98-31786. Election of Federal Home Loan Bank Directors  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 229 (Monday, November 30, 1998)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 65683-65693]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-31786]
    
    
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    FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE BOARD
    
    12 CFR Parts 900, 922, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 941
    
    [No. 98-47]
    RIN 3069-AA55
    
    
    Election of Federal Home Loan Bank Directors
    
    AGENCY: Federal Housing Finance Board.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Federal Housing Finance Board (Finance Board) is amending 
    its regulations on the election of Federal Home Loan Bank (Bank) 
    directors. The final rule devolves responsibility for determining the 
    eligibility of elective directors and administering the election 
    process from the Finance Board to the Banks. The final rule is part of 
    the Finance Board's continuing effort to transfer management and 
    governance responsibilities to the Banks and is consistent with the 
    goals of the Regulatory Reinvention Initiative of the National 
    Performance Review.
    
    EFECTIVE DATE: The Final Rule will become effective on December 30, 
    1998.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia L. Sweeney, Program Analyst, 
    Compliance Assistance Division, Office of Policy, 202/408-2872, or Roy 
    S. Turner, Jr., Attorney-Advisor, Office of General Counsel, 202/408-
    2512, Federal Housing Finance Board, 1777 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 
    20006.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    I. Statutory and Regulatory Background
    
        Pursuant to section 7 of the Federal Home Loan Bank Act (Act), 
    which sets forth the eligibility requirements and the procedures for 
    electing and appointing Bank directors, and regulations promulgated 
    thereunder, the Finance Board's predecessor, the former Federal Home 
    Loan Bank Board (FHLBB), determined the eligibility of all Bank 
    directors, administered the Bank director elections, and appointed 
    public interest directors. See 12 U.S.C. 1427 (1989); 12 CFR part 522 
    (1989). After Congress abolished the FHLBB in 1989, see Financial 
    Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), 
    Pub.L. 101-73, sec. 401, 103 Stat. 183 (Aug. 9, 1989), the Finance 
    Board adopted the FHLBB regulations on Bank directors, without change. 
    See 54 FR 36757 (Sept. 5, 1989), codified at 12 CFR part 932. The 
    Finance Board subsequently amended its regulations to implement the 
    changes FIRREA made to the eligibility requirements for, and to apply 
    the conflicts of interest limitations FIRREA imposed on, Bank 
    directors. 55 FR 1393 (Jan. 16, 1990); 56 FR 55205 (Oct. 25, 1991); see 
    FIRREA, secs. 707, 710(b)(4), 103 Stat. 417, 418, codified at 12 U.S.C. 
    1427.
        Since the enactment of FIRREA the Finance Board has determined the 
    eligibility of all Bank directors, has administered the election of 
    Bank directors, and has appointed public interest directors. As part of 
    its policy of removing itself from the management and governance 
    functions of the Banks and devolving those responsibilities to the 
    Banks, the Finance Board is transferring the administration of the 
    elections, including the responsibility to determine the eligibility of 
    elective directors, to the Banks. This action does not affect the 
    appointment of public interest directors for the Banks, who will 
    continue to be appointed in the sole discretion of the Finance Board.
        The final rule amends, redesignates, or eliminates various 
    provisions of part 932, and includes conforming amendments to parts 
    900, 931, 933, 934, and 941. The Finance Board also is repealing the 
    current conflict of interest and financial disclosure requirements 
    established by part 922 of its regulations for the appointed members of 
    the Board of Directors of the Finance Board. All of the changes are 
    consistent with the goals of the Regulatory Reinvention Initiative of 
    the National Performance Review. See E.O. 12861, 58 FR 48255 (Sept. 11, 
    1993).
    
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    II. Analysis of the Public Comments and Final Rule
    
        The Finance Board received seven comment letters in response to its 
    proposal to devolve the management and administration of the election 
    process to the Banks. The proposed rule was published in the Federal 
    Register, with a 45-day period for public comment. 63 FR 26532 (May 13, 
    1998). Commenters included six Banks and one member. Most commenters 
    supported the devolution of the election process to the Banks, though 
    they also offered suggested revisions to the rule. Two commenters 
    opposed the proposal, citing the potential administrative burden that 
    could be placed on the Banks. One of these commenters also 
    characterized the regulation as too detailed and restrictive and 
    failing to devolve to the Banks any meaningful control over the 
    election process.
        Notwithstanding those concerns, the Board believes that the 
    election of directors to serve on the board of a corporate entity is a 
    responsibility more appropriately assigned to the entity than to its 
    safety and soundness regulator. Accordingly, the Board is adopting the 
    regulation largely as proposed, with revisions made to take into 
    account a number of revisions proposed by the commenters. Those 
    revisions are discussed below.
    
    A. Definitions--Sec. 932.1
    
    1. ``Bona Fide Resident''-- Sec. 932.1
        The proposed definition of ``bona fide resident'' that appeared in 
    the Federal Register included a typographical error, which prompted two 
    commenters to question whether appointive directors need always have 
    some residence within the district. The final rule corrects the error, 
    making clear that an appointive director who does not maintain a 
    principal residence within the district may, nonetheless, be a ``bona 
    fide resident'' if he or she owns or leases in his or her own name a 
    residence within the district and is employed within a voting state in 
    the district. The same test applies to elective directors.
    2. ``Voting State''--Sec. 932.1
        Under the proposal, a member's ``voting state'' is the state in 
    which the member's principal place of business, ``as determined in 
    accordance with part 933,'' is located on the record date. One 
    commenter contended that the definition might bar a member from voting 
    if its principal place of business were located outside the district of 
    the Bank in which the institution is a member. Because that scenario 
    could occur only in rare circumstances, which would require Finance 
    Board approval, and the existing regulations and statutes would address 
    the matter, the final rule adopts the definition as proposed.
        By statute, an institution must become a member of the Bank whose 
    district includes the state in which the institution maintains its 
    principal place of business, unless the institution requests membership 
    in an adjoining district, which is permissible only if it is ``demanded 
    by convenience'' and only if it is approved by the Finance Board. 12 
    U.S.C. 1424(b). Thus, a member could have its principal place of 
    business outside of its normal Bank district only pursuant to the 
    ``demanded by convenience'' provision. If such a transfer were to 
    occur, it would be governed by the regulations of the Finance Board, 
    principally Section 933.18(a) and (b). Those provisions authorize 
    membership in another Bank under the ``demanded by convenience'' 
    provision and provide that ``[e]xcept as otherwise designated in 
    accordance with this section'' a member's principal place of business 
    is the state in which it maintains its home office. The latter 
    provision contemplates that the Finance Board may ``otherwise 
    designate'' a state other than the one in which a member maintains its 
    home office as its principal place of business, which the Finance Board 
    would have to do if the home office were outside the district. As the 
    regulations address the concern of the commenter, especially when read 
    in conjunction with section 1427(c), which requires the Finance Board 
    to designate the state in which each member is deemed to be located for 
    voting purposes, the Finance Board does not believe it is necessary to 
    revise this definition.
    
