Amendments to the Stress Testing Rules for National Banks and Federal Savings Associations

Published date12 February 2019
Citation84 FR 3345
Record Number2018-27875
SectionProposed rules
CourtThe Comptroller Of The Currency Office
Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 29 (Tuesday, February 12, 2019)
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 29 (Tuesday, February 12, 2019)]
                [Proposed Rules]
                [Pages 3345-3349]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2018-27875]
                [[Page 3345]]
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                DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
                Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
                12 CFR Part 46
                [Docket ID OCC-2018-0035]
                RIN 1557-AE55
                Amendments to the Stress Testing Rules for National Banks and
                Federal Savings Associations
                AGENCY: Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.
                ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking with request for comment.
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                SUMMARY: The OCC is requesting comment on a proposed rule that would
                amend the OCC's company-run stress testing requirements for national
                banks and Federal savings associations, consistent with section 401 of
                the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act
                (EGRRCPA). Specifically, the proposed rule would revise the minimum
                threshold for national banks and Federal savings associations to
                conduct stress tests from $10 billion to $250 billion, revise the
                frequency by which certain national banks and Federal savings
                associations would be required to conduct stress tests, and reduce the
                number of required stress testing scenarios from three to two. The
                proposed rule would also make certain facilitating and conforming
                changes to the stress testing requirements.
                DATES: Comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking must be received
                by March 14, 2019.
                ADDRESSES: Commenters are encouraged to submit comments through the
                Federal eRulemaking Portal or email, if possible. Please use the title
                ``Amendments to the Stress Testing Rules for National Banks and Federal
                Savings Associations'' to facilitate the organization and distribution
                of the comments. You may submit comments by any of the following
                methods:
                 Federal eRulemaking Portal--``Regulations.gov'': Go to
                www.regulations.gov. Enter ``OCC-2018-0035'' in the Search box and
                click ``Search.'' Click on ``Comment Now'' to submit public comments.
                Click on the ``Help'' tab on the Regulations.gov home page to get
                information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for
                submitting public comments.
                 Email: regs.comments@occ.treas.gov.
                 Mail: Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division,
                Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th Street SW, Suite 3E-
                218, Washington, DC 20219.
                 Hand Delivery/Courier: 400 7th Street SW, Suite 3E-218,
                Washington, DC 20219.
                 Fax: (571) 465-4326.
                 Instructions: You must include ``OCC'' as the agency name and
                ``Docket ID OCC-2018-0035'' in your comment. In general, OCC will enter
                all comments received into the docket and publish the comments on the
                Regulations.gov website without change, including any business or
                personal information that you provide such as name and address
                information, email addresses, or phone numbers. Comments received,
                including attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the
                public record and subject to public disclosure. Do not include any
                information in your comment or supporting materials that you consider
                confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure.
                 You may review comments and other related materials that pertain to
                this rulemaking action by any of the following methods:
                 Viewing Comments Electronically: Go to
                www.regulations.gov. Enter ``Docket ID OCC-2018-0035'' in the Search
                box and click ``Search.'' Click on ``Open Docket Folder'' on the right
                side of the screen. Comments and supporting materials can be viewed and
                filtered by clicking on ``View all documents and comments in this
                docket'' and then using the filtering tools on the left side of the
                screen. Click on the ``Help'' tab on the Regulations.gov home page to
                get information on using Regulations.gov. The docket may be viewed
                after the close of the comment period in the same manner as during the
                comment period.
                 Viewing Comments Personally: You may personally inspect
                comments at the OCC, 400 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20219. For
                security reasons, the OCC requires that visitors make an appointment to
                inspect comments. You may do so by calling (202) 649-6700 or, for
                persons who are deaf or hearing-impaired, TTY, (202) 649-5597. Upon
                arrival, visitors will be required to present valid government-issued
                photo identification and submit to security screening in order to
                inspect comments.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hein Bogaard, Lead Economic Expert,
                International Analysis and Banking Condition, (202) 649-5450; or Henry
                Barkhausen, Counsel, or Daniel Perez, Attorney, (202) 649-5490, Chief
                Counsel's Office; or for persons who are deaf or hearing-impaired, TTY,
                (202) 649-5597; Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th
                Street SW, Washington, DC 20219.
