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CFPB Final Rule Bars Disparate Impact Under ECOA Regulation B

The CFPB has finalized amendments to Regulation B (12 CFR Part 1002), implementing the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, removing disparate impact liability under the effects test. The rule further defines what constitutes discouragement of credit applicants and adds prohibitions and conditions for special purpose credit programs (SPCPs). The amendments facilitate compliance by clarifying creditor obligations under ECOA.

Commissioner Causey Negotiates 5% Annual Dwelling Rate Increase Over Two Years, Saving NC Consumers $268M

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has settled a dwelling rate case with insurance companies, reducing the N.C. Rate Bureau's requested 68.3% two-year increase to an average statewide increase of 5% per year over the next two years. The negotiated settlement, effective October 1, 2026 and October 1, 2027, includes mitigation credits for consumers investing in fortified homes and roofs. A hearing on the proposed increase originally scheduled for July 6 has been canceled as a result of the settlement. Commissioner Causey stated the settlement saves North Carolina consumers more than $268 million compared to the insurance companies' original request.

Workers' Compensation Assessment Rates Effective July 1, 2025

The Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents has established workers' compensation insured assessment rates for policies effective July 1, 2025, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 152, § 65 (4) & (5). The rates set for private employers range from 0.0203 to 0.0591 depending on category (Private Employer 0.0482, Private Insured 0.0591, Self-Insured Private 0.0549, Group SI 0.0549; private opt-out options 0.0218 and 0.0203). Public Self-Insured employers are set at 0.0000. The DIA has requested review of the circular letter announcing the new rates before it is issued.

CFPB Draft 2026-2030 Strategic Plan Deregulatory Focus Analysis

On March 13, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released its draft Strategic Plan for FY 2026-2030, which explicitly aligns the Bureau's regulatory strategy with President Trump's pro-growth, deregulatory agenda. The draft plan reorganizes the Bureau's work around three goals: addressing pressing threats to consumers, reducing unwarranted regulatory burdens, and strengthening the CFPB's own governance and culture. The plan commits to rescinding or revising unlawful or overreaching rules, streamlining existing regulations, focusing enforcement on identifiable victims with material damages, and addressing politicized debanking through the DOJ's Debanking Task Force.

OFAC and BIS Violations: Whistleblower, Witness, or Confidential Source?

This Friling Law advisory article examines the legal and strategic distinctions between whistleblowers, confidential sources, witnesses, and complainants in the context of OFAC sanctions and BIS export-control violations. It describes enforcement trends driving increased reporting activity — including expanded sanctions reach, dual-use goods controls, and internal compliance red flags — and explains why proper classification of a reporting source affects credibility, anti-retaliation protections, confidentiality strategy, and legal exposure. The article provides FAQ guidance on anonymity, non-U.S. person eligibility, and the limits of OFAC's whistleblower reward program.