The Department of Labor plans to release in January a redraft of its rule to amend the definition of fiduciary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, according to an updated regulatory notice posted on the Office of Management and Budget's website.
Speculation had ensued as to whether DOL would actually move forward with a redraft of its Conflict of Interest-Investment Advice rule in January. In mid-October, Labor Secretary Thomas Perez referred to the January redraft release date as cited in DOL's regulatory agenda.
Once the draft gets to OMB, OMB has 90 days to review it.
Brian Graff, CEO of the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries, said on an early November webcast that ASPAA believes "there will be a set of [DOL fiduciary] proposals in early spring next year" and that the proposal will be "highly controversial."
Nevin Adams, ASPPA's communications chief, added that "since the reg hasn't been submitted to OMB, it is odd that they stuck with the January projected release date. It is possible that OMB could review the reg faster, but one would think they might actually will take more than the normal 90-day period given the wide interest in the reg."