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                I. Background
                 Section 165(i) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
                Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act),\1\ as initially enacted,
                required a national bank or Federal savings association (FSA)
                (collectively, banks) with total consolidated assets of more than $10
                billion to conduct and report an annual stress test. In addition,
                section 165 required these banks to provide a report to the Office of
                the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) at such time, in such form, and
                containing such information as the OCC may require.\2\ In addition,
                section 165 required the OCC to issue regulations that establish
                methodologies for banks conducting their stress test and required the
                methodologies to include at least three different stress-testing
                scenarios: ``baseline,'' ``adverse,'' and ``severely adverse.'' \3\ In
                October 2012, the OCC published in the Federal Register its rule
                implementing the Dodd-Frank Act stress testing requirement.\4\ The
                OCC's rule established two subgroups for covered institutions--``$10 to
                $50 billion covered institutions'' and ``$50 billion or over covered
                institutions''--and subjected the two subgroups to different stress
                test requirements and deadlines for reporting and disclosures. In
                February 2018, the OCC published a second rule making additional
                technical and conforming changes to the OCC's company-run stress
                testing regulations.\5\
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                 \1\ Public Law 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010), codified at 12
                U.S.C. 5365.
                 \2\ 12 U.S.C. 5365(i)(2)(B).
                 \3\ 12 U.S.C. 5365(i)(2)(C).
                 \4\ 77 FR 61238 (Oct. 9, 2012).
                 \5\ 83 FR 7951 (Feb. 23, 2018).
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                 The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act
                (EGRRCPA), enacted on May 24, 2018, amended certain aspects of the
                company-run stress testing requirement in section 165(i)(2) of the
                Dodd-Frank Act.\6\ Specifically, section 401 of EGRRCPA raises the
                minimum asset threshold for financial companies covered by the company-
                run stress testing requirement from $10 billion to $250 billion in
                total consolidated assets; revises the requirement for banks to conduct
                stress tests ``annually'' and instead require them to conduct stress
                tests ``periodically''; and no longer requires the OCC to provide an
                ``adverse'' stress-testing scenario, thus reducing the number of
                required stress test scenarios from three to two. The amendments made
                by section 401 of EGRRCPA applicable to financial
                [[Page 3346]]
                companies become effective eighteen months after EGRRCPA's
                enactment.\7\
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                 \6\ Public Law 115-174, 132 Stat. 1296-1368 (2018).
                 \7\ On July 6, 2018, the OCC, jointly with the Board and the
                FDIC, extended the deadline for all regulatory requirements related
                to company-run stress testing for depository institutions with
                average total consolidated assets of less than $100 billion until
                November 25, 2019. See Interagency statement regarding impact of the
                Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act,
                July 6, 2018, available at https://www.occ.treas.gov/news-issuances/news-releases/2018/nr-ia-2018-69a.pdf.
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                II. Description of the Proposed Rule
                 The OCC is proposing to revise the OCC's stress testing rule, at 12
                CFR part 46, consistent with the amendments made by section 401 of the
                EGRRCPA (the proposed rule or proposal).\8\ The proposal would also
                make a few additional technical and facilitating changes to the stress
                testing rule.
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                 \8\ In addition to requesting comment on this proposed rule, the
                OCC is currently reviewing the agency's guidance with respect to
                stress testing, in light of section 401 of EGRRCPA, and will issue
                amendments or rescissions as appropriate.
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                A. Covered Institutions
                 As described above, section 401 of EGRRCPA amends section 165 of
                the Dodd-Frank Act by raising the minimum asset threshold for banks
                required to conduct stress tests from $10 billion to $250 billion. The
                proposed rule implements this change by eliminating the two existing
                subcategories of ``covered institution''--``$10 to $50 billion covered
                institution'' and ``$50 billion or over covered institution''--and
                revising the term ``covered institution'' to mean a national bank or
                FSA with average total consolidated assets, calculated as required
                under this part, that are greater than $250 billion. In addition, the
                proposal makes certain technical and conforming changes to the rule in
                order to consolidate requirements that were applied differently to $10
                to $50 billion covered institutions and $50 billion or over covered
                institutions.
