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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the regulation of state trust companies. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 181.002(a), Finance Code, is amended by |
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adding Subdivision (15-a) and amending Subdivision (25) to read as |
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follows: |
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(15-a) "Equity capital" means the amount by which the |
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total assets of a state trust company exceed the total liabilities |
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of the trust company. |
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(25) "Insolvent" means a circumstance or condition in |
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which a state trust company: |
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(A) is unable or lacks the means to meet its |
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current obligations as they come due in the regular and ordinary |
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course of business, even if the value of its assets exceeds its |
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liabilities; |
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(B) has equity capital that is 50 percent or less |
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of the amount of restricted capital the trust company is required to |
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maintain [less than $500,000, as determined under regulatory
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accounting principles]; |
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(C) fails to maintain deposit insurance for its |
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deposits with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or its |
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successor, or fails to maintain adequate security for its deposits |
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as provided by Section 184.301(c); |
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(D) sells or attempts to sell substantially all |
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of its assets or merges or attempts to merge substantially all of |
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its assets or business with another entity other than as provided by |
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Chapter 182; or |
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(E) attempts to dissolve or liquidate other than |
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as provided by Chapter 186. |
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SECTION 2. Section 181.104(a), Finance Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The banking commissioner shall examine each state trust |
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company annually, or on another periodic basis as may be required by |
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rule or policy, or as the commissioner considers necessary to: |
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(1) safeguard the interests of clients, creditors, |
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shareholders, participants, or participant-transferees; and |
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(2) efficiently enforce applicable law. |
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SECTION 3. Section 181.107(c), Finance Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) A [Except for portions designated to be confidential by
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the banking commissioner, a] statement of condition and income is a |
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public record except for: |
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(1) portions of the statement designated confidential |
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by the banking commissioner; and |
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(2) the statement of condition and income for a state |
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trust company exempt under Section 182.011 or 182.019 with regard |
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to the period during which the exemption is in effect. |
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SECTION 4. Section 182.008(a), Finance Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The banking commissioner may not issue a charter to a |
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state trust company having restricted capital of less than $2 [$1] |
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million. |
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SECTION 5. Section 182.011, Finance Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (d), and (e) and adding Subsection (a-1) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A state trust company may request in writing that it be |
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exempted from specified provisions of this subtitle. The banking |
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commissioner may grant the exemption in whole or in part, subject to |
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Subsection (c), if the banking commissioner finds that the state |
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trust company [does not transact business with the public. A state
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trust company does not transact business with the public if it does
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not make any sale, solicitation, arrangement, agreement, or
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transaction to provide a trust or other business service, whether
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or not for a fee, commission, or any other type of remuneration,
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with]: |
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(1) has only family clients and transacts business |
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solely on behalf of family clients and their related interests [an
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individual who is not related within the fourth degree of affinity
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or consanguinity to an individual who controls the state trust
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company]; [or] |
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(2) [a sole proprietorship, partnership, joint
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venture, association, trust, estate, business trust, or
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corporation that] is [not] wholly owned, directly or indirectly, |
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legally or beneficially, by one or more family members; and |
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(3) does not hold itself out to the general public as a |
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corporate fiduciary for hire [individuals related within the fourth
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degree of affinity or consanguinity to an individual who controls
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the state trust company]. |
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(a-1) In this section: |
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(1) "Family client" includes: |
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(A) a family member; |
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(B) a former family member; |
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(C) a key employee of the trust company as |
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defined by and to the extent permitted by rules adopted under |
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Subsection (e), including a former key employee for a reasonable |
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transition period specified by rule; |
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(D) a nonprofit organization, charitable |
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foundation, charitable trust, including a charitable lead trust or |
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charitable remainder trust whose only current beneficiaries are |
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other family clients and charitable or nonprofit organizations, or |
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another charitable organization for which all the funding came |
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exclusively from one or more other family clients; |
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(E) the estate of a family member or former |
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family member; |
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(F) an irrevocable trust under which one or more |
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other family clients are the only current beneficiaries; |
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(G) an irrevocable trust funded exclusively by |
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one or more family clients in which other family clients and |
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nonprofit organizations, charitable foundations, charitable |
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trusts, or other charitable organizations are the only current |
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beneficiaries; |
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(H) a company wholly owned by, and operated for |
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the sole benefit of, one or more other family clients; |
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(I) a revocable trust of which one or more other |
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family clients are the sole grantors, including any such trust that |
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becomes irrevocable, wholly or partly, for a reasonable transition |
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period as specified by rule; and |
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(J) any other persons as may be permitted by |
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rules adopted under Subsection (e). |
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(2) "Family member," with respect to an individual, |
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means an individual related to the individual within the seventh |
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degree of consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Subchapter |
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B, Chapter 573, Government Code, except that a foster child is |
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considered the child of the foster parent and a person for whom a |
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guardian was appointed before the person's 18th birthday is |
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considered the child of the guardian. |
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(3) "Former family member" includes a former spouse or |
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stepchild who was a family member but is no longer a family member |
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due to a divorce or other similar event. |
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(d) A state trust company that is or has been exempt from a |
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provision of this subtitle under this section or a predecessor |
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statute may not transact business with the general public unless |
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the banking commissioner determines, as provided by Section |
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182.003, that public convenience and advantage will be promoted by |
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permitting the state trust company to engage in the trust business |
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with the general public. |
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(e) The finance commission may adopt rules: |
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(1) defining other circumstances under which a state |
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trust company may be exempted from a provision of this subtitle |
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because it does not transact business with the general public; |
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(2) specifying the provisions of this subtitle that |
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are subject to an exemption request; [and] |
