The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has published
its seminannual agenda of regulations in the Federal Register to
inform the public of the Corporation's regulatory actions and
encourage participation in the rulemaking process.
Many of the actions are the result of the FDIC Board's
ongoing efforts to reduce the regulatory burden on banks, simplify
rules and improve efficiency. Many are also in response to the
Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act
of 1994 (CDRI) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Improvement Act of 1991 (FDICIA), containing reforms
significantly restructuring the regulation of financial institutions.
Of the 34 final or proposed changes to the FDIC's
regulations included in the agenda, one is in the prerule stage, 12
are in the proposed rule stage, six are in the final rule stage and 13
are completed actions. The agenda also includes two long-term
proposals. Highlights of a few actions follow.
Putting the Savings Association Insurance Fund (SAIF) on
sound footing, the Board finalized a rule in October imposing a
one-time special assessment on institutions that pay assessments to
the SAIF in order to capitalize the fund, in accordance with the
Deposit Insurance Funds Act of 1996. With the SAIF capitalized,
the Board has proposed lowering the assessment rates SAIF-insured
institutions pay to maintain the fund at its "designated
reserve ratio," while simultaneously widening the spread between
the lowest and highest rates to improve the effectiveness of the
FDIC's risk-based premium system.
In a move to promote public understanding of deposit
insurance--whose rules can be complex for both bankers and
consumers--the Board proposed in May to simplify and clarify the
rules, and sought comment on what steps to take.
In another action, the Board proposed in August
streamlining the approval process for insured state banks wishing to
engage in activities not permitted for national banks, such as real
estate investment ventures or activities involving insurance products
and annuity contracts.
Attached is a copy of the Semiannual Regulatory Agenda
appearing in the November 29, 1996, Federal Register, which
contains all 34 final or proposed rule changes.
Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in
1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking
system. The FDIC insures deposits at the nation's 11,670 banks
and savings associations and it promotes the safety and
soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and
addressing risks to which they are exposed.
FDIC press releases and other information are available on the
Internet via the World Wide Web at www.fdic.gov or through
Gopher at gopher.fdic.gov, and may also be obtained through the
FDIC's Public Information Center (800-276-6003 or (703) 562-2200).
