Oklahoma Bankers Association We make bankers better!
In This Issue…
- From Adrian’s desk …
- SBA releases compliance form for debanking order
- OCC eases examination requirements for community banks
- Attorney general’s office to host employment law symposiums
- Save the date: OBA convention, senior management events set for 2026
- OBA education corner …
From Adrian’s desk …
By Adrian Beverage
OBA President & CEO
Just some random tidbits that might be of interest to our bankers this week!
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The government shutdown continues unabated with no real end in sight as both sides seem to be particularly dug in. The Senate again failed to pass a funding bill on Monday and federal workforce layoffs seem imminent. While this may have no DIRECT impact on the banking industry, it certainly does to your customers as people I know have already been furloughed from Tinker AFB.
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Nebraska got back on the winning track Saturday with a win over Michigan State following an off week. While it wasn’t the prettiest win in the world, a win is a win, and especially soothes my soul after watching my Cubbies get spanked twice in Milwaukee.
SBA releases compliance form for debanking order
Last week, the Small Business Administration sent out another letter with criteria for banks under $30 billion in assets to comply with reporting requirements regarding the president’s “Fair Banking Executive Order.”
The revised requirements are less burdensome then originally presented. When it was initially presented, it sure looked like bankers were going to have to spend a lot of time pulling together all types of data. Now, however, it appears you simply have to answer a couple of questions.
Please make sure to complete and submit the required information no later than Jan. 5, 2026.
OCC eases examination requirements for community banks
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency announced on Monday several actions to reduce the regulatory burden on community banks by tailoring the frequency and scope of bank examinations to the risk presented by bank operations, and by focusing examinations on material financial risk.
The OCC defines community banks as financial institutions with less than $30 billion in assets. According to an announcement, Monday’s actions are part of a larger effort by the agency “to tailor its regulatory and supervisory frameworks to minimize burden for its regulated institutions and promote economic growth.” They are:
- Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the OCC will remove all examination requirements set by agency policy rather than regulation or statute. Instead, “OCC examiners will tailor their examination of a community bank’s specific activities in light of its size, complexity and risk profile, with heightened focus on material financial risks.”
- The OCC will no longer examine banks based on the procedures and standards in the “Retail Nondeposit Investment Products” booklet of the Comptroller’s Handbook. The booklet defines RNDIPs to include any product with an investment component that is not insured by the FDIC. Common RNDIPs include mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, variable and fixed rate annuities, equities and fixed income securities.
- The OCC will not provide negative supervisory feedback to a bank solely for the frequency or scope of the model validation that the bank used to determine its risk exposures.
- The OCC is proposing to eliminate the Fair Housing Home Loan Data System, which was created in 1979 to monitor national bank compliance with the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. In a notice in the Federal Register, the OCC said the regulation is obsolete and largely duplicative of other legal authorities that require national banks to collect and retain certain information on home loan applications.
- The OCC is proposing to ease its licensing requirements by creating a new definition of “covered community bank or covered community savings association.” The agency’s current licensing requirements generally apply equally regardless of the size of the institution. Institutions that apply for a license under the proposed definition can expect expedited or reduced filing procedures.
The OCC added that it is continuing to work on other reforms that could benefit community banks, including proposals adjusting the community bank leverage ratio framework and a simplified strategic plan process to comply with the Community Reinvestment Act.
Attorney general’s office to host employment law symposiums
Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s office will offer its annual Employment Law Symposium with an Oct. 23 session in Tulsa and an Oct. 28 session in Oklahoma City.
Hosted by the agency’s Office of Civil Rights Enforcement, these free symposiums will focus on emerging issues in investigating harassment complaints, best practices for disability accommodations, due diligence in hiring practices and mental health protections in the workplace.
The symposium is open to everyone interested in employment law. It begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m. each day. In Tulsa, the symposium will be held in the Phillips Auditorium at Tulsa Community College – Metro Campus; and in Oklahoma City, in Emerson Hall at the Oklahoma Bar Center. To register for either session, visit the registration page or email ocre.events@oag.ok.gov.
Save the date: OBA convention, senior management events set for 2026
Mark your calendars as the OBA Convention and OBA Senior Management dates and location have already been set for next year!
The 2026 OBA Convention will be held May 18-20, back at the Okana Resort, in Oklahoma City. Meanwhile, the 2026 OBA Senior Management Conference will be held on March 29-31 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa, in Indian Wells, California.
More details will be available in the coming months, but go ahead and get those notes on your calendar today!
OBA education corner …
The weather sure was nice this morning, actually feels like autumn! Unfortunately, however, it appears to simply be a brief respite in what has been an awfully hot past few weeks. While enjoying today, but preparing to sweat again later this week, make sure you take time to check out what’s happening on the continuing education front, including the following:
- What To Do When Your Vendor Gets Hacked, Oct. 15, webinar — In this session, learn tips on how to respond if a vendor is compromised, and how identifying and understanding cybersecurity risk gives your organization a competitive advantage in a digital world.
- Director Compensation Trends and Compensation Committee Best Practices, Oct. 21, webinar — This webinar will provide market data and best practices information surrounding board compensation and compensation committee responsibilities.
- Best-Ever Compliance Checklists for Commercial Loans, Oct. 23, webinar — Discover the best practices for business-entity documentation, underwriting documents, guarantors and security interests to ensure your success!
- Bank Fraud Investigation 201, Oct. 23, Oklahoma City — This class is designed to provide additional investigative tools and actions to aid with successful investigations, loss recovery, and prosecution of the parties responsible for criminal acts committed against our member banks.
- Women in Banking Luncheon, Oct. 24, Oklahoma City — Join fellow women in banking for an inspiring conversation with trailblazing leaders who are shaping the future of our industry.
- Commercial Loan Defaults, Waivers, Workouts and Amendments, Oct. 27, webinar — We’ll cover the critical documentation required before, during and after negotiations with borrowers and guarantors.
- 2025 OBA Operations School, Nov. 17-21, Oklahoma City — This school is designed to prepare junior-level officers to mid-level operations managers to manage effectively and efficiently an operations function within a bank.