    B. Director Elections--Sec. 932.3
    
    1. Responsibilities of the Banks
        Consistent with the proposed rule, the final rule transfers the 
    responsibility for the conduct and administration of the director 
    elections from the Finance Board to the Banks. Two commenters believed 
    that the regulatory language should expressly permit the Banks to use 
    staff and contractors to run the elections process, even though the 
    preamble to the proposal indicated that Bank staff could be used. As it 
    was never the Finance Board's intent to have the board of directors 
    personally perform those tasks, the final rule clarifies that the 
    disinterested members of the board of directors, or a committee of 
    disinterested directors, may use staff or an outside contractor to 
    perform the ministerial and administrative tasks associated with the 
    elections process. The final rule retains the language that the 
    disinterested members, or committee of disinterested members, are 
    responsible for overseeing the election process, which means that they 
    must ensure that the persons administering the election are competent 
    and act in accordance with these regulations.
        Further, three commenters suggested that the Finance Board share 
    information with, and offer the appropriate training to, the Banks as a 
    part of its devolution of the election process. The Finance Board 
    intends to provide the information and training necessary to ensure a 
    smooth transition of the management of the election process from the 
    Finance Board to the Banks and anticipates that it will do so in 
    consultation with the Banks in advance of the 1999 election cycle. No 
    regulatory changes are necessary to provide such assistance.
    2. Designation of elective directorships.
        For any Bank district with five or more states, the Act authorizes 
    the Finance Board to increase the number of elective directorships up 
    to thirteen, and the number of appointive directorships up to three-
    fourths of the number of elective directorships. 12 U.S.C. 1427(a). The 
    proposed rule had provided that in creating any additional appointive 
    directorships under this authority the Finance Board may round up to 
    the nearest whole number. Two Banks objected to the rounding provision, 
    contending that it could result in a Bank having a number of appointive 
    directors in excess of the three-fourths statutory limit.
        The principal difficulty in applying the statutory limit is that it 
    results in a whole number of appointive directors only when the number 
    of elective directors is eight or twelve. If a Bank has nine, ten, or 
    eleven elective directors, the formula results in a fractional cap on 
    the number of appointive directors, i.e., 6.75, 7.5, and 8.25, 
    respectively. It is not clear from the statute how Congress intended 
    the cap to be applied when it includes a fraction. The Finance Board 
    could disregard all fractions altogether, meaning that it would have to 
    ``round down'' to the nearest whole number in all cases. Alternatively, 
    the Finance Board could follow standard rounding conventions and round 
    to the nearest whole number in all cases. The Finance Board has 
    determined that the most reasonable means of applying the limitation is 
    to use standard rounding conventions whenever the ``three-fourths'' 
    formula results in something other than a whole number. Thus, for any 
    fraction of one-half or more the Finance Board will round up to the
    
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    nearest whole number, and for any fraction of less than one-half the 
    Finance Board will round down to the nearest whole number.
        The Finance Board believes that this interpretation is permissible 
    and is in accord with the standards of statutory interpretation. 
    Chevron, U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council Inc., 467 
    U.S. 837, 844 (1984). The final rule amends the proposed language by 
    deleting the term ``up,'' to make clear that fractions less than one-
    half will be rounded down, and adds a provision requiring the Finance 
    Board to consult with the affected Banks prior to increasing the number 
    of elective or appointive directorships.
        One commenter suggested that the Finance Board establish separate 
    seats on the board of directors of a Bank for co-operative banks and 
    federal savings and loan associations, as those institutions are too 
    small to have sufficient votes to elect their own representatives. The 
    Finance Board cannot make such a change because it is not permitted by 
    the statute. The Finance Board has no authority to set up separate 
    classes of directors to represent different segments of the membership 
    base.
    
    C. Capital Stock Report--Sec. 932.4
    
        The proposed rule would have required each Bank, by April 10 of 
    each year, to submit to the Finance Board and to each member a capital 
    stock report, which would indicate the minimum number of shares of Bank 
    stock each member was required to hold at the end of the preceding 
    calendar year. The proposal also would have allowed each member to 
    obtain Finance Board review of the Bank's determination of its minimum 
    stock holdings. Two commenters objected to this provision, contending 
    that providing the capital stock report to the members would be 
    confusing because the report would not indicate the number of votes 
    each member would be entitled to cast in the election, and that the 
    appeals process would delay the elections.
        The Finance Board believes that there is some merit in the 
    suggestion about member confusion, but also believes that it is 
    important for each member to have the opportunity to review for itself 
    and, if necessary, to obtain Finance Board review of the Bank's 
    calculation of the member's minimum stock purchase requirement (which 
    is used to determine the member's voting rights) and to confirm that 
    the Bank has included the member in the appropriate voting state. To 
    balance those concerns, the final rule relocates the reporting and 
    review provisions from the election regulation to the membership 
    regulation, at section 933.22(b)(1).
        Section 933.22(b)(1) currently directs the Banks annually to 
    calculate each member's minimum stock purchase requirement and to 
    notify the member of any required adjustment. The final rule amends 
    section 933.22(b)(1) to require the Banks to include as part of the 
    notice a statement informing the member that the Bank's minimum stock 
    calculation will be used to determine the number of votes the member 
    may cast in that year's election, and identifying the state in which 
    the member will vote. If a member does not agree with the Bank's 
    calculation of the minimum stock holdings or the Bank's identification 
    of the voting state, the member may request the Finance Board to 
    resolve either matter. The Finance Board must do so promptly and its 
    determination is final.
        By requiring the Bank to notify the member of its voting state the 
    final rule affords each member the opportunity to confirm that the 
    records of the Bank correctly indicate the location of its principal 
    place of business. This should minimize the possibility that a member 
    may be assigned to vote in the wrong state, which might occasionally 
    occur as members merge, consolidate, or relocate across state lines. 
    Although the Banks do not designate the state in which a member is 
    deemed to be located for voting purposes (that is done by the Finance 
    Board), they do need to know promptly whenever a member relocates its 
    principal place of business (i.e., its home office) to another state. 
    Toward that end, the final rule also amends Sec. 933.18(a)(1) to 
    require that a member promptly notify its Bank whenever it relocates 
    its principal place of business to another state. The Bank, in turn, 
    must inform the Finance Board of any such relocation.
        Section 7(c) of the Act requires the Finance Board to designate the 
    state in which each member is deemed to be located for voting purposes 
    and, if the member has its principal place of business in a state 
    within the district, the Finance Board must designate that state as its 
    voting state for purposes of the election. 12 U.S.C. 1427(c). The 
    Finance Board has made such a designation in its current regulations, 
    12 CFR 932.11(a) (1998), and the final rule retains a comparable 
    provision, amending Section 932.3(d) to provide that for purposes of 
    director elections a member is deemed to be located in its voting 
    state.
    
    D. Determination of Member Votes--Sec. 932.5
    
        Section 7(b) of the Act provides that in electing directors, each 
    member may cast a number of votes equal to the number of shares of 
    capital stock in the Bank the member was required to hold as of the 
    record date (December 31 of the prior year), but the number of votes 
    may not exceed the average number of shares required to be held by all 
    of the members in that state as of the record date. 12 U.S.C. 1427(b).
        Because the statute establishes voting rights as of the record 
    date, the proposal would not have terminated those rights based on 
    events occurring subsequent to the record date, such as a merger or 
    consolidation into a nonmember, transfer to another Bank, or withdrawal 
    from the Bank. Consequently, in the event of such a transaction the 
    proposed rule would have allowed the legal successor to the member to 
    exercise whatever voting rights the member possessed as of the record 
    date, but only for the election occurring in the year of the merger or 
    other transaction. In subsequent years the successor's right to vote, 
    if any, would be determined by its own membership status.
        Three commenters objected to any provision that might allow 
    institutions that were not members at the time of the election to vote 
    in the election for Bank directors. One commenter questioned whether a 
    member that was subject to the maximum cap on the number of votes it 
    may cast (i.e., not to exceed the average stock purchase requirement 
    for all members) would be permitted to cast the votes belonging to 
    another member that had merged into the first member subsequent to the 
    record date.
        The final rule retains the provisions under which voting rights are 
    to be determined as of the record date. The Finance Board has decided 
    not to introduce a number of exceptions to this rule that would 
    terminate a member's voting rights based on corporate transactions 
    occurring after the record date. The Finance Board is mindful of the 
    concerns expressed about entities that are not members being allowed to 
    vote in the election of directors for the Banks, but is persuaded that 
    the Banks should conduct their elections in the same manner as other 
    corporate entities, which use a record date to determine which 
    shareholders may vote for directors. If the concept of the record date 
    is to be applied in a meaningful fashion, events occurring subsequently 
    should not alter the voting rights that existed as of the record date. 
    Thus, if a member merges into a nonmember subsequent to the record date 
    but prior
    
