Under the amended and final HMDA rule, applicants now have additional choices available to them for "self-identification" purposes with regard to their (ethnicity/race). the revised rule has linked "new" sub-categories to existing "Main" categories, and, even offers an additional "other" category which applicant can choose from to self-identify further if they do not wish to select form the list. Appendix B states that (for a telephone application), the information on the collection form should be stated "orally". My question is this: Are creditors required to read ALL of the available sub-categories linked to each main category before asking the applicant to identify their Ethnicity or Race, or, is it acceptable to "only" read the "sub-categories" linked to a main category already selected by the applicant?. For Example: If an applicant is asked whether they are (Hispanic/Latino OR: NOT Hispanic/Latino) and they state that they are NOT Hispanic/Latino, is it OK "NOT" to read any of the (Hispanic) "sub-category" choices since they stated they are NOT Hispanic when they selected a main category? Its understood customer needs to know they have available choices but I'm needing to confirm if the HMDA rule is requiring a lender to read all "main" categories followed by a list of "all" of the available "sub" categories" up front before the customer responds or are we only required to read the sub-categories linked to a "main" category already selected by the applicant?
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