Montana may be, like New Mexico and possibly Colorado,[1] permitting utility tariff bonds related to certain electrical generating plant retirements. If enacted as proposed, the law would be called the “Montana Energy Impact Assistance Act.”…

Joining other coastal states (including Florida, Louisiana and Texas[1]), North Carolina (NC) is considering permitting utility tariff bonds for storm recovery. In both SB 559, filed in NC’s Senate on April 2, 2019, and in HB 624, filed in NC’s House on April 4, 2019, storm recovery costs (and related storm recovery reserves) would be permitted to be covered by a required “financing order,” and an applicant utility obtaining such a financing order…

As anticipated, Japan’s Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA) has released its final risk retention rule (in Japanese) in substantially the same form (including as to grandfathering) as FSA had previously published last December. Our chart comparing the Japanese proposal with existing EU and US risk retention requirements is here. FSA has also released related FAQs as well as responses to comments received.…

Congress amended the Truth in Lending Act in May 2018 by directing the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau to prescribe ability-to-repay regulations with respect to Property Assessed Clean Energy (“PACE”) financing. PACE financing helps homeowners cover the costs of home improvements, which financing results in a tax assessment on the consumer’s property. Ability-to-repay regulations, which TILA and the CFPB currently impose in connection with most closed-end residential mortgage loans, would generally require a creditor to consider…