                B. Frequency of Stress Testing
                 EGRRCPA eliminates the requirement under section 165 of the Dodd-
                Frank Act for covered institutions to conduct stress tests on an
                ``annual'' basis and, instead, requires that they be ``periodic.'' The
                term ``periodic'' is not defined in EGRRCPA, and the OCC is proposing
                that, in general, a covered institution would be required to conduct,
                report, and publish a stress test once every two years, beginning on
                January 1, 2020, and continuing every even-numbered year thereafter
                (i.e., 2022, 2024, 2026, etc.). However, a covered institution that is
                consolidated under a holding company that is required to conduct a
                stress test at least once every calendar year (pursuant to regulations
                of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (Board) at 12 CFR part
                252) would be required to conduct, report, and publish its stress test
                annually. The proposal also adds a new defined term, ``reporting
                year,'' to the definitions at Sec. 46.2. A covered institution's
                reporting year is the year in which a covered institution must conduct,
                report, and publish its stress test.
                 Subsequent to these changes, some covered institutions would have a
                biennial reporting year (biennial stress testing covered institutions)
                while others would have an annual reporting year (annual stress testing
                covered institutions). In either case, the dates and deadlines in the
                OCC's stress testing rule would be interpreted relative to the covered
                institution's reporting year. For example, if a biennial stress testing
                covered institution is preparing its 2022 stress test, the covered
                institution would rely on financial data available as of December 31,
                2021; use stress test scenarios that would be provided by the OCC no
                later than February 15, 2022; provide its report of the stress test to
                the OCC by April 5, 2022; and publish a summary of the results of its
                stress test in the period starting June 15 and ending July 15 of 2022.
                 Based on the OCC's experience overseeing and reviewing the results
                of company-run stress testing over more than five years, the OCC
                believes that a biennial stress testing cycle would be appropriate for
                most covered institutions. For covered institutions that would stress
                test on a biennial cycle, the OCC expects this level of frequency to
                provide the OCC and the covered institution with information that is
                sufficient to satisfy the purposes of stress testing, including:
                Assisting in an overall assessment of a covered institution's capital
                adequacy, identifying risks and the potential impact of adverse
                financial and economic conditions on the covered institution's capital
                adequacy, and determining whether additional analytical techniques and
                exercises are appropriate for a covered institution to employ in
                identifying, measuring, and monitoring risks to the soundness of the
                covered institution. In addition, the OCC would continue to review the
                covered intuition's stress testing processes and procedures. Under the
                proposed rule, all covered institutions that would conduct stress tests
                on a biennial basis would be required to conduct stress tests in the
                same reporting year. By requiring these covered institutions to conduct
                their stress tests in the same year, the proposal would continue to
                allow the OCC to make comparisons across banks for supervisory purposes
                and assess macroeconomic trends and risks to the banking industry.
                 Under the proposal, certain covered institutions would be required
                to conduct annual stress tests. This subset would be limited to covered
                institutions that are consolidated under holding companies that are
                required to conduct stress tests more frequently than once every other
                year. This requirement reflects the OCC's expectation that covered
                institutions that would be required to stress test on an annual basis
                would be subsidiaries of the largest and most systemically important
                banking organizations (i.e., subsidiaries of global systemically
                important bank holding companies or bank holding companies that have
                $700 billion or more in total assets or $75 billion or more in cross-
                border activity). This treatment aligns with the agencies' long-
                standing policy of applying similar standards to holding companies and
                their subsidiary banks.
                C. Removal of ``Adverse'' Scenarios
                 Section 165(i) of the Dodd-Frank Act requires the OCC to establish
                methodologies for covered institutions conducting a stress test and
                requires the methodologies to include at least three different stress-
                testing scenarios: ``baseline,'' ``adverse,'' and ``severely adverse.''
