Small business loan data collection delayed again by court order

The US consumer protection agency has again pushed back the deadline for banks to collect detailed data on small business loans. This means banks will not have to report who they lend to, for how much, and on what terms, until at least 2026.

For years, nobody knew if small businesses, especially those owned by women or minorities, were getting fair access to credit. Congress ordered the data collection in 2010 to fix this. This latest delay means that transparency, and the ability to spot discrimination, remains years away. It also means banks can continue their current lending practices without public scrutiny.