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    to the election, or if a member relocates its home office to another 
    Bank district or withdraws from the Bank System, the successor or the 
    former member may vote those shares if it wishes to do so. Similarly, 
    if a member that has reached the maximum number of votes that a single 
    member may cast in an election acquires by merger or consolidation 
    another member that was entitled to vote in the election, and in the 
    same state, as of the record date, the resulting member would be 
    entitled to cast its own votes, as well as those of the acquired 
    member, but only in the election occurring in the year of the merger. 
    Thereafter, the voting rights of the member would be determined by the 
    number of shares it was required to hold as of the next following 
    record date.
        Moreover, as a practical matter the Finance Board is not persuaded 
    that terminating the voting rights of members that merge, relocate, or 
    withdraw from the System after the record date can be done in a manner 
    that would treat each such member the same. At some point prior to the 
    distribution of the ballots the Banks must finalize their lists of 
    institutions that are entitled to vote in the election, even though 
    there may be a period of several weeks `` during which time other 
    mergers could occur `` before the balloting closes. Thus, there always 
    could be some institutions receiving ballots that no longer would be 
    members at the time of the election. In addition, terminating the 
    voting rights of even a single member that has participated in such a 
    transaction will affect the voting rights of every other member that is 
    subject to the cap on the maximum number of votes that it may cast in 
    the election, because the cap--the average stock holdings of all 
    members--will increase or decrease depending on the size of the former 
    member.
        At some point, the voting membership and the number of votes per 
    member must be fixed. To select any date other than the record date may 
    result in disparate treatment of similarly situated members, hamper the 
    ability of the Banks to administer the election process, and subject 
    the election to challenge by some members. Given those difficulties, 
    the Finance Board believes that reliance solely on the record date is 
    consistent with general corporate practice and best ensures that all 
    members having voting rights on the record date will be treated 
    equitably in the election for the subsequent year.
        One commenter suggested that the Finance Board be made the sole 
    authority to resolve ``voting determination disputes,'' such as vote 
    tabulation, principal residence requirement, and record date stock 
    requirement. Aside from the determination of the number of shares of 
    stock each member is required to maintain as of the record date and the 
    state in which the member may vote, for which Finance Board review is 
    available as noted previously, the Finance Board believes that these 
    matters are best left to the Banks as a part of the devolution of the 
    election process. The Banks may adopt dispute resolution procedures and 
    make elective director eligibility and voting determinations, as they 
    deem appropriate, consistent with the Act and these regulations.
    
    E. Eligibility Requirements for Elective Directors--Sec. 932.7
    
        The proposed rule, at Sec. 932.7, would have required the Banks to 
    verify that a director nominee meets the statutory and regulatory 
    eligibility requirements before placing the name of the nominee on the 
    ballot. One commenter suggested that the regulation be revised to 
    require the Banks to rely on the director eligibility certification 
    form (``Form E-1'') and to refer as well to any successor forms, so 
    that the Banks have clear guidance as to the source of information from 
    which they are required to assess a potential nominee's eligibility. 
    The final rule modifies the proposal to indicate that the Banks are 
    required to determine eligibility based on the forms provided by the 
    directors. It also amends the rule to refer to an executed ``director 
    eligibility certification'' as prescribed by the Finance Board rather 
    than to refer to the form by its current designation.
    
    F. Conflicts of Interest Policy for Bank Directors--Sec. 932.11
    
        To prevent conflicts of interest that may affect a Bank director in 
    the performance of his or her official duties, the final rule includes 
    a conflicts of interest provision that would replace the financial 
    disclosure requirements and the prohibitions on service, financial 
    interests, financial relationships, and gifts in the current 
    regulation. See 12 CFR 932.18(b)-(d), 932.21(b)-(c)(1998). Like the 
    proposal, the final rule requires each Bank to adopt a written 
    conflicts of interest policy and specifies the minimum contents for the 
    policy. The final rule also requires directors to disclose conflicts of 
    interest to the board of directors and to refrain from voting on 
    matters in which they have a financial interest.
        One commenter suggested that Sec. 932.11(a) (requiring the adoption 
    of the policy and specifying its minimum contents) be deleted as being 
    duplicative of the Act and common law duties and lacking any practical 
    enforcement mechanism. The commenter believed that the disclosure and 
    recusal provisions in proposed Sec. 932.11(b) to be sufficient. The 
    Finance Board believes that the Banks, like other business 
    corporations, are well served by having clear corporate policies on 
    matters such as conflict of interests of their directors. The final 
    rule includes only two provisions, Sec. 932.11(a)(1) and (2), that 
    parallel provisions of the Act, but does not otherwise duplicate the 
    Act or common law. The Finance Board believes the inclusion of these 
    provisions is appropriate to remind directors of the obligations 
    imposed by the Act. Indeed, the provision relating to appointive 
    directors was added to the final rule on the basis of comments received 
    on the proposal. The remaining provisions in Sec. 932.11(a) describe 
    what the Finance Board believes to be minimal requirements for an 
    effective conflict of interests policy, which the individual Banks are 
    free to supplement as they believe appropriate.
        Some commenters criticized various aspects of Sec. 932.11(b), the 
    disclosure and recusal provisions, which prompted the Finance Board to 
    revise that paragraph in its entirety. The final rule requires full 
    disclosure of any conflicts to the board of directors, applies to the 
    personal financial interests of the director and those of certain 
    family members and business associates, and requires recusal from 
    consideration or voting on matters in which a director has such an 
    interest. The interests of family members and business associates 
    require disclosure only if they are known to the director and arise in 
    connection with any matter to be considered by the board of directors 
    or any matter in which the other party does, or proposes to do, 
    business with the Bank. A director is required to disclose the full 
    nature of his or her interest, and should provide whatever information 
    that he or she has about the matter to the board. The definition of 
    ``financial interest'' has been revised in the final rule to make clear 
    that it does not include deposits or savings accounts maintained with a 
    member or loans obtained in the ordinary course of business. This 
    exception was added in order that the provision barring appointed 
    directors from having any financial interest in a member not be read as 
    prohibiting ordinary business transactions with the member in which 
    there would be no real risk of conflict or abuse.
        One commenter suggested that the disclosure requirements apply only 
    to
    
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    financial interests that would materially affect board decisions. The 
    definition of ``financial interest'' has been modified as noted above, 
    to exclude certain ordinary business transactions.
        One commenter suggested that the rule incorporate the conflict of 
    interests provisions applicable to the Federal Reserve Banks. The 
    Finance Board reviewed those provisions, as well as those of other 
    corporate entities, in considering the proposed and final rules, but 
    does not believe it necessary to adopt the same policies that apply to 
    the Reserve Banks. If any Bank wishes to include provisions comparable 
    to those applicable to the Reserve Banks in their own conflict policies 
    they are free to do so.
    
