By Marchant                                           H.B. No. 2069
         76R6904 WP-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the regulation of credit unions.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 15.308, Finance Code, is amended to read
 1-5     as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 15.308.  COMPENSATION OF EMPLOYEES.  (a)  The commission
 1-7     shall set the compensation of the commissioner and [, the] deputy
 1-8     commissioner [, each examiner, and each officer of the commission
 1-9     and department, except a commission member, is entitled to
1-10     compensation set by the commission].  The compensation shall be
1-11     paid according to the General Appropriations Act [from money
1-12     available to the department].
1-13           (b)  Except for the commissioner and deputy commissioner,
1-14     Chapter 654, Government Code, applies to any [a] department
1-15     position [only if the position is classified in salary groups 1-21
1-16     under the position classification plan in effect on January 1,
1-17     1991, or a comparable position under a successor plan.  Chapter 654
1-18     does not apply to the position of examiner].
1-19           [(c)  The legislature in the General Appropriations Act may
1-20     determine the total amount appropriated to the department.  The
1-21     commission, subject to the limits provided by this subchapter,
1-22     shall determine the salaries of department employees in exempt and
1-23     examiner positions.]
1-24           [(d)  The department may use money appropriated to it for any
 2-1     purpose to pay the salaries determined by the commission.]
 2-2           [(e)  An employee of the commission may not receive
 2-3     compensation that exceeds the compensation received by the
 2-4     governor.]
 2-5           SECTION 2.  Section 15.402(c), Finance Code, is amended to
 2-6     read as follows:
 2-7           (c)  The commission by rule shall set reasonable
 2-8     [supervision] fees, charges, and revenues required to be paid by a
 2-9     credit union.
2-10           SECTION 3.  Section 15.408, Finance Code, is amended to read
2-11     as follows:
2-12           Sec. 15.408.  COLLECTION OF MONEY.  The commissioner shall
2-13     collect all [supervision] fees, charges, and revenues required to
2-14     be paid by a credit union under Section 15.402(c).  All money paid
2-15     to the department under this chapter and Subtitle D, Title 3, is
2-16     subject to Subchapter F, Chapter 404, Government Code.
2-17           SECTION 4.  Subchapter E, Chapter 15, Finance Code, is
2-18     amended by adding Sections 15.411 and 15.412 to read as follows:
2-19           Sec. 15.411.  AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER REGULATORS.  (a)  The
2-20     commissioner may enter into an agreement with any credit union
2-21     supervisory agency regarding the examination or supervision of
2-22     branch offices of credit unions chartered in this state doing
2-23     business in other states and foreign credit unions doing business
2-24     in this state.  In lieu of conducting an examination or
2-25     investigation required by this subtitle, the commissioner may
2-26     accept examinations or reports from other credit union supervisory
2-27     agencies.  The acceptance of the examination or report does not
 3-1     waive any fee, charge, or revenue required to be paid by a credit
 3-2     union, including a foreign credit union doing business in this
 3-3     state.
 3-4           (b)  The commissioner may enter into any cooperative
 3-5     arrangement with other credit union supervisory agencies to promote
 3-6     the effective regulation of state credit unions doing business
 3-7     across state lines, including contracting to use another agency's
 3-8     examiners, allowing for the use of examiners of this state by
 3-9     another agency, or collecting fees on behalf of or receiving
3-10     payments through another agency.
3-11           Sec. 15.412.  FILING GROUP RETURN WITH THE INTERNAL REVENUE
3-12     SERVICE.  (a)  The commissioner may file a consolidated group
3-13     return form with the Internal Revenue Service on behalf of all
3-14     credit unions under the department's jurisdiction.  To be included,
3-15     each credit union must annually authorize the department in writing
3-16     to include the credit union in the group return and must declare
3-17     that the authorization and the financial information submitted for
3-18     the purpose of compiling the group return are true and complete.
3-19           (b)  The state is not liable for information contained in any
3-20     form submitted.  Each credit union is individually responsible for
3-21     the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the information and
3-22     for any potential tax liability or penalties that may accrue.
