether it would affect any bank’s                    having two different definitions of
                                                 because all reciprocal deposits are                       assessment rate.                                      ‘‘reciprocal deposits’’ could cause
                                                 treated as brokered deposits. Because                        With regards to costs to the Deposit               confusion as well as undue burden in
                                                 the proposed rule excepts a certain                       Insurance Fund, the FDIC estimates                    the industry, particularly for reporting
                                                 amount of reciprocal deposits from                        that, assuming all currently reported                 purposes.
                                                 treatment as brokered, undercapitalized                   reciprocals align with the statutory
                                                                                                           definition, all else equal, the FDIC’s                VI. Request for Comment
                                                 institutions that, when better
                                                 capitalized, previously accepted                          aggregate assessment revenue would be                    The FDIC seeks comment on its
                                                 reciprocal deposits may now be allowed                    reduced by an estimated $4.3 million                  proposal to conform its current
                                                 to receive reciprocal deposits up to the                  annually. Additional reduced                          regulations that implement brokered
                                                 lesser of the general or special cap                      assessment revenue could occur if                     deposit and interest rate restrictions
                                                 despite being undercapitalized. If                        institutions shift their funding mix away             with recent changes to section 29 made
                                                 undercapitalized institutions can                         from funding sources that affect                      by section 202 of the Act. As noted
                                                 receive reciprocal deposits, the result                   assessment rates, such as brokered                    earlier, this notice of proposed
                                                 may be increased utilization of                           deposits, towards reciprocal deposits.                rulemaking is the first part of a two-part
                                                 reciprocal deposits in the future.                        Historically, when resolving failed                   effort to revisit the brokered deposit
                                                 However, this effect is difficult to                      institutions, the FDIC has found that                 rules. The FDIC is currently working on
                                                 estimate with available data because the                  potential acquiring institutions have                 the second part, which is planned for
                                                 decision to receive reciprocal deposits                   generally been unwilling to pay a                     later this year and which will seek
                                                 depends on the specific financial                         premium for reciprocal deposits,                      comment on the brokered deposit
                                                 conditions of each bank, fluctuating                      typically treating them consistent with               regulations more generally. We
                                                 market conditions for reciprocal                          other brokered deposits. It is not clear              encourage comments not related to the
                                                 deposits, and future management                           whether reciprocal deposits that are no               implementation of section 202 to be
                                                 decisions.                                                longer considered brokered as a result of             submitted as part of the broader
                                                    There are 2,528 (45 percent)                           section 202 would be viewed by                        rulemaking effort. The FDIC seeks
                                                 institutions that report holding some                     potential acquiring institutions as more              comment on all aspects of this proposed
                                                 amount of brokered deposits and 1,185                     akin to traditional retail deposits for               rule and in particular the following
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                                                 (21 percent) that report holding some                     purposes of warranting a premium. As                  questions that were provided in
                                                 amount of reciprocal deposits. The                        a result, the FDIC requests comment on                previous sections of this proposal.
