2019-16239. Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) is proposing to renew with changes the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval for an existing information collection, titled, Trial Disclosure Policy.

DATES:

Written comments are encouraged and must be received on or before August 30, 2019 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Comments in response to this notice are to be directed towards OMB and to the attention of the OMB Desk Officer for the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. You may submit comments, identified by the title of the information collection, OMB Control Number (see below), and docket number (see above), by any of the following methods:

• Electronic: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
• Email: [e-mail].
• Fax: [phone].
• Mail: Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503.

In general, all comments received will become public records, including any personal information provided. Sensitive personal information, such as account numbers or Social Security numbers, should not be included.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Documentation prepared in support of this information collection request is available at www.reginfo.gov (this link becomes active on the day following publication of this notice). Select “Information Collection Review,” under “Currently under review, use the dropdown menu “Select Agency” and select “Consumer Financial Protection Bureau” (recent submissions to OMB will be at the top of the list). The same documentation is also available at http://www.regulations.gov. Requests for additional information should be directed to Darrin King, PRA Officer, at [phone], or email: [e-mail]. If you require this document in an alternative electronic format, please contact [e-mail]. Please do not submit comments to these email boxes.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title of Collection: Trail Disclosure Policy.

OMB Control Number: 3170-0039.

Type of Review: Extension with change of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Business or other for profit institutions.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 10.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 100.

Abstract: In subsection 1032(e) of the Dodd-Frank Act, 12 U.S.C. 5532(e), Congress gave the Bureau authority to provide certain legal protections to companies to conduct trial disclosure programs. This authority can be used to help further the Bureau's statutory objective, stated in subsection 1021(b)(5) of the Act, to “facilitate access and innovation” in the “markets for consumer financial products and services.” More specifically, under section 1032(e), the Bureau may permit covered persons to conduct trial disclosure programs, limited in time and scope, for the purpose of providing trial disclosures designed to improve upon required disclosures. Such permission may include providing a legal safe harbor; i.e., the Bureau may deem a covered person conducting such a program to be in compliance with, or exempt from, a requirement of a rule or enumerated consumer law. Such trial disclosure programs must be subject to standards and procedures that are designed to encourage covered persons to conduct such programs. The requested information will provide a basis for assessing eligibility to conduct trial disclosure programs. The information will also serve to identify trial disclosure programs that carry the potential for developing and verifying disclosure improvements, while controlling for risks to consumers.

Request for Comments: The Bureau issued a 60-day Federal Register notice on May 13, 2019 (84 FR 20864), Docket Number: CFPB-2019-0026. Comments were solicited and continue to be invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) The accuracy of the Bureau's estimate of the burden of the collection of information, including the validity of the methods and the assumptions used; (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be reviewed by OMB as part of its review of this request. All comments will become a matter of public record.

Dated: July 25, 2019.

Darrin A. King,

Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.