3-23           SECTION 5.  Section 121.002, Finance Code, is amended by
3-24     amending Subdivision (2) and adding Subdivision (8) to read as
3-25     follows:
3-26                 (2)  "Credit union," unless the context relates to a
3-27     federal credit union, means a voluntary, cooperative, nonprofit
 4-1     financial institution authorized to do business in this state under
 4-2     this subtitle for purposes of:
 4-3                       (A)  encouraging thrift among its members;
 4-4                       (B)  creating a source of credit at fair and
 4-5     reasonable interest rates;
 4-6                       (C)  developing and providing to its members
 4-7     alternative methods of financing their purchases at reasonable
 4-8     costs;
 4-9                       (D)  providing an opportunity for its members to
4-10     use and control their money to improve their economic and social
4-11     condition; and
4-12                       (E) [(D)]  conducting any other business,
4-13     engaging in any other activity, or providing any other service that
4-14     may benefit its members.
4-15                 (8)  "Law enforcement agency" means the Texas
4-16     Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
4-17     or any local police or sheriff department.
4-18           SECTION 6.  Section 122.003(c), Finance Code, is amended to
4-19     read as follows:
4-20           (c)  A person who is not a credit union authorized to do
4-21     business in this state under this subtitle or the Federal Credit
4-22     Union Act (12 U.S.C. Section 1751 et seq.), or an organization,
4-23     corporation, or association the membership or ownership of which is
4-24     primarily confined to credit unions or credit union organizations,
4-25     may not do business under or [:]
4-26                 [(1)]  use a name or title containing the words "credit
4-27     union" or any derivation of that term that: [;]
 5-1                 [(2)  represent itself as a credit union;]
 5-2                 [(3)  conduct business as a credit union; or]
 5-3                 [(4)  do business under a name or title that:]
 5-4                 (1) [(A)]  indicates or reasonably implies that the
 5-5     person carries on or transacts the kind of business carried on or
 5-6     transacted by a credit union; or
 5-7                 (2) [(B)]  is calculated to lead a person to believe
 5-8     that the business being conducted is the type of business carried
 5-9     on or transacted by a credit union.
5-10           SECTION 7.  Section 122.012, Finance Code, is amended by
5-11     amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
5-12     follows:
5-13           (b)  After notifying the commissioner in writing, a credit
5-14     union may establish and maintain, at locations other than its
5-15     principal place of business, additional offices or service
5-16     facilities that are reasonably necessary to provide services to the
5-17     credit union's members.  The credit union shall notify the
5-18     commissioner in writing of the date that the new office or service
5-19     facility begins operating.
5-20           (c)  The commission by rule may prescribe what constitutes an
5-21     office or service facility.
5-22           SECTION 8.  Section 122.013, Finance Code, is amended by
5-23     adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
5-24           (d)  The commission may require a foreign credit union
5-25     operating in this state to submit periodic reports.  The required
5-26     reports shall be provided by the foreign credit union or by the
5-27     credit union supervisory agency having primary responsibility for
 6-1     that credit union.  Any reporting requirements prescribed by the
 6-2     commission under this subsection must be consistent with the
 6-3     reporting requirements applicable to credit unions and appropriate
 6-4     for the purpose of enabling the commissioner to regulate credit
 6-5     unions.
 6-6           SECTION 9.  Section 122.101, Finance Code, is amended to read
 6-7     as follows:
 6-8           Sec. 122.101.  CALL [ANNUAL] REPORTS.  (a)  A [Not later than
 6-9     February 1 each year, a] credit union shall submit [report] to the
6-10     department on a semiannual basis a call report, on a form supplied
6-11     by the department, [for] that states the credit union's financial
6-12     condition [purpose].  The commissioner may require a credit union
6-13     to file additional call reports.
6-14           (b)  The credit union must submit the call report on or
6-15     before the date stated on the form supplied by the department. [On
6-16     filing the report, a credit union shall pay to the commissioner any
6-17     required filing fee.  The commission may set a reasonable fee for
6-18     processing a report.]