                EGRRCPA amends section 165 to no longer require the OCC to include an
                ``adverse'' stress-testing scenario and reduces the number of required
                stress test scenarios from three to two. Accordingly, this proposal
                removes references to the ``adverse'' stress test scenario in the OCC's
                stress testing rule. In the OCC's experience, the ``adverse'' stress-
                testing scenario has provided limited incremental information to the
                OCC and market participants beyond what the ``baseline'' and ``severely
                adverse'' stress-testing scenarios provide. The proposal would maintain
                the requirement for the OCC to conduct supervisory stress tests under
                both a ``baseline'' and ``severely adverse'' stress-testing scenario.
                D. Transition Process for Covered Institutions
                 Section 46.3 of the OCC's current rule provides a transition period
                between when a bank becomes a covered institution and when the bank
                must report its first stress test. The OCC is amending the transition
                period in Sec. 46.3(b) to conform to the other changes in this
                proposal, including the establishment of annual and biennial stress
                testing covered institutions.
                [[Page 3347]]
                Under the proposal, ``A national bank or Federal savings association
                that becomes a covered institution shall conduct its first stress test
                under this part in the first reporting year that begins more than three
                calendar quarters after the date the national bank or Federal savings
                association becomes a covered institution, unless otherwise determined
                by the OCC in writing.'' For example, if a covered institution that
                conducts stress tests on a biennial basis becomes a covered institution
                on March 31 of a non-reporting year (e.g., 2023), the bank must report
                its first stress test in the subsequent calendar year (i.e., 2024),
                which is its first reporting year. If the same bank becomes a covered
                institution on April 1 of a non-reporting year, it skips the subsequent
                calendar year and reports its first stress test in the next reporting
                year (i.e., 2026). As with other aspects of the stress test rule, the
                OCC may change the transition period for particular covered
                institutions, as appropriate in light of the nature and level of the
                activities, complexity, risks, operations, and regulatory capital of
                the covered institutions, in addition to any other relevant factors.
                 The proposal would not establish a transition period for covered
                institutions that move from a biennial stress testing requirement to an
                annual stress testing requirement. Accordingly, a covered institution
                that becomes an annual stress testing covered institution would be
                required to begin stress testing annually as of the next reporting
                year. The OCC expects covered institutions to anticipate and make
                arrangements for this development. To the extent that particular
                circumstances warrant the extension of a transition period, the OCC
                would do so based on its reservation of authority and supervisory
                discretion.
                E. Review by Board of Directors
                 The current Sec. 46.6 of the stress testing rule requires the
                board of directors of a covered institution, or a committee thereof, to
                review and approve the covered institution's stress testing policies
                and procedures as frequently as economic conditions or the condition of
                the institution may warrant, but no less than annually. The proposal
                would revise the frequency of this requirement from ``annual'' to
                ``once every reporting year'' in order to make review by the board of
                directors consistent with the covered institution's stress testing
                cycle.
                F. Reservation of Authority
                 Section 46.5 of the stress testing rule states the OCC's
                reservation of the authority, pursuant to which the OCC may revise the
                frequency and methodology of the stress testing requirement as
                appropriate for particular covered institutions. The OCC is proposing
                to add the following sentence to paragraph (a)(2) of Sec. 46.5 to
                further clarify its reservation of authority: ``The OCC may also exempt
                one or more covered institutions from the requirement to conduct a
                stress test in a particular reporting year.''
                G. Removal of Transition Language
                 The proposal would remove certain transition language present in
                the current stress testing rule that is no longer current. For example,
                the proposal would strike the following sentence from paragraph (a)(2)
                of Sec. 46.6: ``Until December 31, 2015, or such other date specified
                by the OCC, a covered institution is not required to calculate its
                risk-based capital requirements using the internal ratings-based and
                advanced measurement approaches as set forth in 12 CFR part 3, subpart
                E.''
                III. Request for Comment
                 The OCC invites comment on all aspects of this proposed rule,
                including the following questions:
                 1. The proposal would require a covered institution that is
                consolidated under a holding company that is required to conduct a
                stress test at least once every calendar year to treat every calendar
                year as a reporting year, unless otherwise determined by the OCC. Is
                this the appropriate frequency for this group of banks? What are the
                advantages and disadvantages of requiring a covered institution to
                conduct a stress test at the same frequency as, or at a different
                frequency than, its holding company?
                 2. As an alternative to the requirement that a covered institution
                be required to stress test annually based on the stress testing
                requirements of its holding company, should the OCC establish separate
                criteria to capture certain large banks (e.g., banks above a specified
                asset threshold), regardless of whether they are consolidated under a
                holding company?
                 3. All other covered institutions that are not required to stress
                test annually would be required to stress test biennially. Is this the
                appropriate frequency for this category of banks? Should the OCC
                further subdivide covered institutions into additional categories that
                would be subject to different frequency requirements?
                 4. Is the length of the grace period for new covered institutions
                appropriate? Should the proposal establish a transition period for
                covered institutions that are already required to stress test and that
                move from a biennial stress testing requirement to an annual stress
                testing requirement?
                IV. Regulatory Analysis
                A. Riegle Community Development and Regulatory Improvement Act (RCDRIA)
                 The RCDRIA requires that the OCC, in determining the effective date
                and administrative compliance requirements of new regulations that
                impose additional reporting, disclosure, or other requirements on
                insured depository institutions (``IDIs''), consider, consistent with
                principles of safety and soundness and the public interest, any
                administrative burdens that such regulations would place on depository
                institutions, including small depository institutions, and customers of
                depository institutions, as well as the benefits of such regulations.
                12 U.S.C. 4802. In addition, in order to provide an adequate transition
                period, new regulations that impose additional reporting, disclosures,
                or other new requirements on IDIs generally must take effect on the
                first day of a calendar quarter that begins on or after the date on
                which the regulations are published in final form.
                 The proposed rule imposes no additional reporting, disclosure, or
                other requirements on IDIs, including small depository institutions,
                nor on the customers of depository institutions. The proposed rule
                would reduce the frequency of company-run stress tests for a subset of
                banks, raise the threshold for covered institutions from $10 billion to
                $250 billion, and reduce the number of required stress test scenarios
                from three to two for all banks. Nonetheless, in connection with
                determining an effective date for the proposed rule, the OCC invites
                comment on any administrative burdens that the proposed rule would
                place on depository institutions, including small depository
                institutions, and customers of depository institutions.
                B. Regulatory Flexibility Act
                 The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq. (``RFA''),
                requires an agency, in connection with a proposed rule, to prepare an
                Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis describing the impact of the
                proposed rule on small entities (defined by the Small Business
                Administration (``SBA'') for purposes of the RFA to include banking
                entities with total assets of $550 million or less) or to certify that
                the proposed rule would not have a significant economic impact on a
                substantial number of small entities.
                 As of December 31, 2017, the OCC supervised approximately 886 small
                [[Page 3348]]
                entities.\9\ Because the proposed rule would only cover OCC-supervised
                banks with more than $250 billion in consolidated assets, the OCC
                anticipates that it would not impose additional costs on any OCC-
                supervised institutions. Therefore, the OCC certifies that the proposed
                rule would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial
                number of OCC-supervised small entities.
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                 \9\ The OCC bases its estimate of the number of small entities
                on the SBA's size thresholds for commercial banks and savings
                institutions, and trust companies, which are $550 million and $38.5
                million, respectively. Consistent with the General Principles of
                Affiliation 13 CFR 121.103(a), the OCC counts the assets of
                affiliated financial institutions when determining if it should
                classify an OCC-supervised institution as a small entity. The OCC
                uses December 31, 2017, to determine size because a ``financial
                institution's assets are determined by averaging the assets reported
                on its four quarterly financial statements for the preceding year.''
                See footnote 8 of the U.S. Small Business Administration's Table of
                Size Standards.
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                C. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
                 The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3521) states
                that no agency may conduct or sponsor, nor is the respondent required
                to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently
                valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The
                information collection requirements in the proposal are found in
                Sec. Sec. 46.6 through 46.8.
                 Currently, Sec. 46.6(c) requires that each covered institution
                establish and maintain a system of controls, oversight, and
                documentation, including policies and procedures, describing the
                covered institution's stress test practices and methodologies, and
                processes for validating and updating the covered institution's stress
                test practices. The board of directors of the covered institution must
                approve and review these policies at least annually. Section 46.7(a)
                requires each covered institution to report the results of their stress
                tests to the OCC annually. Section 46.8(a) requires that a covered
                institution publish a summary of the results of its annual stress tests
                on its website or in any other forum that is reasonably accessible to
                the public.
