New regs for Monday: Mortgage rule changes

{mosads}The agency is making the changes in response to complaints and questions raised during implementation of the rule.

“Today’s proposal revises and clarifies certain aspects of our rules to ease implementation and to pave the way for more effective consumer protections in the marketplace,” Director Richard Cordray said in a statement.

The proposal gives mortgage servicers a procedure to follow if they find out they need more information from a borrower, make it easier to offer short-term forbearance plans to delinquent borrowers and clarify the rule’s definitions of “rural” and “undeserved” areas, among other measures.

Jaguars:

The Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening the comment period for a proposal to designate protected habitat for jaguars in Arizona and New Mexico. 

Healthcare:

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing to update the payment system and reporting rules for home health care services. 

Secrecy:

The Health and Human Services Department is exempting record systems from some Privacy Act rules to protect Food and Drug Administration proceedings of scientific research misconduct and the identity of confidential National Institutes of Health sources.  

Nuclear:

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is amending its annual, inspection and licensing fees that it charges. For fiscal 2013, the commission will bill applicants and licensed nuclear plants a total of about $859.6 million. 

The commission is also releasing the basis for its efforts to change drug testing requirements for nuclear facility employees.

Communications:

The Federal Communications Commission wants to allocate portions of spectrum for satellite services and other purposes. 

The agency also is gathering input from the public on how to streamline or eliminate old regulations that affect telephone companies. 

Coast Guard:

The Coast Guard is making “non-substantive changes” to its rules for navigation.