Title 12
SECTION 261.22
261.22 Nonpublic information made available by the Board to governmental agencies and entities exercising governmental authority.
§ 261.22 Nonpublic information made available by the Board to governmental agencies and entities exercising governmental authority.(a) Disclosure to Federal and State financial institution supervisory agencies. The Director of the Division of Supervision and Regulation, the Director of the Division of Consumer and Community Affairs, the General Counsel, or the appropriate Reserve Bank may, for legitimate supervisory or regulatory purposes and with or without a request, disclose confidential supervisory information and other nonpublic information to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, and a State financial institution supervisory agency.
(b) Disclosures pursuant to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. The Director of the Division of Supervision and Regulation, the Director of the Division of Consumer and Community Affairs, or the General Counsel may disclose confidential supervisory information and other nonpublic information concerning a supervised financial institution to:
(1) The Attorney General or to the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development related to the enforcement of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (15 U.S.C. 1691 et seq.) or the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.); and
(2) The Secretary of the Department of Labor and the Secretary of the Department the Treasury in accordance with section 3004(b) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1204(b)).
(c) Disclosure to other governmental agencies and entities exercising governmental authority. Except as provided in paragraph (d) or (e) of this section, other Federal, State, and local agencies, including law enforcement agencies, and other entities exercising governmental authority, may file written requests with the Board for access to confidential supervisory information and other nonpublic information under this section, including information in the form of testimony and interviews from current or former Federal Reserve System staff. Properly accredited foreign law enforcement agencies and other foreign government agencies may also file written requests with the Board in accordance with this paragraph, except that provision of confidential supervisory information to foreign bank regulatory or supervisory authorities is governed by 12 CFR 211.27.
(1) Contents of request. To obtain access to confidential supervisory information or other nonpublic information under this section, including information in the possession of a person other than the Board, the requester shall address a letter request to the Board's General Counsel, specifying:
(i) The particular information, kinds of information, and where possible, the particular documents to which access is sought;
(ii) The reasons why such information cannot be obtained from the supervised financial institution in question or another source rather than from the Board;
(iii) A statement of the law enforcement purpose or other statutory purpose for which the information shall be used;
(iv) A commitment that the information requested shall not be disclosed to any person outside the requesting agency or entity without the written permission of the General Counsel; and
(v) If the document or information requested includes customer account information subject to the Right to Financial Privacy Act, as amended (12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.), any Federal agency request must include a statement that such customer account information need not be provided, or a statement as to why the Act does not apply to the request, or a certification that the requesting Federal agency has complied with the requirements of the Act.
(2) Action on request. The General Counsel may approve the request upon determining that:
(i) The request complies with this section;
(ii) The information is needed in connection with a formal investigation or other official duties of the requesting agency or entity;
(iii) Satisfactory assurances of confidentiality have been given; and
(iv) Disclosure is consistent with the supervisory and regulatory responsibilities and policies of the Board.
(d) Federal and State grand jury, criminal trial, and government administrative subpoenas. The General Counsel shall review and may approve the disclosure of nonpublic information pursuant to Federal and State grand jury, criminal trial, and government administrative subpoenas.
(e) Conditions or limitations; written agreements. The General Counsel may impose any conditions or limitations on disclosure that the General Counsel determines to be necessary to effect the purposes of this regulation, including the protection of the confidentiality of the Board's information, or to ensure compliance with applicable laws or regulations. In addition, Board or Reserve Bank staff may make disclosures pursuant to any written agreement entered into by the Board when authorized by the express terms of such agreement or by the General Counsel.