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The Bureau has been engaged in research and pre-rulemaking activities regarding debt-collection practices. Debt collection continues to be a top source of complaints to the Bureau. The Bureau has also received encouragement from industry and consumer groups to engage in rulemaking to address how to apply the 40-year old Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) to modern collection practices. The Bureau released an outline of proposals under consideration in July 2016, concerning practices by companies that are debt collectors under the FDCPA, in advance of convening a panel in August 2016, under the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act in conjunction with the Office of Management and Budget and the Small Business Administration’s Chief Counsel for Advocacy to consult with representatives of small businesses that might be affected by the rulemaking. The Bureau expects to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addressing such issues as communication practices and consumer disclosures by spring 2019.