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In the world of community banking and credit unions, the concept of compliance extends far beyond the mere adherence to laws and regulations. Creating a culture of compliance is about cultivating an environment where ethical standards and regulatory adherence are woven into the very fabric of the organization. At the heart of this transformative process is leadership. The actions, priorities, and attitudes of an institution’s leaders play a critical role in shaping a Culture of

In the close-knit communities where they operate, community banks are more than financial institutions; they are pillars of local economies, supporting everything from small businesses to individual savers. Yet, one of the most significant challenges these banks face is the ever-tightening web of regulatory compliance. Seen by many as a burdensome cost, compliance is often viewed through the lens of obligation rather than opportunity. However, this perspective overlooks the strategic value that robust compliance can

Earlier this week, a federal judge in Texas granted a preliminary injunction against banking regulators enforcing the new CRA (Community Reinvestment Act) rules. The lawsuit (brought by the American Bankers Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Independent Community Bankers of America, Texas Bankers Association, Independent Bankers Association of Texas, Amarillo Chamber of Commerce and Longview Chamber of Commerce) was originally filed on February 29th of this year and can be found here. In it, they

Earlier this week, the CFPB Released the 2023 Modified HMDA loan/application registers (LARs). The HMDA modified LARs are now available for each institution that filed HMDA data collected in 2023. Institutions can find the data on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s (FFIEC) HMDA Platform for approximately 5,089 HMDA filers. The published data contains mortgage loan-level information for 2023 as modified to protect applicant and borrower privacy in accordance with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s

On March 21, 2024, the FDIC, FED, and OCC jointly issued an interim final rule that extends the applicability date of certain provisions in their Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) final rule issued in October 2023. The agencies also requested comments on the extension. The agencies extended the applicability date of the facility-based assessment areas and public file provisions from April 1, 2024, to January 1, 2026. Therefore, banks will not have to make changes to