                 Under the proposal, the increase in the applicability threshold for
                these requirements under the proposal would reduce the estimated number
                of respondents. In addition the frequency of these reporting,
                recordkeeping, and disclosure requirements for some institutions would
                be decreased to biennial.
                 Estimated number of respondents: 8 (biennial testing: 4; annual
                testing: 4).
                 Estimated total annual burden: 6,240 hours.
                 Comments are requested on:
                 (a) Whether the information collections are necessary for the
                proper performance of the OCC's functions, including whether the
                information has practical utility;
                 (b) The accuracy of the OCC's estimates of the burden of the
                information collections, including the validity of the methodology and
                assumptions used;
                 (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
                information to be collected;
                 (d) Ways to minimize the burden of information collections on
                respondents, including through the use of automated collection
                techniques or other forms of information technology; and
                 (e) Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation,
                maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.
                D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
                 The OCC analyzed the proposed rule under the factors set forth in
                the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1532). Under this
                analysis, the OCC considered whether the proposed rule includes a
                federal mandate that may result in the expenditure by state, local, and
                Tribal governments, in the aggregate, or by the private sector, of $100
                million or more in any one year (adjusted annually for inflation).
                 The proposed rule does not impose new mandates. Therefore, the OCC
                concludes that implementation of the proposed rule would not result in
                an expenditure of $100 million or more annually by state, local, and
                tribal governments, or by the private sector.
                E. Plain Language
                 Section 722 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act requires the OCC to use
                plain language in all proposed and final rules published after January
                1, 2000. The OCC invites comment on how to make this proposed rule
                easier to understand.
                 For example:
                 Has the OCC organized the material to inform your needs?
                If not, how could the OCC present the proposed rule more clearly?
                 Are the requirements in the proposed rule clearly stated?
                If not, how could the proposal be more clearly stated?
                 Does the proposed regulation contain technical language or
                jargon that is not clear? If so, which language requires clarification?
                 Would a different format (grouping and order of sections,
                use of headings, paragraphing) make the proposed regulation easier to
                understand? If so, what changes would achieve that?
                 Is this section format adequate? If not, which of the
                sections should be changed and how?
                 What other changes can the OCC incorporate to make the
                proposed regulation easier to understand?
                List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 46
                 Banking, Banks, Capital, Disclosures, National banks,
                Recordkeeping, Reporting, Risk, Stress test.
                Authority and Issuance
                 For the reasons stated in the preamble, the OCC proposes to amend
                12 CFR part 46 as follows:
                PART 46--STRESS TESTING
                0
                1. The heading for part 46 is revised to read as set forth above.
                0
                2. The authority citation for part 46 continues to read as follows:
                 Authority: 12 U.S.C. 93a; 1463(a)(2); 5365(i)(2); and
                5412(b)(2)(B).
                0
                3. Section 46.2 is amended by:
                0
                a. Removing the definitions for ``$10 to $50 billion covered
                institution'' and ``$50 billion or over covered institution''.
                0
                b. Revising the definitions of ``Covered institution'' and
                ``Scenarios''; and
                0
                c. Adding a definition for ``Reporting year'' in alphabetical order.
                 The additions and revisions read as follows:
                Sec. 46.2 Definitions.
                * * * * *
                 Covered institution means a national bank or Federal savings
                association with average total consolidated assets, calculated as
                required under this part, that are greater than $250 billion.
                * * * * *
                 Reporting year means the calendar year in which a covered
                institution must conduct, report, and publish its stress test.
                * * * * *
                 Scenarios means sets of conditions that affect the U.S. economy or
                the financial condition of a covered institution that the OCC
                determines are appropriate for use in the stress tests under this part,
                including, but not limited to, baseline and severely adverse scenarios.
                * * * * *
                0
                4. Section 46.3 is amended by revising paragraphs (b) and (c) and
                removing paragraph (d) to read as follows:
                Sec. 46.3 Applicability.
