Sec. 225.27 Procedures for determining scope of nonbanking activities.

(a) Advisory opinions regarding scope of previously approved nonbanking activities--(1) Request for advisory opinion. Any person may submit a request to the Board for an advisory opinion regarding the scope of any permissible nonbanking activity. The request shall be submitted in writing to the Board and shall identify the proposed parameters of the activity, or describe the service or product that will be provided, and contain an explanation supporting an interpretation regarding the scope of the permissible nonbanking activity.

(2) Response to request. The Board shall provide an advisory opinion within 45 days of receiving a written request under this paragraph.

(b) Procedure for consideration of new activities--(1) Initiation of proceeding. The Board may, at any time, on its own initiative or in response to a written request from any person, initiate a proceeding to determine whether any activity is so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto.

(2) Requests for determination. Any request for a Board determination that an activity is so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto, shall be submitted to the Board in writing, and shall contain evidence that the proposed activity is so closely related to banking or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto.

(3) Publication. The Board shall publish in the Federal Register notice that it is considering the permissibility of a new activity and invite public comment for a period of at least 30 calendar days. In the case of a request submitted under paragraph (b) of this section, the Board may determine not to publish notice of the request if the Board determines that the requester has provided no reasonable basis for a determination that the activity is so closely related to banking, or managing or controlling banks as to be a proper incident thereto, and notifies the requester of the determination.

(4) Comments and hearing requests. Any comment and any request for a hearing regarding a proposal under this section shall comply with the provisions of Sec. 262.3(e) of the Board's Rules of Procedure (12 CFR 262.3(e)).