                                                 changes could affect some metrics that                    whether these non-brokered reciprocal                    • As indicated above, for an
                                                 rely on the amount of brokered deposits                   deposits would be considered                          institution that is determined to not be
                                                 reported on the Call Report, such as:                     differently in the failing bank context.              well rated and can only meet the ‘‘agent
                                                                                                           Additionally, the proposed rule could                 institution’’ definition by maintaining
                                                   32 12   U.S.C. 1831f(c); 12 CFR 337.6(c).               pose some additional regulatory costs                 its reciprocal deposits at or below the
                                                   33 12   CFR 337.6(b).                                   associated with changes to internal                   special cap, the FDIC is considering


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                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                                   48567

                                                 evaluating this issue based on Call                     available for public comment an initial                 (35.9 percent) that report holding some
                                                 Report Data submitted for the reporting                 regulatory flexibility analysis that                    amount of brokered deposits. These
                                                 date immediately following when the                     describes the impact of a proposed rule                 changes could affect some metrics that
                                                 determination is made. The FDIC seeks                   on small entities.34 However, a                         rely on the amount of brokered deposits
                                                 comment on any unintended                               regulatory flexibility analysis is not                  reported on the Call Report, such as:
                                                 consequences this approach may cause                    required if the agency certifies that the               • Net Noncore Funding Dependence
                                                 to institutions.                                        rule will not have a significant                          Ratio
                                                    • The FDIC seeks comment on other                    economic impact on a substantial                        • Brokered Deposits Maturing in less
                                                 ways an institution that is not well rated              number of small entities. The Small                       than year to Brokered Deposits Ratio
                                                 or not well capitalized could manage its                Business Administration (SBA) has                       • Brokered Deposits to Deposits Ratio
                                                 holdings of reciprocal deposits in excess               defined ‘‘small entities’’ to include
                                                                                                                                                                 • Listing Service and Brokered Deposits
                                                 of the special cap, consistent with the                 banking organizations with total assets
                                                                                                                                                                   to Deposits Ratio
                                                 applicable provisions of section 202’s                  of less than or equal to $550 million.35
                                                                                                            As of March 31, 2018, there were                     • Reciprocal Brokered Deposits to Total
                                                 definition of ‘‘agent institution,’’ so that
                                                                                                         5,616 FDIC-insured institutions, of                       Brokered Deposits Ratio
                                                 its reciprocal deposits would be treated
                                                 as non-brokered.                                        which 4,177 are considered small                          Based on available information, it is
                                                    • The FDIC seeks comment on the                      entities for the purposes of RFA.36                     difficult to determine whether
                                                 extent to which institutions may be                        The proposed rule could affect                       additional regulatory costs or costs to
                                                 affected by the FDIC’s proposal to                      deposit insurance assessments for a                     the Deposit Insurance Fund could
                                                 conform the definition of reciprocal                    small number of FDIC-insured, small                     result. Nonetheless, the proposed rule
                                                 deposits for assessment purposes with                   entities. As discussed in Section II:                   could pose some additional regulatory
                                                 the definition provided in section 202.                 Background, the brokered deposit ratio                  costs associated with changes to internal
                                                    • The FDIC requests comment on                       is one of the financial measures used to                systems or processes, or changes to
                                                 whether reciprocal deposits that are no                 determine assessment rates for                          reporting requirements. Based on the
                                                 longer considered brokered deposits as                  established small banks. The brokered                   information above, the FDIC certifies
                                                 a result of section 202 would be viewed                 deposit ratio may increase assessment                   that the proposed rule will not have a
                                                 by a potential acquiring institution                    rates for established small banks with                  significant economic impact on a
                                                 bidding on the deposits of a failed                     brokered deposits greater than 10                       substantial number of small entities.
                                                 institution the same way it views                       percent of total assets.37 Among these                    The FDIC invites comments on all
                                                 traditional retail deposits for which a                 banks, those that are well capitalized                  aspects of the supporting information
                                                 premium would be offered.                               and well rated can already deduct                       provided in this RFA section. In
                                                    • The FDIC seeks comments on how                     reciprocal deposits from brokered                       particular, would this rule have any
                                                 the regulations should apply to de novo                 deposits and generally would not be                     significant effects on small entities that
                                                 institutions that lack four prior quarters              affected by the proposed rule, for                      the FDIC has not identified?
                                                 of reciprocal deposits to calculate the                 assessment purposes.38
                                                                                                            Furthermore, the proposed rule would                 IX. Paperwork Reduction Act
                                                 special cap.
                                                                                                         not affect the assessment rates of small                  In accordance with the requirements
                                                 VII. Solicitation of Comments on Use of                 banks that do not have reciprocal                       of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
                                                 Plain Language                                          deposits or whose brokered deposits                     (44 U.S.C. 3501–3521) (PRA), the FDIC
                                                    Section 722 of the Gramm-Leach-                      comprise less than 10 percent of total                  may not conduct or sponsor, and a
                                                 Bliley Act, Public Law 106–102, 113                     assets. The FDIC estimates that seven                   respondent is not required to respond
                                                 Stat. 1338, 1471 (Nov. 12, 1999),                       (0.2 percent) small, FDIC-insured                       to, an information collection unless it
                                                 requires the Federal banking agencies to                entities that are either not well                       displays a currently valid Office of
                                                 use plain language in all proposed and                  capitalized or not well rated (or both)                 Management and Budget (OMB) control
                                                 final rules published after January 1,                  could have a lower assessment rate                      number. The FDIC has reviewed the
                                                 2000. The FDIC invites your comments                    under the proposed rule if their                        proposed rule and determined that it
                                                 on how to make this revised proposal                    reciprocal deposits are excepted from                   revises certain reporting requirements
                                                 easier to understand. For example:                      brokered deposits.39                                    that have been previously cleared by the
                                                    • Has the FDIC organized the material                   There are 611 (14.6 percent) small                   OMB under various control numbers.40
                                                 to suit your needs? If not, how could the               entities that report holding some                         On May 24, 2018, EGRRCPA amended
                                                 material be better organized?                           amount of reciprocal deposits and 1,499                 various statutes administered by the
                                                    • Are the requirements in the                                                                                Agencies and affected regulations issued
                                                 proposed regulation clearly stated? If                    34 5  U.S.C. 601 et seq.
                                                 not, how could the regulation be stated                   35 The   SBA defines a small banking organization       40 The reporting requirements are found in the
                                                 more clearly?                                           as having $550 million or less in assets, where ‘‘a
                                                                                                                                                                 three Consolidated Reports of Condition and
                                                                                                         financial institution’s assets are determined by
                                                    • Does the proposed regulation                       averaging the assets reported on its four quarterly
                                                                                                                                                                 Income (Call Reports) promulgated by the Federal
                                                 contain language or jargon that is                                                                              Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC).
                                                                                                         financial statements for the preceding year.’’ See 13
                                                                                                                                                                 The Call Reports are designated FFIEC 031
                                                 unclear? If so, which language requires                 CFR 121.201 (as amended, effective December 2,
                                                                                                                                                                 (Consolidated Report of Condition and Income for
                                                 clarification?                                          2014). ‘‘SBA counts the receipts, employees, or
                                                                                                                                                                 a Bank with Domestic and Foreign Offices); FFIEC
                                                    • Would a different format (grouping                 other measure of size of the concern whose size is
                                                                                                         at issue and all of its domestic and foreign
                                                                                                                                                                 041 (Consolidated Report of Condition and Income
                                                 and order of sections, use of headings,                                                                         for a Bank with Domestic Offices Only); and FFIEC
                                                                                                         affiliates.’’ See 13 CFR 121.103. Following these
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                                                                                                                                                                 051 (Consolidated Report of Condition and Income
                                                 paragraphing) make the regulation                       regulations, the FDIC uses a covered entity’s
                                                                                                                                                                 for a Bank with Domestic Only and Total Assets of
                                                 easier to understand?                                   affiliated and acquired assets, averaged over the
                                                                                                                                                                 Less than $1 Billion). The FFIEC constituent bank
                                                                                                         preceding four quarters, to determine whether the
                                                                                                                                                                 regulatory agencies (the Board of Governors of the
                                                 VIII. Regulatory Flexibility Act                        covered entity is ‘‘small’’ for the purposes of RFA.
                                                                                                                                                                 Federal Reserve System (the Board), the Office of
                                                                                                            36 FDIC Call Report, March 31, 2018.
                                                   The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA),                                                                         the Comptroller of the Currency (the OCC) and the
                                                                                                            37 All else equal, a higher brokered deposit ratio
                                                                                                                                                                 FDIC) (the Agencies) have each obtained
                                                 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., generally requires                will result in a higher assessment rate.                information collection clearances from OMB under
                                                 an agency, in connection with a                            38 See 12 CFR 327.16(a)(1)(ii).
                                                                                                                                                                 the following Control Numbers: 7100–0036 (Board);
                                                 proposed rule, to prepare and make                         39 FDIC Call Report, March 31, 2018.                 1557–0081 (OCC); and 3064–0052 (FDIC).



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                                                 48568               Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2018 / Proposed Rules

                                                 by the Agencies.41 As described above,                    FDIC’s assessments regulations in part                redesignating paragraph (e) as paragraph
                                                 certain amendments made by EGRRCPA                        327. The FDIC is inviting comment on                  (f), and adding a new paragraph (e) to
                                                 took effect on the day of EGRRCPA’s                       any administrative burdens that the                   read as follows:
                                                 enactment and immediately impacted                        proposed changes would place on
                                                 institutions’ regulatory reports. In                      depository institutions, including small              § 337.6    Brokered deposits.
                                                 response to emergency review requests,                    depository institutions, and customers                *       *    *     *      *
                                                 the Agencies received approval from                       of depository institutions. The FDIC will                (b) * * *
                                                 OMB to revise the reporting of                            consider these comments in connection                    (2) * * *
                                                 information in the Call Reports                           with determining an effective date for                   (ii) Any adequately capitalized
                                                 including the reciprocal deposits                         the proposed rule. Consistent with                    insured depository institution that has
                                                 provisions described in this proposed                     RCDRIA, the FDIC anticipates that any                 been granted a waiver to accept, renew
                                                 rule. As a result of OMB’s emergency                      changes to the assessment rule would be               or roll over a brokered deposit, or is an
                                                 approval of revisions to the information                  effective on the first day of a calendar              agent institution that receives a
                                                 collections affected by the above                         quarter that begins after the date on                 reciprocal deposit (under
                                                 statutory changes, the expiration date of                 which a final rule is published.                      § 337.6(e)(2)(i)(C)), may not pay an
                                                 these collections has been revised to                                                                           effective yield on any such deposit
                                                 February 28, 2019. The Agencies are                       List of Subjects                                      which, at the time that such deposit is
                                                 now undertaking the regular PRA                           12 CFR Part 327                                       accepted, renewed or rolled over,
                                                 process for revising and extending these                                                                        exceeds by more than 75 basis points:
                                                                                                             Bank deposit insurance, Banks,
                                                 information collections for three years                                                                         *       *    *     *      *
                                                 and plan to publish the required 60-day                   Banking, Savings associations.
                                                                                                                                                                    (e) Limited exception for reciprocal
                                                 notice in the Federal Register.                           12 CFR Part 337                                       deposits. (1) Limited exception.
                                                 X. Riegle Community Development and                         Banks, Banking, Reporting and                       Reciprocal deposits of an agent
                                                 Regulatory Improvement Act                                recordkeeping requirements, Savings                   institution shall not be considered to be
                                                                                                           associations.                                         funds obtained, directly or indirectly, by
                                                    The Riegle Community Development
                                                                                                             For the reasons stated in the                       or through a deposit broker to the extent
                                                 and Regulatory Improvement Act of
                                                                                                           preamble, the FDIC hereby proposes to                 that the total amount of such reciprocal
                                                 1994 (RCDRIA), 12 U.S.C. 4701, requires
                                                                                                           amend parts 327 and 337 as follows:                   deposits does not exceed the lesser of:
                                                 that each Federal banking agency, in
                                                 determining the effective date and                                                                                 (i) $5,000,000,000; or
                                                 administrative compliance requirements                    PART 327—ASSESSMENTS                                     (ii) An amount equal to 20 percent of
                                                 for new regulations that impose                                                                                 the total liabilities of the agent
                                                                                                           ■ 1. The authority for 12 CFR part 327                institution.
                                                 additional reporting, disclosure, or other
                                                                                                           continues to read as follows:                            (2) Additional definitions that apply
                                                 requirements on insured depository
                                                 institutions, consider, consistent with                     Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1441, 1813, 1815,              to the limited exception for reciprocal
                                                 principles of safety and soundness and                    1817–19, 1821.                                        deposits—(i) Agent institution means an
                                                 the public interest, any administrative                                                                         insured depository institution that
                                                                                                           ■ 2. Amend § 327.8 by revising
                                                 burdens that such regulations would                                                                             places a covered deposit through a
                                                                                                           paragraph (q) to read as follows:
                                                 place on depository institutions,                                                                               deposit placement network at other
                                                 including small depository institutions,                  § 327.8    Definitions.                               insured depository institutions in
                                                 and customers of depository                               *      *    *     *     *                             amounts that are less than or equal to
                                                 institutions, as well as the benefits of                     (q) Brokered reciprocal deposits—                  the standard maximum deposit
                                                 such regulations.42 In addition, new                      Reciprocal deposits as defined in                     insurance amount, specifying the
                                                 regulations that impose additional                        § 337.6(e)(2)(v) that are not excepted                interest rate to be paid for such
                                                 reporting, disclosures, or other new                      from the institution’s brokered deposits              amounts, if the insured depository
                                                 requirements on insured depository                        pursuant to § 337.6(e).                               institution:
                                                 institutions generally must take effect                   *      *    *     *     *                                (A)(1) When most recently examined
                                                 on the first day of a calendar quarter                                                                          under section 10(d) of the Federal
                                                 that begins on or after the date on which                 § 327.16    [Amended]                                 Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C.
                                                 the regulations are published in final                    ■  3. Amend § 327.16, by removing                     1820(d)) was found to have a composite
                                                 form.                                                     ‘‘reciprocal deposit’’ and adding in its              condition of outstanding or good; and
                                                    The changes relating to ‘‘reciprocal                   place ‘‘brokered reciprocal deposit as                   (2) Is well capitalized;
                                                 deposits’’ and section 29 were effective                  defined in section 327.8(q)’’ in                         (B) Has obtained a waiver pursuant to
                                                 upon enactment of section 202, and as                     paragraph (a)(1)(ii) and by removing                  paragraph (c) of this section; or
                                                 described previously, institutions have                   ‘‘reciprocal deposits as defined in                      (C) Does not receive an amount of
                                                 already begun reporting reciprocal                        § 327.8(p)’’ and adding in its place                  reciprocal deposits that causes the total
                                                 deposits as per the new law. The FDIC                     ‘‘brokered reciprocal deposits as defined             amount of reciprocal deposits held by
                                                 anticipates that any final rule relating to               in section 327.8(q)’’ in paragraph (e)(3).            the agent institution to be greater than
                                                 the amendments to part 337 of the                                                                               the average of the total amount of
                                                 FDIC’s regulations would be effective 30                  PART 337—UNSAFE AND UNSOUND                           reciprocal deposits held by the agent
                                                 days after publication in the Federal                     BANKING PRACTICES                                     institution on the last day of each of the
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                                                 Register. However, the proposed rule                                                                            four calendar quarters preceding the
                                                                                                           ■ 4. The authority for 12 CFR part 337
                                                 also includes changes to conform                                                                                calendar quarter in which the agent
                                                                                                           continues to read as follows:
                                                 section 202’s statutory definition of                                                                           institution was found not to have a
                                                 ‘‘reciprocal deposit’’ with the current                     Authority: 12 U.S.C. 375a(4), 375b,                 composite condition of outstanding or
                                                                                                           1463(a)(1),1816, 1818(a), 1818(b), 1819,              good or was determined to be not well
                                                 definition of ‘‘reciprocal deposit’’ in the
                                                                                                           1820(d), 1828(j)(2), 1831, 1831f, 5412.               capitalized.
                                                   41 Public   Law 115–174, 132 Stat. 1296 (2018).         ■ 5. Amend § 337.6 by revising                           (ii) Covered deposit means a deposit
                                                   42 12   U.S.C. 4802.                                    paragraph (b)(2)(ii) introductory text,               that:


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                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 187 / Wednesday, September 26, 2018 / Proposed Rules                                                      48569

                                                   (A) Is submitted for placement                        to be the last of those assessments.                  I. Comments
                                                 through a deposit placement network by                  Specifically, the proposed rule would
                                                 an agent institution; and                               provide that all payments made by                       FHFA invites comment on all aspects
                                                   (B) Does not consist of funds that                    FDIC-insured depository institutions                  of the proposed rulemaking, which
                                                 were obtained for the agent institution,                during 2019 will be final, and that no                FHFA is publishing with a 30-day
                                                 directly or indirectly, by or through a                 adjustments to prior FICO assessments                 comment period. After considering the
                                                 deposit broker before submission for                    would be permitted after March 26,                    comments, FHFA will develop a final
                                                 placement through a deposit placement                   2019, the projected date as of which the              regulation. Copies of all comments
                                                 network.                                                FDIC will finalize the amounts of the                 received will be posted without change
                                                   (iii) Deposit placement network                       final collection for the 2019 FICO                    on the FHFA website at http://
                                                 means a network in which an insured                     assessments.                                          www.fhfa.gov, and will include any
                                                 depository institution participates,                                                                          personal information you provide, such
                                                                                                         DATES: FHFA must receive written
                                                 together with other insured depository                                                                        as your name, address, email address,
                                                                                                         comments on or before October 26,
                                                 institutions, for the processing and                                                                          and telephone number.