                * * * * *
                 (b) Covered institutions that become subject to stress testing
                requirements. A
                [[Page 3349]]
                national bank or Federal savings association that becomes a covered
                institution shall conduct its first stress test under this part in the
                first reporting year that begins more than three calendar quarters
                after the date the national bank or Federal savings association becomes
                a covered institution, unless otherwise determined by the OCC in
                writing.
                 (c) Ceasing to be a covered institution or changing categories. A
                covered institution shall remain subject to the stress test
                requirements until total consolidated assets of the covered institution
                falls below the relevant size threshold for each of four consecutive
                quarters as reported by the covered institution's most recent Call
                Reports, effective on the ``as of'' date of the fourth consecutive Call
                Report.
                0
                5. Section 46.4 is amended by adding a sentence at the end of paragraph
                (a)(2) to read as follows:
                Sec. 46.4 Reservation of authority.
                 (a) * * *
                 (2) * * * The OCC may also exempt one or more covered institutions
                from the requirement to conduct a stress test in a particular reporting
                year.
                * * * * *
                0
                6. Section 46.5 is amended by:
                0
                a. Revising the section heading as set forth below;
                0
                b. Removing the word ``annual'' in the introductory paragraph;
                0
                c. Revising paragraphs (a) and (b); and
                0
                d. Adding a new paragraph (e).
                 The revisions and addition read as follows:
                Sec. 46.5 Stress testing.
                * * * * *
                 (a) Financial data. A covered institution must use financial data
                available as of December 31 of the calendar year prior to the reporting
                year.
                 (b) Scenarios provided by the OCC. In conducting the stress test
                under this part, each covered institution must use the scenarios
                provided by the OCC. The scenarios provided by the OCC will reflect a
                minimum of two sets of economic and financial conditions, including
                baseline and severely adverse scenarios. The OCC will provide a
                description of the scenarios required to be used by each covered
                institution no later than February 15 of the reporting year.
                * * * * *
                 (e) Frequency. A covered institution that is consolidated under a
                holding company that is required, pursuant to applicable regulations of
                the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, to conduct a stress test
                at least once every calendar year must treat every calendar year as a
                reporting year, unless otherwise determined by the OCC. All other
                covered institutions must treat every even-numbered calendar year
                beginning January 1, 2020 (i.e., 2022, 2024, 2026, etc.), as a
                reporting year, unless otherwise determined by the OCC.
                Sec. 46.6 [Amended]
                0
                7. Section 46.6 is amended by:
                0
                a. In paragraph (a) (2), by removing the last sentence; and
                0
                b. In paragraph (c) (2), by removing the word ``annually'' and
                replacing it with the phrase ``once every reporting year''.
                0
                8. Section 46.7 is amended by:
                0
                a. Revising paragraph (a);
                0
                b. Removing paragraph (b); and
                0
                c. Redesignating paragraph (c) as paragraph (b).
                 The revision reads as follows:
                Sec. 46.7 Reports to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
                and the Federal Reserve Board.
                 (a) Timing. A covered institution must report to the OCC and to the
                Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, on or before April 5
                of the reporting year, the results of the stress test in the manner and
                form specified by the OCC.
                * * * * *
                0
                9. Section 46.8 is amended by:
                0
                a. In paragraph (a):
                0
                i. Redesignating paragraph (a)(1) as paragraph (a) introductory text
                and revising it;
                0
                ii. Removing paragraph (a)(2); and
                 iii. Redesignating paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) as
                paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2), respectively; and
                0
                b. In paragraph (b):
                0
                i. Removing the phrase ``an annual company-run'' and adding the phrase
                ``a company-run'' in its place; and
                0
                ii. Removing the phrase ``annual stress test'' in the second sentence
                and adding the phrase ``stress test'' in its place.
                 The revision reads as follows:
                Sec. 46.8 Publication of disclosures.
                * * * * *
                 (a) Publication date. A covered institution must publish a summary
                of the results of its stress test in the period starting June 15 and
                ending July 15 of the reporting year, provided:
                * * * * *
                 Dated: December 18, 2018.
                William A. Rowe,
                Chief Risk Officer.
                [FR Doc. 2018-27875 Filed 2-11-19; 8:45 am]
                 BILLING CODE 4810-33-P
                

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