By CSBS Chief Economist Thomas F. Siems, Ph.D. Last week, CSBS announced the results of the CSBS fourth quarter 2024 Community Bank Sentiment Index (CBSI). Driven mainly by expectations for a more-balanced regulatory environment and better future business conditions, the CBSI surged to its most optimistic reading since the survey’s debut in 2019. What caused this sudden positive outlook? Chart

Washington, D.C. – In testimony today before the House Financial Services Committee, Arkansas Bank Commissioner Susannah Marshall warned that without collective action from Congress and the federal banking agencies, the nation will continue to lose community banks, threatening banking access for millions of Americans – especially those in rural and small-town communities. Marshall has served as Commissioner of the Arkansas

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) this week filed an amicus brief in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to highlight the importance of upholding state consumer protection laws when erroneously challenged by national banks. It is the third such amicus brief since the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in Cantero v. Bank of America that courts must take a

Statement by CSBS President and CEO Brandon Milhorn on recently introduced legislation to reform or repeal the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s small business loan data collection requirements established under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act. “The CFPB final rule implementing section 1071 missed the mark. By going well beyond the data elements required by the law, the rule imposed unnecessary

2025 NMLS Annual Conference and Training Opening Remarks Brandon Milhorn Feb. 12, 2025 Good morning, everyone. It is great to be back at the NMLS Annual Conference — my second as President and CEO of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. This is our largest audience ever at the conference — 842 total — with 313 from state agencies and

This roadmap highlights key NMLS enhancements that will occur over the next six years in six different phases. Our Strategy We are modernizing NMLS using a long-term strategy focused on enhancing the system and improving the user experience. Our development priorities are to: Ensure system enhancements benefit as many system users as possible by: Focusing on areas that impact the

Washington, D.C. – Following an extensive public comment period in 2024, the Board of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) and the Board of Managers for the State Regulatory Registry (SRR) approved an increase in processing fees for the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System and Registry (NMLS). These approvals of the processing fee increase were announced on Dec. 11 on

CSBS tracks and responds to federal regulatory proposals that impact state-chartered financial institutions. The table below includes information about proposed regulations and standards and the corresponding CSBS analysis and comment letters.

Safety and Soundness Certification Certified Examiner-in-Charge (CEIC) The CEIC certification is step 3 in the CSBS bank safety and soundness credentialing program. Candidates for the CEIC designation must provide evidence of the following: Completion of three (3) years employment with a state regulatory agency, including a minimum of one (1) year of on-the-job service and training as an examiner-in-charge. Satisfactory