                                                                                                         2018.
                                                 receipt of reciprocal deposits.                                                                               II. Background
                                                   (iv) Network member bank means an                     ADDRESSES: You may submit your
                                                 insured depository institution that is a                comments on the proposed rule,                           FHFA is an independent agency of the
                                                 member of a deposit placement                           identified by regulatory information                  federal government established to
                                                 network.                                                number (RIN) 2590–AA99 by any of the                  regulate and oversee the Federal
                                                   (v) Reciprocal deposits means                         following methods:                                    National Mortgage Association, the
                                                 deposits received by an agent institution                  • Agency Website: www.fhfa.gov/
                                                                                                                                                               Federal Home Loan Mortgage
                                                 through a deposit placement network                     open-for-comment-or-input.
                                                                                                            • Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://              Corporation, the Federal Home Loan
                                                 with the same maturity (if any) and in                                                                        Banks (Banks), and the Bank System’s
                                                                                                         www.regulations.gov. Follow the
                                                 the same aggregate amount as covered                                                                          Office of Finance.1 FHFA also is
                                                                                                         instructions for submitting comments. If
                                                 deposits placed by the agent institution                                                                      responsible for overseeing FICO. The
                                                                                                         you submit your comments to the
                                                 in other network member banks.                                                                                Competitive Equality Banking Act of
                                                                                                         Federal eRulemaking Portal, please also
                                                   Dated at Washington, DC, on September                 send it by email to FHFA at                           1987 2 amended the Federal Home Loan
                                                 12, 2018.                                               RegComments@FHFA.gov to ensure                        Bank Act (Bank Act) and authorized
                                                 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.                  timely receipt by the agency. Please                  FHFA’s predecessor to establish FICO,
                                                                                                         include ‘‘RIN 2590–AA99’’ in the                      and authorizes the FHFA Director to
                                                 Robert E. Feldman,
                                                                                                         subject line of the message.                          select the two Bank presidents that
                                                 Executive Secretary.
                                                                                                            • Hand Delivery/Courier: The hand                  serve on its directorate, to prescribe
                                                 [FR Doc. 2018–20303 Filed 9–25–18; 8:45 am]                                                                   such regulations as are necessary to
                                                                                                         delivery address is: Alfred M. Pollard,
                                                 BILLING CODE 6714–01–P
                                                                                                         General Counsel, Attention: Comments/                 carry out the statutory provisions
                                                                                                         RIN 2590–AA99, Federal Housing                        relating to FICO, and to oversee the
                                                                                                         Finance Agency, Constitution Center,                  dissolution of FICO.3
                                                 FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE                                 (OGC) Eighth Floor, 400 Seventh Street                   FICO is a mixed-ownership, tax-
                                                 AGENCY                                                  SW, Washington, DC 20219. The                         exempt government corporation,
                                                                                                         package should be delivered to the                    chartered in 1987 by the former Federal
                                                 12 CFR Part 1271
                                                                                                         Seventh Street entrance Guard Desk,                   Home Loan Bank Board, one of FHFA’s
                                                 RIN 2590–AA99                                           First Floor, on business days between 9               predecessor agencies, pursuant to the
