Us Code § 5364 - Policies and procedures to identify and prevent restricted transactions

Full text of Us Code United States Code § 5364 — Policies and procedures to identify and prevent restricted transactions, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 5364. Policies and procedures to identify and prevent restricted transactions

(a) Regulations.—Before the end of the 270-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this subchapter, the Secretary and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall prescribe regulations (which the Secretary and the Board jointly determine to be appropriate) requiring each designated payment system, and all participants therein, to identify and block or otherwise prevent or prohibit restricted transactions through the establishment of policies and procedures reasonably designed to identify and block or otherwise prevent or prohibit the acceptance of restricted transactions in any of the following ways:

(1) The establishment of policies and procedures that—

(A) allow the payment system and any person involved in the payment system to identify restricted transactions by means of codes in authorization messages or by other means; and

(B) block restricted transactions identified as a result of the policies and procedures developed pursuant to subparagraph (A).


(2) The establishment of policies and procedures that prevent or prohibit the acceptance of the products or services of the payment system in connection with a restricted transaction.


(b) Requirements for Policies and Procedures.—In prescribing regulations under subsection (a), the Secretary and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System shall—

(1) identify types of policies and procedures, including nonexclusive examples, which would be deemed, as applicable, to be reasonably designed to identify and block or otherwise prevent or prohibit the acceptance of the products or services with respect to each type of restricted transaction;

(2) to the extent practical, permit any participant in a payment system to choose among alternative means of identifying and blocking, or otherwise preventing or prohibiting the acceptance of the products or services of the payment system or participant in connection with, restricted transactions;

(3) exempt certain restricted transactions or designated payment systems from any requirement imposed under such regulations, if the Secretary and the Board jointly find that it is not reasonably practical to identify and block, or otherwise prevent or prohibit the acceptance of, such transactions; and

(4) ensure that transactions in connection with any activity excluded from the definition of unlawful internet gambling in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D)(i) of section 5362(10) are not blocked or otherwise prevented or prohibited by the prescribed regulations.


(c) Compliance With Payment System Policies and Procedures.—A financial transaction provider shall be considered to be in compliance with the regulations prescribed under subsection (a) if—

(1) such person relies on and complies with the policies and procedures of a designated payment system of which it is a member or participant to—

(A) identify and block restricted transactions; or

(B) otherwise prevent or prohibit the acceptance of the products or services of the payment system, member, or participant in connection with restricted transactions; and


(2) such policies and procedures of the designated payment system comply with the requirements of regulations prescribed under subsection (a).


(d) No Liability for Blocking or Refusing To Honor Restricted Transactions.—A person that identifies and blocks a transaction, prevents or prohibits the acceptance of its products or services in connection with a transaction, or otherwise refuses to honor a transaction—

(1) that is a restricted transaction;

(2) that such person reasonably believes to be a restricted transaction; or

(3) as a designated payment system or a member of a designated payment system in reliance on the policies and procedures of the payment system, in an effort to comply with regulations prescribed under subsection (a),


shall not be liable to any party for such action.

(e) Regulatory Enforcement.—The requirements under this section shall be enforced exclusively by—

(1) the Federal functional regulators, with respect to the designated payment systems and financial transaction providers subject to the respective jurisdiction of such regulators under section 505(a) of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and section 5g of the Commodities Exchange Act; and

(2) the Federal Trade Commission, with respect to designated payment systems and financial transaction providers not otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of any Federal functional regulators (including the Commission) as described in paragraph (1).

(Added Pub. L. 109–347, title VIII, §802(a), Oct. 13, 2006, 120 Stat. 1958.)


Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of the enactment of this subchapter, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 109–347, which was approved Oct. 13, 2006.

Section 505(a) of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(1), is classified to section 6805(a) of Title 15, Commerce and Trade.

Section 5g of the Commodities Exchange Act, referred to in subsec. (e)(1), is classified to section 7b–2 of Title 7, Agriculture.

About This Section

31 U.S.C. § 5364 is part of Title 31 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 31 U.S.C. § 5364. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

How to Read This Statute

Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.

Using This Page

This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions About Us Code § 5364

What does United States Code § 5364 cover?

Section 5364 ("Policies and procedures to identify and prevent restricted transactions") is part of the United States Code, the codified statutory law of Us Code. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

How do I cite Us Code § 5364?

A common citation format is "United States Code § 5364" (Us Code). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.

Is this the official text of Us Code law?

No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Us Code official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Us Code attorney.

How does Us Code § 5364 apply to my situation?

Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Us Code can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.

Sources & Verification

Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in Us Code.