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(3) establishing procedures and requirements for |
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obtaining, maintaining, or revoking an exemption; and |
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(4) defining or further defining terms used by this |
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section. |
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SECTION 6. Section 182.012, Finance Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) A state trust company requesting an exemption under |
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Section 182.011 shall file an application with the banking |
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commissioner that includes: |
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(1) a nonrefundable application fee set by the finance |
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commission; |
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(2) a detailed sworn statement showing the state trust |
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company's assets and liabilities as of the end of the calendar month |
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preceding the filing of the application; |
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(3) a sworn statement of the reason for requesting the |
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exemption; |
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(4) a sworn statement that the state trust company: |
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(A) has or will have only family clients and |
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transacts or will transact business solely on behalf of family |
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clients and their related interests; |
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(B) is or will be wholly owned, directly or |
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indirectly, legally or beneficially, by one or more family members; |
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(C) does not or will not hold itself out to the |
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general public as a corporate fiduciary for hire; and |
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(D) [is not transacting business with the public
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and that the company] will not transact business with the general |
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public without the prior written permission of the banking |
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commissioner; |
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(5) the current street mailing address and telephone |
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number of the physical location in this state at which the state |
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trust company will maintain its books and records, with a sworn |
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statement that the address given is true and correct and is not a |
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United States Postal Service post office box or a private mail box, |
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postal box, or mail drop; and |
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(6) a list of the specific provisions of this subtitle |
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for which the request for an exemption is made. |
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(c) In this section, "family client" and "family member" |
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have the meanings assigned by Section 182.011. |
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SECTION 7. Sections 182.013(a) and (c), Finance Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) An [Before June 30 of each year, an] exempt state trust |
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company shall file a certification annually with its statement of |
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condition and income, on a form provided by the banking |
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commissioner, that it is maintaining the conditions and limitations |
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of its exemption. The certification must be accompanied by a fee |
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set by the finance commission. [The certification is not valid
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unless it bears an acknowledgment stamped by the department.] |
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(c) The [banking commissioner may examine or investigate
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the] state trust company shall maintain records [periodically as] |
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necessary to verify the certification. The records are subject to |
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examination under Section 181.104. |
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SECTION 8. Section 182.015, Finance Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 182.015. CHANGE OF CONTROL OF EXEMPT STATE TRUST |
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COMPANY. [Control of an exempt state trust company may not be sold
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or transferred with exempt status.] If control of an exempt state |
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trust company is sold or otherwise transferred, the acquiring |
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person must comply with Sections 182.003, 182.004, 182.005, [and] |
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183.001, and 183.002. For the exempt status of the state trust |
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company to continue, the acquiring person must file a certification |
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with the banking commissioner that the state trust company will |
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comply, or continue to comply, with the requirements of Section |
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182.011 after control is transferred. The banking commissioner may |
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examine or investigate the acquiring person and the state trust |
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company as necessary to verify the certification. If the |
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commissioner determines that the state trust company will not |
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comply, or continue to comply, with the requirements of Section |
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182.011 after control is transferred, the commissioner shall |
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terminate the exemption on the effective date of the transfer. |
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After the termination, the [automatically terminates on the
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effective date of the transfer. The] acquiring person must file a |
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separate application to obtain a new [an] exemption for the state |
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trust company under Section 182.011. |
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SECTION 9. Section 182.019, Finance Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 182.019. PRIOR EXEMPTION. (a) Subject to Subsection |
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(b), a [A] state trust company that was exempt before September 1, |
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1997, may no longer operate with that prior exempt status after the |
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earlier of: |
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(1) September 1, 2020; or |
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(2) the date control is sold or otherwise transferred |
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[under a predecessor to this subtitle is considered exempt under
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this subtitle]. |
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(b) A state trust company may apply for a new exemption |
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under Section 182.011 before loss of its exempt status under |
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Subsection (a). |
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SECTION 10. Section 184.101(b), Finance Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Unless the banking commissioner in writing approves |
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maintenance of a lesser amount, a state trust company must invest |
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and maintain an amount equal to at least 50 [40] percent of the |
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state trust company's restricted capital under Section 182.008 in |
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investment securities that are readily marketable and can be |
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converted to cash within four business days. |
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SECTION 11. The following provisions of the Finance Code |
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are repealed: |
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(1) Sections 181.104(b) and (c); |
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(2) Section 182.013(b); and |
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(3) Section 184.101(b). |
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SECTION 12. (a) Not later than September 1, 2020, a state |
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trust company that has restricted capital in an amount that is less |
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than the amount required by Section 182.008, Finance Code, as |
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amended by this Act, shall increase its restricted capital to at |
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least the amount required under that section, unless the state |
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trust company has an exemption under Section 182.011 or 182.019, |
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Finance Code, as amended by this Act. As permitted by Section |
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182.008(e), Finance Code, a state trust company may apply to the |
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banking commissioner of Texas for approval of restricted capital in |
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an amount that is less than the amount required under Section |
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182.008. |
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(b) A state trust company that has an exemption under |
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Section 182.019, Finance Code, on September 1, 2015, and has |
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restricted capital in an amount that is less than the amount |
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required by Section 182.008(a), Finance Code, as amended by this |
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Act, shall increase its restricted capital to at least $250,000 on |
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or before September 1, 2020. |
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(c) The Finance Commission of Texas may adopt rules |
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specifying procedures for ratable increases in restricted capital |
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for state trust companies as required by this section and for |
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deferrals and extensions of time for a state trust company acting in |
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good faith to achieve minimum required restricted capital. |
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SECTION 13. Not later than September 1, 2016, a state trust |
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company shall comply with the investment liquidity requirements of |
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Section 184.101(b), Finance Code, as amended by this Act. On |
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written application, the banking commissioner of Texas may extend |
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the period for compliance for a state trust company for good cause |
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shown. |
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SECTION 14. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |