[author: Barbara S. Mishkin]

The CFPB has finalized the following three rules which were issued as interim final rules in July 2011:

• Rules Relating to Investigations which set forth the CFPB’s policies and procedures for conducting investigations
• Rules of Practice for Adjudication Proceedings  which set forth procedures for administrative enforcement actions initiated by the CFPB
• State Official Notification Rule which sets forth procedures to be used by state officials to provide notice to the CFPB of any proceedings they initiate to enforce the Dodd-Frank Act or CFPB regulations.

The three final rules will be effective immediately upon their publication in the Federal Register.

The CFPB did not finalize the fourth interim final rule it issued in July 2011 on Disclosure of Records and  Information which included procedures for the CFPB to follow when making mandatory and discretionary disclosures to third parties of confidential information. 

The CFPB has also issued  a new interim final rule  to implement the Equal Access to Justice Act that sets forth procedures for parties to adversary adjudication proceedings before the CFPB to use to seek recovery of attorney fees and expenses.   The interim rule will be effective immediately upon publication in the Federal Register and comments must be filed within 60 days of publication. 

We discussed the four July 2011 interim final rules in a legal alert and  gave additional comments in blog posts on the Rules of Practice for Adjudication Proceedings and the State Official Notification Rule. 

We will be reviewing the changes the CFPB has made in the final rules and will share our thoughts in subsequent blog posts.