                                                                                                         a.m. and 5 p.m.                                       Federal Savings and Loan Insurance
                                                 Miscellaneous Federal Home Loan                            • U.S. Mail, United Parcel Service,                Corporation (FSLIC) Recapitalization
                                                 Bank Operations and Authorities—                        Federal Express, or Other Mail Service:               Act of 1987, as amended
                                                 Financing Corporation Assessments                       The mailing address for comments is:                  (Recapitalization Act).4 The
                                                 AGENCY: Federal Housing Finance                         Alfred M. Pollard, General Counsel,                   Recapitalization Act’s purpose was to
                                                 Agency.                                                 Attention: Comments/RIN 2590–AA99,                    recapitalize the FSLIC insurance fund,
                                                                                                         Federal Housing Finance Agency,                       which had been significantly depleted
                                                 ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
                                                                                                         Constitution Center, (OGC) Eighth Floor,              by a wave of savings and loan (S&L)
                                                 SUMMARY:    The Federal Housing Finance                 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC                 failures during the S&L crisis of the
                                                 Agency (FHFA) is proposing to amend                     20219.                                                1980s. FICO’s mission was to provide
                                                 its regulations pertaining to the                       FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      funding for FSLIC (and later for the
                                                 operation of the Financing Corporation                  Louis M. Scalza, Associate Director,                  FSLIC Resolution Fund after FSLIC’s
                                                 (FICO), a vehicle established by one of                 Examinations, Office of Safety &                      insolvency and later abolishment by the
                                                 FHFA’s predecessors to issue bonds, the                 Soundness Examinations, Louis.Scalza@                 Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery,
                                                 proceeds of which were used to help                     fhfa.gov, (202) 649–3710; Winston Sale,               and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA))
                                                 fund the resolution of failed savings and               Assistant General Counsel,                            by selling bonds to the public. FICO’s
                                                 loan associations during the 1980s. The                 Winston.Sale@fhfa.gov, (202) 649–3081;                operations are managed by a directorate
                                                 last of those FICO bonds will mature in                 or Neil R. Crowley, Deputy General                    composed of the Director of the Office
                                                 September 2019. By statute, FICO                        Counsel, Neil.Crowley@fhfa.gov, (202)                 of Finance and two Bank presidents
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                                                 obtains the monies to pay the interest on               649–3055 (these are not toll-free
                                                 those bonds by assessing depository                     numbers), Federal Housing Finance                       1 12 U.S.C. 4511.
                                                 institutions (FICO assessments) that are                Agency, 400 Seventh Street SW,                          2 Public  Law 100–86, 101 Stat. 552.
                                                 insured by the Federal Deposit                          Washington, DC 20219. The telephone                     3 See 12 U.S.C. 1441(a) (establishment of FICO),

                                                 Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The                       number for the Telecommunications                     (b)(1)(B) (selection of directors), (i) (dissolution, and
                                                                                                                                                               authority for FHFA to exercise any FICO powers,
                                                 proposed rule addresses the manner in                   Device for the Hearing Impaired is (800)              needed to conclude its affairs), and (j) (authority to
                                                 which FICO would conduct the 2019                       877–8339.                                             prescribe regulations).
                                                 FICO assessments, which are expected                    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              4 See 12 U.S.C. 1441(a).




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Document Created: 2018-09-26 00:47:29
Document Modified: 2018-09-26 00:47:29
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionNotice of proposed rulemaking and request for comments.
DatesComments on the rules must be received by October 26, 2018.
ContactDivision of Risk Management Supervision--Thomas F. Lyons, Chief, Policy and Program Development, (202) 898-6850, [email protected]; Judy Gross, Senior Policy Analyst, (202) 898-7047, [email protected]; Division of Insurance and Research-- Ashley Mihalik, Senior Policy Analyst, (202) 898-3793, [email protected]; Legal Division--Vivek V. Khare, Counsel, (202) 898- 6847, [email protected]; Thomas Hearn, Counsel, (202) 898-6967; [email protected]
FR Citation83 FR 48562 
RIN Number3064-AE89
CFR Citation12 CFR 327
12 CFR 337
CFR AssociatedBank Deposit Insurance; Banks; Banking; Savings Associations and Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements

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