    III. Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        The final rule implements statutory requirements binding on all 
    Banks, all Bank members, and all prospective and incumbent Bank 
    directors. The Finance Board is not at liberty to make adjustments in 
    those requirements to accommodate small entities. The Finance Board has 
    not imposed any additional regulatory requirements that will have a 
    disproportionate impact on small entities. In addition, in an effort to 
    reduce the reporting burden on prospective and incumbent Bank 
    directors, the Finance Board has streamlined Form E-1, the Elective 
    Director Eligibility Certification Form, and Form A-1, the Appointive 
    Director Eligibility Certification Form, eliminated Forms E-2 and A-2, 
    and will allow individuals to certify that no changes have occurred 
    since they last submitted required information rather than completing 
    anew the entire form. Thus, in accordance with the provisions of the 
    Regulatory Flexibility Act, the Finance Board hereby certifies that 
    this final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a 
    substantial number of small entities. See 5 U.S.C. 605(b).
    
    IV. Paperwork Reduction Act
    
        As part of the proposed rulemaking, the Finance Board published a 
    request for comments concerning the collection of information contained 
    in proposed rule. See 63 FR 26532 (May 13, 1998). The Finance Board 
    received one comment in support of the Finance Board's efforts to 
    reduce the burden of regulatory reporting requirements. The Finance 
    Board submitted an analysis of the information collection to the Office 
    of Management and Budget (OMB) for review in accordance with section 
    2507 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. See 44 U.S.C. 3507. OMB 
    assigned a control number, 3069-0002, and approved the information 
    collection without conditions with an expiration date of June 30, 2001. 
    Potential respondents are not required to respond to the collection of 
    information unless the regulation collecting the information displays a 
    currently valid control number assigned by OMB. See id. 3512(a). 
    Although the final rule does not modify the approved information 
    collection, the revised collection reduces the reporting and 
    recordkeeping burden imposed on many respondents by streamlining Forms 
    E-1 and A-1 and eliminating Forms E-2 and A-2 and permitting 
    individuals to certify that no changes have occurred since they last 
    submitted required information rather than completing anew the entire 
    form.
        The following table discloses the estimated annual reporting and 
    recordkeeping burden:
    
    
    a. Number of respondents.......................................     3442
    b. Total annual responses......................................     3442
      Percentage of these responses collected electronically.......        0
    c. Total annual hours requested................................    1,172
    d. Current OMB inventory.......................................      376
      e. Difference................................................      796
     
    
        The estimated annual reporting and recordkeeping cost burden is:
    
    
    a. Total annualized capital/startup costs...............     $180,000.00
    b. Total annual costs (O&M).............................       24,000.00
    c. Total annualized cost requested......................               0
    d. Current OMB inventory................................               0
    e. Difference...........................................     $204,000.00
     
    
        Any comments concerning the information collection should be 
    submitted to Elaine L. Baker, Executive Secretary, Federal Housing 
    Finance Board, 1777 F. Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, and the Office 
    of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and 
    Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for Federal Housing Finance Board, 
    Washington, DC 20503.
    
    List of Subjects
    
    12 CFR Part 900
    
        Organization and functions (Government agencies).
    
    12 CFR Part 922
    
        Conflict of interests.
    
    12 CFR Part 931
    
        Banks, Banking, Federal home loan banks.
    
    12 CFR Part 932
    
        Banks, Banking, Conflict of interests, Elections, Ethical conduct, 
    Federal home loan banks, Financial disclosure, Reporting and 
    recordkeeping requirements.
    
    12 CFR Part 933
    
        Credit, Federal home loan banks, Reporting and recordkeeping 
    requirements.
    
    12 CFR Part 934
    
        Federal home loan banks, Securities, Surety bonds.
    
    12 CFR Part 941
    
        Federal home loan banks, Organization and functions (government 
    agencies).
    
        Accordingly, the Federal Housing Finance Board hereby amends 
    chapter IX, title 12, parts 900, 922, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 941 of 
    the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:
    
    PART 900--[Amended]
    
        1. The authority citation for part 900 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552;(12 U.S.C. 1422b(a).
    
    Sec. 900.51  [Amended]
    
        2. Amend Sec. 900.51 by removing ``A-2--Appointive Directors--
    Personal Certification and Disclosure Form'' and ``E-2--Elective 
    Directors--Personal Certification and Disclosure Form.''
    
    PART 922--[Removed]
    
        1. Under the authority in 12 U.S.C. 1422a and 1422b, remove part 
    922.
    
    PART 931--DEFINITIONS
    
        1. The authority citation for part 931 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1422a and 1422b.
    
    
    Secs. 931.13 through 931.40  [Removed]
    
        2. Remove Secs. 931.13 through 931.40.
    
    
    Secs. 931.11 and 931.12  [Redesignated as Secs. 931.5 and 931.6]
    
        3. Redesignate Secs. 931.11 and 931.12 as Secs. 931.5 and 931.6, 
    respectively.
    
    PART 934--OPERATIONS OF THE BANKS
    
        1. The authority citation for part 934 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1422a, 1422b, 1431(g), 1432(a), and 1442.
    
    Sec. 932.3  [Redesignated as Sec. 934.17]
    
        2. Redesignate Sec. 932.3 as Sec. 934.17.
    
    PART 932--DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AND EMPLOYEES OF THE BANKS
    
        1. Revise the heading of part 932 to read as set forth above.
        2. Revise the authority citation for part 932 to read as follows:
    
    
    [[Page 65688]]
    
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1422a(a)(3), 1422b(a), 1426, 1427, and 
    1432; 42 U.S.C. 8101 et seq.
    
        3. Revise the table of contents of part 932 to read as follows:
    
    Subpart A--Definitions
    
    Sec.
    932.1  Definitions.
    932.2  Dates.
    
    Subpart B--Bank Directors
    
    Sec.
    932.3  Director elections.
    932.4  Capital stock report.
    932.5  Determination of member votes.
    932.6  Elective director nominations.
    932.7  Eligibility requirements for elective directors.
    932.8  Election process.
    932.9  Prohibition on actions to influence director elections.
    932.10  Selection of appointive directors.
    932.11  Conflict of interests policy for Bank directors.
    932.12  Reporting requirements for Bank directors
    932.13  Ineligible Bank directors.
    932.14  Vacant Bank directorships.
    932.15  Minimum number of elective directorships.
    932.16  Site of board of directors and committee meetings.
    932.17  Compensation and expenses of Bank directors.
    
    Subpart C--Selection of Bank Officers and Employees
    
    Sec.
    932.18  Selection of Bank officer and employees
    932.19  Compensation of Bank officers and employees
        4. Designate Secs. 932.1 and 932.2 as subpart A and add a subpart 
    heading to read as follows:
    
    Subpart A--Definitions
    
        5. Revise Sec. 932.1 to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.1  Definitions.
    
        For purposes of this part:
        Act means the Federal Home Loan Bank Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 
    1421 et seq.).
        Bank or Banks means a Federal Home Loan Bank or the Federal Home 
    Loan Banks.
        Bona fide resident of a Bank district means an individual who:
        (1) Maintains a principal residence within the Bank district; or
        (2) If serving as an elective director, owns or leases in his or 
    her own name a residence within the Bank district and is an officer or 
    director of a member located in a voting state within the Bank 
    district; or
        (3) If serving as an appointive director, owns or leases in his or 
    her own name a residence within the Bank district and is employed 
    within a voting state within the Bank district.
        Docket number means the number assigned to each member by the 
    Finance Board and used by the Finance Board and the Banks to identify a 
    particular member.
        Finance Board means the agency established as the Federal Housing 
    Finance Board.
        Member means an institution admitted to membership and owning 
    capital stock in a Bank.
        Record date means December 31 of the calendar year immediately 
    preceding the election year.
        Voting state means the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the 
    state of the United States in which a member's principal place of 
    business, as determined in accordance with part 933 of this chapter, is 
    located as of the record date. The voting state of a member with a 
    principal place of business located in the U.S. Virgin Islands as of 
    the record date shall be Puerto Rico, and the voting state of a member 
    with a principal place of business located in American Samoa, Guam, or 
    the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as of the record date 
    shall be Hawaii.
        6. Add Sec. 932.2 to subpart A to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.2  Dates.
    
