By Craddick                                           H.B. No. 2626
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  Relating to the granting of competitive parity for state banks in
    1-3  interstate banking and branching; the examination of interstate
    1-4  branches; and agency powers of state banks.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Article 342-305 is amended by adding the
    1-7  following language:
    1-8        Pursuant to Article XVI, Section 16(a), of the Texas
    1-9  Constitution and Section 44(a)(2) of the Federal Deposit Insurance
   1-10  Act (12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.), any one or more state banks or
   1-11  national banks domiciled in this state may merge or consolidate
   1-12  with any other bank organized under the laws of another state and
   1-13  domiciled outside of this state, irrespective of which bank will
   1-14  result from the merger or consolidation, provided, however, that
   1-15  any state bank or national bank domiciled in this state that
   1-16  participates in such merger or consolidation shall have been
   1-17  established and operated continuously as a bank for at least five
   1-18  (5) years prior to the effective date of the merger or
   1-19  consolidation.
   1-20        The resulting bank of an interstate merger or consolidation
   1-21  shall enjoy the same rights and privileges granted to state banks
   1-22  and national banks domiciled in this state.  The resulting bank
   1-23  shall have the authority to establish branch offices in this state
    2-1  on the same terms and conditions, and subject to the same
    2-2  limitations, as a state bank and a national bank domiciled in this
    2-3  state.
    2-4        The activities of a resulting bank shall be governed by the
    2-5  laws of the state in which the resulting bank is domiciled, except
    2-6  that those state laws listed in Section 5155 of the Revised
    2-7  Statutes (12 U.S.C. 36(f)(1)(A)) shall apply to a resulting bank
    2-8  operating in this state regardless of where the bank is domiciled.
    2-9  The resulting bank of an interstate merger or consolidation that is
   2-10  domiciled outside of this state shall appoint the Banking
   2-11  Commissioner as its agent for service of process within this state.
   2-12        The examination of a resulting bank operating in this state
   2-13  shall be conducted by the Banking Commissioner in cooperation with
   2-14  the primary state banking regulator of the state in which the
   2-15  resulting bank is domiciled, if other than this state.  The Banking
   2-16  Commissioner shall notify the primary state banking regulator of
   2-17  the state in which the resulting bank is domiciled in advance of
   2-18  all examinations, share information derived from such examinations
   2-19  and, upon request, allow joint examinations by the Department of
   2-20  Banking and the primary state banking regulator of the state in
   2-21  which the resulting bank is domiciled.
   2-22        In enforcing state laws against a resulting bank under this
   2-23  Section, the Banking Commissioner shall notify the primary state
   2-24  banking regulator of the state in which the resulting bank is
   2-25  domiciled, if other than this state, of any enforcement action and
    3-1  request assistance, if necessary, in the prosecution of the
    3-2  enforcement action.
    3-3        The Banking Commissioner may enter into cooperative
    3-4  agreements with the primary state banking regulator of the state in
    3-5  which the resulting bank is domiciled for the purpose of
    3-6  establishing uniform examination and supervisory policies and
    3-7  procedures, including, but not limited to, the coordination of
    3-8  personnel, and the assessment of examination fees and expenses.
    3-9        SECTION 2.  ARTICLE 342-306 is amended to read as follows:
   3-10        Art. 342-306.  Reorganization-Incorporation to take over
   3-11  business of other banks or state or federal savings banks or
   3-12  savings and loan associations-Trust powers.
   3-13        A state bank may be incorporated to take over the business of
   3-14  any incorporated bank or banks, state or national, or of any state
   3-15  or federal savings bank or state or federal savings and loan
   3-16  association, organized under the laws of this state or any other
   3-17  state, as a step in the reorganization of such institution or
   3-18  institutions, (which institution or institutions, whether one or
   3-19  more, will be hereafter referred to as the "reorganizing
   3-20  institution"), and shall, subject to the provisions of this
   3-21  article, be authorized to purchase assets from the reorganizing
   3-22  institution and as consideration therefore, assume all liabilities,
   3-23  known or unknown, of the reorganizing institution, other than its
   3-24  liability to stockholders as such.  (the remainder of this Section
   3-25  is not amended.)
