On September 1, 2021, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or “Bureau”) issued its long-awaited small business lending data collection proposed rule (“Proposed Rule” or “Proposal”). The Proposed Rule would implement Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which amended the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) to direct the CFPB to require financial institutions to collect and report loan data on women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses (collectively, “Small Businesses”) in connection with applications for credit. Under the Proposed Rule, covered financial institutions would be required to disclose application data from Small Businesses and demographic information about credit applicants.
Read our client alert.