12 CFR § 150.136 - To what extent do state laws apply to my fiduciary operations?

(a) Application of state law. To enhance safety and soundness and to enable Federal savings associations to conduct their fiduciary activities in accordance with the best practices of thrift institutions in the United States (by efficiently delivering fiduciary services to the public free from undue regulatory duplication and burden), the OCC intends to give Federal savings associations maximum flexibility to exercise their fiduciary powers in accordance with a uniform scheme of Federal regulation. Accordingly, Federal savings associations may exercise fiduciary powers as authorized under Federal law, including this part, without regard to state laws that purport to regulate or otherwise affect their fiduciary activities, except to the extent provided in 12 U.S.C. 1464(n) (state laws regarding scope of fiduciary powers, access to examination reports regarding trust activities, deposits of securities, oaths and affidavits, and capital) or in paragraph (c) of this section. For purposes of this section, “state law” includes any state statute, regulation, ruling, order, or judicial decision.

(b) Illustrative examples. Examples of state laws that are preempted by the HOLA and this section include those regarding:

(1) Registration and licensing;

(2) Recordkeeping;

(3) Advertising and marketing;

(4) The ability of a Federal savings association conducting fiduciary activities to maintain an action or proceeding in state court; and

(5) Fiduciary-related fees.

(c) State laws that are not preempted. State laws of the following types are not preempted to the extent that they only incidentally affect the fiduciary operations of Federal savings associations or are otherwise consistent with the purposes of paragraph (a) of this section:

(1) Contract and commercial law;

(2) Real property law;

(3) Tort law;

(4) Criminal law;

(5) Probate law; and

(6) Any other law that the OCC, upon review, finds:

(i) Furthers a vital state interest; and

(ii) Either has only an incidental effect on fiduciary operations or is not otherwise contrary to the purposes expressed in paragraph (a) of this section.