    4-1        SECTION 3.  Article 342-307 is amended to read as follows:
    4-2        Article 342-307.  Purchase of assets of another bank or state
    4-3  or federal savings bank or savings and loans association -
    4-4  Disbursing agent.
    4-5        Any state bank may, with the consent of the Banking
    4-6  Commissioner, purchase the whole or any part of the assets of any
    4-7  other state bank or of any national bank domiciled in this state,
    4-8  or of a state or federal savings bank or state or federal savings
    4-9  and loan association, organized under the laws of this state or any
   4-10  other state, and may hold the purchase price and any additional
   4-11  funds delivered to it by the selling institution in trust for or as
   4-12  a deposit to the credit of the selling institutions.  Any
   4-13  acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of a bank
   4-14  shall be deemed a merger with such bank and subject to the
   4-15  provisions of Section 342-305.  (the remainder of this Section is
   4-16  not amended.)
   4-17        SECTION 4.  Article 342-309 is amended by adding the
   4-18  following language:
   4-19        Pursuant to Article XVI, Section 16(a), of the Texas
   4-20  Constitution and Section 44(a)(2) of the Federal Deposit Insurance
   4-21  Act (12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.), a state bank may merge, reorganize or
   4-22  consolidate with any other bank organized under the laws of another
   4-23  state and domiciled outside of this state irrespective of which
   4-24  bank will result from the merger, reorganization or consolidation,
   4-25  provided, however, that any state bank that participates in such
    5-1  merger, reorganization or consolidation shall have been established
    5-2  and operated continuously as a bank for at least five (5) years
    5-3  prior to the effective date of the merger, reorganization or
    5-4  consolidation.
    5-5        The resulting bank of an interstate merger, reorganization or
    5-6  consolidation shall enjoy the same rights and privileges granted to
    5-7  state banks and national banks domiciled in this state.  The
    5-8  resulting bank shall have the authority to establish branch offices
    5-9  in this state on the same terms and conditions, and subject to the
   5-10  same limitations, as a state bank and a national bank domiciled in
   5-11  this state.
   5-12        The activities of a resulting bank shall be governed by the
   5-13  laws of the state in which the resulting bank is domiciled, except
   5-14  that those state laws listed in Section 5155 of the Revised
   5-15  Statutes (12 U.S.C. 36(f)(1)(A)) shall apply to a resulting bank
   5-16  operating in this state regardless of where the bank is domiciled.
   5-17  The resulting bank of an interstate merger, reorganization or
   5-18  consolidation that is domiciled outside of this state shall appoint
   5-19  the Banking Commissioner as its agent for service of process within
   5-20  this state.
   5-21        The examination of a resulting bank operating as a bank in
   5-22  this state shall be conducted by the Banking Commissioner in
   5-23  cooperation with the primary state banking regulator of the state
   5-24  in which the resulting bank is domiciled, if other than this state.
   5-25  The Banking Commissioner shall notify the primary state banking
    6-1  regulator of the state in which the resulting bank is domiciled in
    6-2  advance of all examinations, share information derived from such
    6-3  examinations and, upon request, allow joint examinations by the
    6-4  Department of Banking and the primary state banking regulator of
    6-5  the state in which the resulting bank is domiciled.
    6-6        In enforcing state laws against a resulting bank under this
    6-7  Section, the Banking Commissioner shall notify the primary state
    6-8  banking regulator of the state in which the resulting bank is
    6-9  domiciled, if other than this state, of any enforcement action and
   6-10  request assistance, if necessary, in the prosecution of the
   6-11  enforcement action.
   6-12        The Banking Commissioner may enter into cooperative
   6-13  agreements with the primary state banking regulator of the state in
   6-14  which the resulting bank is domiciled for the purpose of
   6-15  establishing uniform examination and supervisory policies and
   6-16  procedures, including, but not limited to, the coordination of
   6-17  personnel, and the assessment of examination fees and expenses.
   6-18        SECTION 5.  Article 342-903 is amended by adding the
   6-19  following new language:
   6-20        A state bank may establish branch offices in other states
   6-21  with the prior written approval of the Banking Commissioner, in
   6-22  accordance with regulations promulgated by the Finance Commission,
   6-23  and subject to the laws of the state in which the branch is to be
   6-24  located.
