Community Bank Leverage Improvement and Flexibility for Transparency

(a) Community Bank Leverage Ratio (1) In general Section 201 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5371 note) is amended— (A) in subsection (a)(3)(A), by striking $10,000,000,000 and inserting $15,000,000,000; and (B) in subsection (b)(1), by striking not less than 8 percent and not more than 10 percent and inserting not less than 6 percent and not more than 8 9 percent. (2) Rulemaking deadline Not later than the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, and after reviewing the report issued pursuant to subsection (b)(2), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shall propose and, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, such agencies shall finalize rules to carry out the amendments made by paragraph (1) and the recommended modifications contained in such report. (b) Review of the Community Bank Leverage Ratio (1) In general The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shall commence a review of the Community Bank Leverage Ratio (CBLR) developed under section 201 of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5371 note), and rules issued thereunder, which shall include a consideration of how to modify and calibrate the CBLR to encourage more qualifying community banks to opt-in to the CBLR framework, with an additional focus on— (A) those qualifying community banks with fewer assets; and (B) providing regulatory compliance burden relief so that the CBLR is simple to apply. (2) Report Not later than the end of the 150-day period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shall issue a report to the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate containing— (A) all findings and determinations made in carrying out the review under paragraph (1); and (B) specific recommendations on modifications, if any, to— (i) the calculation of the numerator and denominator of the CBLR; (ii) the treatment of specific asset classes or exposures to better reflect the risk profiles of community banks; (iii) the definition of and qualifying criteria for a qualifying community bank; (iv) enhancements to the procedures for opting into or out of the CBLR framework, including streamlined reporting and transition mechanisms; (v) the grace period to facilitate the transition to and from a modified CBLR regime; and (vi) any statutory changes that may be needed to address such recommendations. (3) Qualifying community bank defined In this subsection, the term qualifying community bank has the meaning given that term in section 201(a)(3)(A) of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 5371 note).