        If any date specified in this part, or specified by a Bank pursuant 
    to this part, falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, the 
    relevant time period shall be deemed to include the next business day.
        7. Designate Secs. 932.3 through 932.17 as subpart B and add a 
    subpart heading to read as follows:
    
    Subpart B--Bank Directors
    
        8. Add Sec. 932.3 to subpart B to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.3  Director elections.
    
        (a) Responsibilities of the Banks. Each Bank annually shall conduct 
    an election the purpose of which is to fill all elective directorships 
    designated by the Finance Board as commencing on January 1 of the 
    calendar year immediately following the year of the election. Subject 
    to the provisions of the Act and in accordance with the requirements of 
    this part, the disinterested members of the board of directors of each 
    Bank, or a committee of disinterested directors, shall administer and 
    conduct the annual election of directors. In so doing, the 
    disinterested directors may use Bank staff or independent contractors 
    to perform ministerial and administrative functions concerning the 
    elections process. The term of office of each elective directorship 
    shall be two years and shall commence on January 1 of the calendar year 
    immediately following the year in which the election is held. Each Bank 
    shall complete the election in sufficient time to allow newly elected 
    directors to assume their seats on January 1 of the year immediately 
    following the election.
        (b) Designation of elective directorships. The Finance Board 
    annually shall establish the number of elective directorships for each 
    Bank, which are to be allocated as follows:
        (1) One elective directorship shall be allocated to each state 
    within the Bank district;
        (2) If the total number of elective directorships allocated 
    pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section is less than eight, the 
    Finance Board shall allocate additional elective directorships among 
    the states, using the method of equal proportions, until the total 
    allocated for the Bank equals eight;
        (3) If the number of elective directorships allocated to any state 
    pursuant to paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section is less than the 
    number allocated to that state on December 31, 1960, as specified in 
    Sec. 932.15, the Finance Board shall allocate such additional elective 
    directorships to that state until the total allocated equals the number 
    allocated to the Bank on December 31, 1960;
        (4) Pursuant to section 7(e) of the Act, the Federal Home Loan Bank 
    of New York is hereby allocated one additional elective directorship, 
    which is designated as representing the members in the Commonwealth of 
    Puerto Rico;
        (5) Pursuant to section 7(a) of the Act, in any Bank district that 
    includes five or more states, the Finance Board, after consultation 
    with the affected Banks, may increase the number of elective 
    directorships up to thirteen, and the number of appointive 
    directorships up to three-fourths of the number of elective 
    directorships. In determining the number of appointive directorships, 
    the Finance Board may round to the nearest whole number.
        (c) Notification. On or before June 1 of each year, the Finance 
    Board shall notify each Bank in writing of the total number of elective 
    directorships established for the Bank and the number of elective 
    directorships designated as representing the members in each voting 
    state in the Bank district. The annual designation of elective 
    directorships shall not cause any incumbent director to surrender his 
    or her directorship prior to the expiration of the full term of office.
    
    [[Page 65689]]
    
        (d) In accordance with section 7(c) of the Act, unless otherwise 
    designated by the Finance Board, for purposes of election of directors 
    a member shall be deemed to be located in its voting state.
        (e) Transition. The term of office of each elective directorship 
    existing on the effective date of this section shall continue to its 
    scheduled expiration date, and the Banks may not thereafter alter the 
    commencement or expiration date for any elective directorship in 
    conducting the annual election of directors.
        9. Add Sec. 932.4 to Subpart B to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.4  Capital stock report.
    
        (a) On or before April 10 of each year, each Bank shall submit to 
    the Finance Board, for its use in designating the elective 
    directorships a capital stock report that indicates, as of the record 
    date, the number of members in each voting state in the Bank's 
    district, and the number of shares of capital stock required to be held 
    by each member (identified by docket number), and the aggregate total 
    number of shares of capital stock required to be held by all members in 
    each voting state in the Bank's district. The Bank shall certify to the 
    Finance Board that to the best of its knowledge the information 
    provided in the capital stock report is accurate and complete, and that 
    it has notified each member of its minimum capital stock holdings 
    pursuant to Sec. 933.22(b)(1) of this chapter.
        (b) A Bank shall determine the number of shares of capital stock 
    each member is required to hold as of the record date in the following 
    manner:
        (1) The number of shares of capital stock shall be equal to the 
    greater of the advances-to-capital stock requirement under 
    Sec. 935.15(a) of this chapter, or the minimum capital stock 
    requirement under Sec. 933.20(a) of this chapter.
        (2) If a member has elected to purchase its minimum required 
    capital stock in installments under Sec. 933.20(b)(2) of this chapter, 
    the number of shares of capital stock required to be held as of the 
    record date shall be the cumulative total of shares of capital stock 
    actually purchased as of the record date.
        10. Add Sec. 932.5 to subpart B to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.5  Determination of member votes.
    
        (a) Authority. The Bank shall determine, in accordance with this 
    section, the number of votes each member of the Bank may cast in the 
    election of directors.
        (b) Determination. The number of votes a member may cast for any 
    elective director nominee shall be the lesser of the number of shares 
    of capital stock the member was required to hold as of the record date, 
    as determined in accordance with Sec. 932.4(b), or the average number 
    of shares of capital stock required to be held by all of the members in 
    its voting state as of the record date.
        11. Add Sec. 932.6 to subpart B to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.6  Elective director nominations.
    
        (a) Election announcement. Within a reasonable time in advance of 
    an election, a Bank shall provide to each member in its district a 
    written notice of the election that includes:
        (1) The number of elective directorships designated as representing 
    the members in each voting state in the Bank district;
        (2) The name of each incumbent Bank director, the name and location 
    of the member at which each elective director serves, and the name and 
    location of the organization with which each appointive director is 
    affiliated, if any, and the expiration date of each Bank director's 
    term of office;
        (3) An attachment indicating the name, location, and docket number 
    of every member in the member's voting state, and the number of votes 
    each such member may cast in the election, as determined in accordance 
    with Sec. 932.5(b); and (4) A nominating certificate.
        (b) Nominations. (1) Any member that is entitled to vote in the 
    election may nominate an eligible individual to fill each available 
    elective directorship for its voting state by submitting to its Bank, 
    prior to a deadline to be established by the Bank, a nominating 
    certificate duly adopted by the member's governing body or by an 
    individual authorized to act on behalf of the member's governing body.
        (2) The nominating certificate shall include the name of the 
    nominee and the name, location, and docket number of the member at 
    which the nominee serves as an officer or director.
        (3) The Bank shall establish a deadline for submitting nominating 
    certificates, which shall be no earlier than 30 calendar days after the 
    date on which the Bank mails the notice required by paragraph (a) of 
    this section, and the Bank shall not accept certificates received after 
    that deadline. The Bank shall retain all nominating certificates for at 
    least two years after the date of the election.
        (c) Accepting nominations. A Bank shall notify in writing any 
    person nominated for an elective directorship promptly upon receipt of 
    the nominating certificate. A person may accept the nomination only by 
    submitting an executed director eligibility certification, as 
    prescribed by the Finance Board, to the Bank prior to the deadline 
    established by the Bank. A Bank shall allow each nominee at least 30 
    calendar days after the date of the notice of nomination within which 
    to submit the executed form. A nominee may decline the nomination by so 
    advising the Bank in writing, or by failing to submit a properly 
    executed director eligibility certification prior to the deadline. Each 
    Bank shall retain all information received under this paragraph for at 
    least two years after the date of the election.
        12. Add Sec. 932.7 to subpart B read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.7  Eligibility requirements for elective directors.
    