   6-25        Any bank organized under the laws of another state or a
    7-1  national bank domiciled in another state may establish branch
    7-2  offices in this state with the prior written approval of the
    7-3  Banking Commissioner; provided, however, that the Banking
    7-4  Commissioner may approve an application to establish a branch
    7-5  office by a bank organized under the laws of another state or of a
    7-6  national bank domiciled in another state only if the establishment
    7-7  of the branch results solely from a conversion to, or merger or
    7-8  consolidation with, either a state bank or a national bank
    7-9  domiciled in this state that has been established and operated
   7-10  continuously as a bank for at least five (5) years prior to the
   7-11  application for establishment of the branch office.
   7-12        Branch offices established by banks organized under the laws
   7-13  of other states and national banks domiciled in other states shall
   7-14  enjoy the same rights and privileges granted to branch offices of
   7-15  state banks and national banks domiciled in this state.
   7-16        The examination of a branch office established by a bank
   7-17  organized under the laws of another state shall be conducted by the
   7-18  Banking Commissioner in cooperation with the primary state banking
   7-19  regulator of the state in which the bank is domiciled, if other
   7-20  than this state.  The Banking Commissioner shall notify the primary
   7-21  state banking regulator of the state in which the bank is domiciled
   7-22  in advance of all examinations, share information derived from such
   7-23  examinations and, upon request, allow joint examinations by the
   7-24  Department of Banking and the primary state banking regulator of
   7-25  the state in which the bank is domiciled.
    8-1        The Banking Commissioner may enter into cooperative
    8-2  agreements with the primary state banking regulator of the state in
    8-3  which the bank is domiciled for the purpose of establishing uniform
    8-4  examination and supervisory policies and procedures for the
    8-5  examination of branch offices, including, but not limited to, the
    8-6  coordination of personnel, and the assessment of examination fees
    8-7  and charges.
    8-8        SECTION 6.  The Texas Banking Code is amended by adding the
    8-9  following new article:
   8-10        Article 342-917.  Affiliated Bank Agency Powers.
   8-11        (a)  AUTHORITY TO ACT AS AGENT. - A state bank may act as an
   8-12  agent of another bank, whether such bank is organized under the
   8-13  laws of another state or is a national bank domiciled in another
   8-14  state, provided that, all of the outstanding voting shares of the
   8-15  state bank are owned by the same bank holding company that owns all
   8-16  of the outstanding voting shares of such bank organized under the
   8-17  laws of another state or the national bank domiciled in another
   8-18  state.  The agency described herein is limited to the following
   8-19  activities:
   8-20              (i)  the receipt of deposits,
   8-21              (ii)  the renewal of time deposits,
   8-22              (iii)  the closing of loans,
   8-23              (iv)  the servicing of loans, and
   8-24              (v)  the receipt of payments of loans and other
   8-25  extensions of credit.
    9-1  The conduct of any activity authorized by this section shall not be
    9-2  deemed to constitute the establishment of a branch office.
    9-3        (b)  AUTHORITY TO OPERATE THROUGH AFFILIATE AGENTS. - Any
    9-4  state bank may appoint as its agent a bank organized under the laws
    9-5  of another state or a national bank domiciled in another state,
    9-6  provided that, all of the outstanding voting shares of the state
    9-7  bank are owned by the same bank holding company that owns all of
    9-8  the outstanding voting shares of such bank organized under the laws
    9-9  of another state or the national bank domiciled in another state.
   9-10  The agency described herein is limited to the following activities:
   9-11              (i)  the receipt of deposits,
   9-12              (ii)  the renewal of time deposits,
   9-13              (iii)  the closing of loans,
   9-14              (iv)  the servicing of loans, and
   9-15              (v)  the receipt of payments of loans and other
   9-16  extensions of credit.
   9-17  The conduct of any activity authorized by this section shall not be
   9-18  deemed to constitute the establishment of a branch office.
   9-19        SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect on June 1, 1997, provided
   9-20  that no legislation prohibiting the activities contained herein is
   9-21  enacted by the Texas Legislature and becomes effective prior to
   9-22  that date.  If such legislation is enacted and becomes effective
   9-23  prior to June 1, 1997, this Act shall have no effect.
   9-24        SECTION 8.  The importance of this legislation and the
   9-25  crowded condition of the calendar in both houses creates an
   10-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   10-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three separate
   10-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   10-4  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   10-5  passage, and it is so enacted.