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OCC Bulletin 2006-17 | April 6, 2006
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Chief Executive Officers and Compliance Officers of All National Banks, Federal Branches and Agencies, Department and Division Heads, All Examining Personnel, and Other Interested Parties
On July 19, 2005, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), along with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the agencies), revised their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulations. These substantive revisions to the CRA regulations became effective September 1, 2005. In addition, technical revisions were adopted on March 28, 2005.
The agencies updated the examination procedures for all banks after these revisions. A substantive change to the regulation reduced the burden to smaller banks by creating a new category of bank, called the Intermediate Small Bank. For all banks, this revision also changed the community development definition to expand opportunities in rural and disaster areas; clarified when affiliate activities are considered; and clarified the impact on a bank's CRA rating from illegal credit practices. The technical revisions updated references to certain metropolitan statistical descriptions based on changes made by the Office of Management and Budget.
This bulletin distributes the updated procedures for large, small, limited purpose or wholesale banks, and banks operating under approved CRA strategic plans. Examination procedures for intermediate small banks were previously distributed with OCC bulletin 2005-29. The OCC plans to incorporate all of these procedures in an updated booklet in the Comptroller's Handbook. Until the revised booklet is issued, examiners will use the attached procedures.
Additional information about the revised CRA regulations can be found in OCC Bulletins 2005-11, Final Rule (technical amendment); 2005-28, Final Rule (substantive amendment); 2005-29, Interagency Examination Procedures (Intermediate Small Banks); and 2006-16, Interagency Questions and Answers (substantive rule).
Questions about the CRA regulations and these examination procedures may be directed to your OCC supervisory office or Compliance Policy Department, at (202) 649-5470.
Ann F. Jaedicke Deputy Comptroller for Compliance Policy