        (a) Eligibility verification. Based on the information provided on 
    the director eligibility certification form prescribed by the Finance 
    Board, a Bank shall verify that each nominee meets all of the 
    eligibility requirements for elective directors set forth in the Act 
    and this part before placing that nominee on the ballot prepared by the 
    Bank under Sec. 932.8(a).
        (b) Eligibility requirements. Each elective director, and each 
    nominee, shall be:
        (1) A citizen of the United States;
        (2) A bona fide resident of the Bank district; and
        (3) An officer or director of a member that is located in the 
    voting state to be represented by the elective directorship, that was a 
    member of the Bank as of the record date, and that meets all minimum 
    capital requirements established by its appropriate federal regulator 
    or appropriate state regulator. For purposes of this paragraph (b)(3), 
    the term appropriate federal regulator has the same meaning as the term 
    ``appropriate Federal banking agency'' in section 3(q) of the Federal 
    Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813(q)), and, for federally insured 
    credit unions, shall mean the National Credit Union Administration, and 
    the term appropriate state regulator means any state officer, agency, 
    supervisor, or other entity that has regulatory authority over, or is 
    empowered to institute enforcement action against, a member.
        (c) Restrictions. A nominee is not eligible if he or she:
        (1) Is an incumbent elective director, unless:
        (i) The incumbent director's term of office would expire before the 
    new term of office would begin; and
    
    [[Page 65690]]
    
        (ii) The new term of office would not be barred by the term limit 
    provision of section 7(d) of the Act.
        (2) Is a former elective director whose service would be barred by 
    the term limit provision of section 7(d) of the Act.
        (3) Is an incumbent appointive director.
        13. Revise Sec. 932.8 to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.8  Election process.
    
        (a) Ballots. Promptly after verifying the eligibility of all 
    nominees in accordance with Sec. 932.7(a), a Bank shall prepare a 
    ballot for each voting state for which an elective directorship is to 
    be filled and shall mail the ballot to all members within that state 
    that were members as of the record date. A ballot shall include at 
    least the following provisions:
        (1) An alphabetical listing of the names of each nominee for the 
    member's voting state, the name, location, and docket number of the 
    member at which each nominee serves, the nominee's title or position 
    with the member, and the number of elective directorships to be filled 
    by members in that voting state in the election;
        (2) A statement that write-in candidates are not permitted; and
        (3) A confidentiality statement prohibiting the Bank from 
    disclosing how a member voted.
        (b) Lack of nominees. If, for any voting state, the number of 
    nominees is equal to or less than the number of elective directorships 
    to be filled in the election, the Bank shall notify the members in the 
    affected voting state in writing (in lieu of providing a ballot) that 
    the directorships are to be filled without an election due to a lack of 
    nominees. The Bank shall declare elected any eligible nominee, who 
    shall be included as a director-elect in the report of election 
    required under paragraph (e). If necessary, the board of directors 
    shall fill, any elective directorship that has become vacant due to a 
    lack of a nominee in accordance with Sec. 932.14(a).
        (c) Voting. For each directorship to be filled, a member may cast 
    the number of votes determined by the Bank pursuant to Sec. 932.5. A 
    member may not split its votes among multiple nominees for a single 
    directorship, nor, where there are multiple directorships to be filled 
    for a voting state, may it cumulatively vote for a single nominee. Any 
    ballots cast in violation of this subsection shall be void. To vote, a 
    member shall:
        (1) Mark on the ballot the name of not more than one of the 
    nominees for each elective directorship to be filled in the member's 
    voting state. Each nominee so selected shall receive all of the votes 
    that the member is entitled to cast.
        (2) Execute the ballot by resolution of the member's governing 
    body, or by an appropriate writing signed by an individual authorized 
    to act on behalf of the governing body.
        (3) Deliver the executed ballot to the Bank on or before the 
    closing date that has been established by the Bank, which shall be no 
    earlier than 30 calendar days after the date the ballots are mailed in 
    accordance with paragraph (a) of this section. A member may not change 
    a ballot after it has been delivered to the Bank.
        (d) Counting ballots. A Bank shall not open any ballot until after 
    the closing date, and may not include in the election results any 
    ballot received after the closing date. Promptly after the closing 
    date, each Bank shall tabulate, by each voting state, the votes cast in 
    accordance with paragraph (c) of this section, and shall declare 
    elected the nominee receiving the highest number of votes.
        (1) If more than one elective directorship is to be filled in a 
    voting state, the Bank shall declare elected each successive nominee 
    receiving the next highest number of votes until all open elective 
    directorships for that voting state are filled.
        (2) In the event of a tie for the last available seat, the 
    incumbent board of directors of the Bank shall, by a majority vote, 
    declare elected one of the nominees for whom the number of votes cast 
    was tied.
        (3) The Bank shall retain all ballots it receives for at least two 
    years after the date of the election, and shall not disclose how any 
    member voted.
        (e) Report of election. Promptly following the election, each Bank 
    shall provide written notice to its members, to each nominee, and to 
    the Finance Board of the following:
        (1) The name of each director-elect, the name and location of the 
    member at which he or she serves, and his or her title or position at 
    the member;
        (2) The voting state represented by each director-elect;
        (3) The expiration date of the term of office of each director-
    elect;
        (4) The number of members voting in the election and the total 
    number of votes cast, both reported by state; and (5) The number of 
    votes cast for each nominee.
        14. Revise Sec. 932.9 to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.9  Prohibition on actions to influence director elections.
    
        (a) Prohibition. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this 
    section:
        (1) No director, officer, attorney, employee, or agent of the 
    Finance Board or of a Bank may:
        (i) Communicate in any manner that a director, officer, attorney, 
    employee, or agent of the Finance Board or of a Bank, directly or 
    indirectly, supports the nomination or election of a particular 
    individual for an elective directorship; or
        (ii) Take any other action to influence votes for a directorship.
        (2) No member may take any action prohibited by paragraph (a)(1)(i) 
    of this section.
        (b) Exception for incumbent Bank directors. A Bank director acting 
    in his or her personal capacity may support the nomination or election 
    of any individual for an elective directorship, provided that no Bank 
    director shall purport to represent the views of the Bank, the Finance 
    Board, any other director, or any officer, attorney, employee, or agent 
    of the Bank or of the Finance Board concerning the nomination or 
    election of a particular individual for an elective directorship.
        15. Revise Sec. 932.10 to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.10  Selection of appointive directors.
    
        (a) Selection. In accordance with the Act, the Finance Board, in 
    its sole discretion, shall select all appointive directors.
        (b) Term of office. The term of office of each appointive 
    directorship shall commence on January 1.
        16. Revise Sec. 932.11 to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.11  Conflict of interests policy for Bank directors.
    