6-19           [(c)]  If a credit union does not submit [file] a report by
6-20     the [or pay the filing fee before the 16th day after the day it is]
6-21     due date, the commissioner shall charge a late fee in an amount set
6-22     by the commission for each day the report remains unfiled [or fee
6-23     remains unpaid].  The commissioner for good cause shown may waive
6-24     all or part of the late fee.
6-25           (c) [(d)]  A credit union that does not file a report on or
6-26     before [the 31st day after] the date it is due is subject to
6-27     sanctions provided by this chapter and Chapter 126.
 7-1           SECTION 10.  Section 122.261(b), Finance Code, is amended to
 7-2     read as follows:
 7-3           (b)  The commissioner may disclose the information described
 7-4     by Subsection (a) to a share and deposit guaranty corporation or
 7-5     credit union or to a department, agency, or instrumentality of this
 7-6     state, another state, or the United States if the commissioner
 7-7     determines the disclosure is necessary or proper for the
 7-8     enforcement of the laws of this state or the United States.
 7-9           SECTION 11.  Section 123.107, Finance Code, is amended to
7-10     read as follows:
7-11           Sec. 123.107.  INSURANCE FOR MEMBERS.  A credit union may
7-12     purchase or otherwise provide insurance for the benefit or
7-13     convenience of its members in accordance with applicable law or
7-14     rules adopted by the commission.
7-15           SECTION 12.  Section 123.201(a), Finance Code, is amended to
7-16     read as follows:
7-17           (a)  A credit union may:
7-18                 (1)  lend its funds, or engage in any other type of
7-19     financing transaction authorized by applicable law or rules adopted
7-20     by the commission [in accordance with applicable law]; and
7-21                 (2)  borrow money from any source, subject to
7-22     Subsection (b).
7-23           SECTION 13.  Section 126.002, Finance Code, is amended by
7-24     amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read
7-25     as follows:
7-26           (a)  Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c),
7-27     information obtained directly or indirectly by the department that
 8-1     relates to the financial condition or business affairs of a credit
 8-2     union and the files and records of the department relating to that
 8-3     information, except a statement intended for publication, are
 8-4     confidential.
 8-5           (c)  The commissioner may disclose the information described
 8-6     by Subsection (a) to a law enforcement agency [the Texas Share
 8-7     Guaranty Credit Union] or another department, agency, or
 8-8     instrumentality of this state, another state, or the United States
 8-9     if the commissioner determines that disclosure is necessary or
8-10     proper to enforce the laws of this state applicable to credit
8-11     unions.
8-12           (d)  Information obtained by the department from a federal or
8-13     state supervisory agency that is confidential under federal law or
8-14     the laws of that state may not be disclosed except as provided by
8-15     the applicable federal or state law.
8-16           SECTION 14.  Section 126.054, Finance Code, is amended by
8-17     adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
8-18           (c)  The report of examination is confidential.  The
8-19     commissioner may provide a copy of the report to other parties as
8-20     described in Section 126.002(c).
8-21           SECTION 15.  Section 126.055, Finance Code, is amended to
8-22     read as follows:
8-23           Sec. 126.055.  FEE.  The commission may establish and a [A]
8-24     credit union shall pay a [an examination] fee [established by the
8-25     commission and] based on the cost of performing an [the]
8-26     examination of the credit union.
8-27           SECTION 16.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 9-1           (b)  In accordance with Section 311.031(c), Government Code,
 9-2     which gives effect to a substantive amendment enacted by the same
 9-3     legislature that codifies the amended statute, the text of Section
 9-4     15.408, Finance Code, as set out in Section 3 of this Act, gives
 9-5     effect to changes made by Chapter 338, Acts of the 75th
 9-6     Legislature, Regular Session, 1997.
 9-7           (c)  To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over
 9-8     another Act of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999,
 9-9     relating to nonsubstantive additions and corrections in enacted
9-10     codes.
9-11           SECTION 17.  The importance of this legislation and the
9-12     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
9-13     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
9-14     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
9-15     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.