        (a) Adoption of conflict of interests policy. Each Bank shall adopt 
    a written conflict of interests policy that shall apply to all Bank 
    directors. At a minimum, the conflict of interests policy of each Bank 
    shall:
        (1) Require the directors to administer the affairs of the Bank 
    fairly and impartially and without discrimination in favor of or 
    against any member or nonmember borrower;
        (2) Prohibit appointed directors from serving as an officer of any 
    Bank or as an officer or director of any member, and from owning any 
    equity or debt security issued by a member or from having any other 
    financial interest in a member;
        (3) Prohibit the use of a director's official position for personal 
    gain;
        (4) Require directors to disclose actual or apparent conflict of 
    interests and establish procedures for addressing such conflicts;
        (5) Provide internal controls to ensure that reports are filed and 
    that conflicts are disclosed and resolved in accordance with this 
    section; and
    
    [[Page 65691]]
    
        (6) Establish procedures to monitor compliance with the conflict of 
    interests policy.
        (b) Disclosure and recusal. A director shall disclose to the board 
    of directors any personal financial interests he or she has, as well as 
    any financial interests known to the director of any immediate family 
    member or business associate of the director, in any matter to be 
    considered by the board of directors and in any other matter in which 
    another person or entity does, or proposes to do, business with the 
    Bank. A director shall fully disclose the nature of his or her interest 
    in the matter and shall provide to the board of directors any 
    information requested to aid in its consideration of the director's 
    interest. A director shall refrain from considering or voting on any 
    issue in which the director, any immediate family member, or any 
    business associate has a financial interest.
        (c) Confidential Information. Directors shall not disclose or use 
    confidential information received by them solely by reason of their 
    position with the Bank to obtain a financial interest for themselves or 
    for any other person.
        (d) Gifts. Directors shall not accept, and shall discourage their 
    immediate family members from accepting, any substantial gift where the 
    director has reason to believe that the gift is given in order to 
    influence the director's actions as a member of the Bank's board of 
    directors, or where acceptance of such gift gives the appearance of 
    influencing the director's actions as a member of the board.
        (e) Compensation. Directors shall not accept compensation for 
    services performed for the Bank from any source other than the Bank for 
    which the services are performed.
        (f) Definitions. For purposes of this section:
        (1) Immediate family member means parent, sibling, spouse, child, 
    or dependent, or any other relative sharing the same residence as the 
    director.
        (2) Financial interest means a direct or indirect financial 
    interest in any activity, transaction, property, or relationship that 
    involves receiving or providing something of monetary value, and 
    includes, but is not limited to any right, contractual or otherwise, to 
    the payment of money, whether contingent or fixed. It does not include 
    a deposit or savings account maintained with a member, nor does it 
    include a loan or extension of credit obtained from a member in the 
    normal course of business on terms that are generally available to the 
    public.
        (3) Business associate means any individual or entity with whom a 
    director has a business relationship, including, but not limited to:
        (i) Any corporation or organization of which the director is an 
    officer or partner, or in which the director beneficially owns ten 
    percent or more of any class of equity security, including subordinated 
    debt;
        (ii) Any other partner, officer, or beneficial owner of ten percent 
    or more of any class of equity security, including subordinated debt, 
    of any such corporation or organization; and
        (iii) Any trust or other estate in which a director has a 
    substantial beneficial interest or as to which the director serves as 
    trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity.
        (4) Substantial Gifts includes:
        (i) Gifts of more than token value;
        (ii) Entertainment or hospitality, the cost of which is in excess 
    of what is considered reasonable, customary, and accepted business 
    practices; or
        (iii) Any other items or services for which a director pays less 
    than market value.
        17. Revise Sec. 932.12 to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.12  Reporting requirements for Bank directors.
    
        (a) Annual reporting. On or before March 1 of each year, each 
    director shall submit to his or her Bank the appropriate executed 
    director eligibility certification, as prescribed by the Finance Board. 
    (The forms are available pursuant to 12 CFR 900.51). The Bank shall 
    promptly forward to the Finance Board a copy of the certification filed 
    by each appointive director.
        (b) Report of noncompliance. If an elective or appointive director 
    knows or has reason to believe that he or she no longer meets the 
    eligibility requirements set forth in the Act or this part, the 
    director shall so inform the Bank in writing within 30 calendar days of 
    first learning of the facts causing the loss of eligibility. An 
    appointive director also shall inform the Finance Board in writing at 
    the same time that he or she informs the Bank.
        18. Revise Sec. 932.13 to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.13  Ineligible Bank directors.
    
        (a) Elective directors. Upon a determination by the Finance Board 
    or a Bank that an elective director no longer satisfies the eligibility 
    requirements set forth in the Act or this part, or has failed to comply 
    with the reporting requirements of Sec. 932.12, the elective 
    directorship shall immediately become vacant. Any elective director 
    that is determined to have failed to comply with the eligibility or 
    reporting requirements shall not continue to act as a Bank director.
        (b) Appointive directors. Except as provided herein, upon a 
    determination by the Finance Board that an appointive director no 
    longer satisfies the eligibility requirements set forth in the Act, or 
    has failed to comply with the reporting requirements of Sec. 932.12, 
    the appointive directorship shall immediately become vacant. 
    Notwithstanding the vacancy, an appointive director may continue to 
    serve until a successor assumes the directorship or the term of office 
    expires, whichever occurs first, and the Finance Board, in its sole 
    discretion, may allow an appointive director up to 90 calendar days to 
    comply with the eligibility or reporting requirements.
        19. Revise Sec. 932.14 to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.14  Vacant Bank directorships.
    
        (a) Vacant elective directorships. (1) As soon as practicable after 
    a vacancy occurs, a Bank shall fill the unexpired term of office of a 
    vacant elective directorship by a majority vote of the remaining Bank 
    directors regardless of whether the remaining Bank directors constitute 
    a quorum of the Bank's board of directors.
        (2) An individual so selected to fill a vacant elective 
    directorship shall satisfy all of the eligibility requirements for 
    elective directors set forth in the Act and this part, and shall 
    provide to the Bank an executed director eligibility certification. The 
    Bank shall verify the individual's eligibility in accordance with 
    Sec. 932.7(a) before allowing the individual to assume the 
    directorship, and shall retain the information it receives in 
    accordance with Sec. 932.6(c).
        (3) Promptly after verifying the individual's eligibility under 
    paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a Bank shall notify the Finance Board 
    and each member located in the Bank's district in writing of the 
    following:
        (i) The name of the new elective director, the name, location and 
    docket number of the member at which the new director serves, and the 
    new director's title or position with the member;
        (ii) The voting state that the new elective director represents; 
    and
        (iii) The expiration date of the new elective director's term of 
    office.
        (b) Vacant appointive directorships. (1) As soon as practicable 
    after a vacancy occurs, the Finance Board shall fill the unexpired term 
    of office of a vacant appointive directorship.
        (2) Promptly after filling a vacant appointive directorship, the 
    Finance Board shall notify the affected Bank in writing of the 
    following:
        (i) The name of the new appointive director, the name and location 
    of the organization with which the new director is affiliated, if any, 
    and the new
    
    [[Page 65692]]
    
    director's title or position with such organization; and
        (ii) The expiration date of the new appointive director's term of 
    office.
        (3) Promptly after receiving the notice required by paragraph 
    (b)(2) of this section, a Bank shall provide each of its members with 
    the information described in paragraphs (b)(2)(i) and (ii) of this 
    section.
    
    
    Secs. 932.15 through 932.19  [Removed]
    
        20. Remove Secs. 932.15 through 932.19.
    
    
    Secs. 932.20  [Redesignated as Sec. 932.15]
    
        21. Redesignate Sec. 932.20 as Sec. 932.15 and revise the second 
    sentence and table to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.15  Minimum number of elective directorships
    
        * * * The following list sets forth the states whose members held 
    more than one (1) seat on December 31, 1960:
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  No. of
                                                                 elective
                              State                            directorships
                                                                on December
                                                                 31, 1960
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    California..............................................               3
    Colorado................................................               2
    Illinois................................................               4
    Indiana.................................................               5
    Iowa....................................................               2
    Kansas..................................................               3
    Kentucky................................................               2
    Louisiana...............................................               2
    Massachusetts...........................................               3
    Michigan................................................               3
    Minnesota...............................................               2
    Missouri................................................               2
    New Jersey..............................................               4
    New York................................................               4
    Ohio....................................................               4
    Oklahoma................................................               2
    Pennsylvania............................................               6
    Tennessee...............................................               2
    Texas...................................................               3
    Wisconsin...............................................               4
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    Secs. 932.21 through 932.25  [Removed]
    
        22. Remove Secs. 932.21 through 932.23.
    
    
    Sec. 932.26  [Redesignated as Sec. 932.16]
    
        23. Redesignate Sec. 932.26 as Sec. 932.16 of subpart B.
    
    
    Sec. 932.27  [Redesignated as Sec. 932.17]
    
        24. Redesignate Sec. 932.27 as Sec. 932.17 of subpart B.
    
    
    Secs. 932.28 through 932.39  [Removed]
    
        25. Remove Secs. 932.28 through and 932.39.
        26. Designate Secs. 932.18 and 932.19 as subpart C and add a 
    subpart heading to read as follows:
    
    Subpart C--Selection of Bank Officers and Employees
    
    
    Sec. 932.40  [Redesignated as Sec. 932.18]
    
        27. Redesignate Sec. 932.40 as Sec. 932.18 of subpart C, remove 
    paragraph (d), and revise the section heading and paragraph (a) 
    introductory text to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.18  Selection of Bank officers and employees.
    
        (a) Bank presidents. The board of directors of each Bank may 
    appoint a president, who shall be the chief executive officer of the 
    Bank, subject to the following limitations:
    * * * * *
    
    
    Sec. 932.41  [Redesignated as Sec. 932.19]
    
        28. Redesignate Sec. 932.41 as Sec. 932.19 of subpart C and revise 
    the section heading to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 932.19  Compensation of Bank officers and employees.
    
    * * * * *
    
    
    Secs. 932.42 through 932.62  [Removed]
    
        29. Remove Secs. 932.42 through 932.62.
    
    PART 933--MEMBERS OF THE BANKS
    
        1. The authority citation for part 933 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1422, 1422a, 1422b, 1423, 1424, 1426, 1430, 
    1442.
    
        2. Part 933 is amended by removing ``Sec. 932.3'' wherever it 
    appears and adding ``Sec. 934.17'' in its place in the following 
    locations:
    a. 933.24(b)(3)
    b. 933.25(e)
    c. 933.26(d)
    d. 933.27(f)
    e. 933.28(c)
    
    
    Sec. 933.18  [Amended]
    
        3. Amend Sec. 933.18 by adding a sentence to paragraph (a)(1) and 
    revising paragraph (e) as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 933.18  Determination of appropriate Bank district for membership.
    
        (a) Eligibility. (1) * * * A member shall promptly notify its Bank 
    in writing whenever it relocates its principal place of business to 
    another state and the Bank shall inform the Finance Board in writing of 
    any such relocation.
    * * * * *
        (e) Effect of transfer. A transfer of membership pursuant to this 
    section shall be effective for all purposes, but shall not affect 
    voting rights in the year of the transfer and shall not be subject to 
    the provisions on termination of membership set forth in section 6 of 
    the Act or Secs. 933.26, 933.27, and 933.28, nor the restriction on 
    reacquiring Bank membership within 10 years set forth in Sec. 933.30.
    * * * * *
        4. Amend Sec. 933.20 by revising paragraph (e) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 933.20  Stock purchase.
    
    * * * * *
        (e) Reports. The Bank shall make quarterly reports to the Board 
    setting forth purchases by institutions approved for membership of 
    their minimum stock requirement pursuant to this section.
        5. Amend Sec. 933.22 by adding three sentences to paragraph (b)(1) 
    as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 933.22  Adjustments in stock holdings.
    
    * * * * *
        (b)(1) Annual Adjustment. * * * The notice shall clearly state that 
    the Bank's calculation of each member's minimum stock holdings is to be 
    used to determine the number of votes that the member may cast in that 
    year's election of directors and shall identify the state within the 
    district in which the member will vote. A member that does not agree 
    with the Bank's calculation of the minimum stock requirement or with 
    the identification of its voting state may request the Finance Board to 
    review the Bank's determination. The Finance Board shall promptly 
    determine the member's minimum required holdings and its proper voting 
    state, which determination shall be final.
    * * * * *
    
    
    Sec. 933.24  [Amended]
    
        6. Amend Sec. 933.24 by removing paragraph (b)(4).
    
    
    Sec. 933.25  [Amended]
    
        7. Amend Sec. 933.25 by removing paragraph (f).
    
    
    Sec. 933.26  [Amended]
    
        8. Amend Sec. 933.26 by removing paragraph (e).
    
    
    Sec. 933.27  [Amended]
    
        9. Amend Sec. 933.27 by removing paragraph (g).
    
    
    Sec. 933.28  [Amended]
    
        10. Amend Sec. 933.28 by removing paragraph (d).
    
    PART 941--OPERATIONS OF THE OFFICE OF FINANCE
    
        1. The authority citation for part 941 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 1422b, 1431.
    
        2. Amend Sec. 941.7 by revising paragraph (f)(2) to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 941.7  Office of Finance Board of Directors.
    
    * * * * *
    
    [[Page 65693]]
    
        (f) * * *
        (2) Private Citizen member. The Office of Finance shall pay 
    compensation and expenses to the Private Citizen member of the OF board 
    of directors in accordance with the requirements for payment of 
    compensation and expenses to Bank directors set forth in Sec. 932.17 of 
    this chapter, except that, for these purposes:
        (i) The Office of Finance policy on director compensation must be 
    approved by the board of directors of the Finance Board;
        (ii) Section 932.17(a)(3) and (c)(1)(ii) of this chapter shall not 
    apply; and
        (iii) The terms ``average compensation per director'' and ``ACPD,'' 
    as used in Sec. 932.17 of this chapter, shall be deemed to mean 
    ``maximum compensation of the Private Citizen member''.
    
        Dated: October 28, 1998.
    
        By the Board of Directors of the Federal Housing Finance Board.
    Bruce A. Morrison,
    Chairperson.
    [FR Doc. 98-31786 Filed 11-27-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6725-01-P
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
12/30/1998
Published:
11/30/1998
Department:
Federal Housing Finance Board
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
98-31786
Dates:
The Final Rule will become effective on December 30, 1998.
Pages:
65683-65693 (11 pages)
Docket Numbers:
No. 98-47
RINs:
3069-AA55: Election of FHLBank Directors
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/3069-AA55/election-of-fhlbank-directors
PDF File:
98-31786.pdf
CFR: (36)
12 CFR 935.15(a)
12 CFR 932.7(a)
12 CFR 900.51
12 CFR 932.1
12 CFR 932.2
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