This regulation amended Regulation 2 and entitles state
chartered banks, state chartered savings and loan associations, and state
chartered savings banks the same privileges as federally chartered depository
institutions. The intent of Regulation 2 is to clarify the rights, powers,
privileges, immunities, duties and obligations of a national bank that may be
enjoyed by state chartered banks. The adoption of such regulation in no way
restricts or modifies the rights, powers, privileges, or immunities otherwise
possessed or enjoyed by state-chartered banks.
The parity covers various areas of corporate governance, as
well as operational activities of state chartered banks. A state chartered
institution with documented data, can request parity with their federal
counterpart which operates within the state. The submission of proof and
request for parity must be done prior to beginning the activity. The
Commissioner will determine whether to approve the request.
The list below details the numerous activities for which a
state chartered institution may request parity. These items were included in
the previous amendment to Regulation 2 and parity for these items may be
requested with the most recent amendment. Any activity, allowed by a federal
regulator, not listed must be documented and submitted for approval.
2. Activities
a. Acceptances - Sale of small denominations
in acceptances created by another bank subject to reserve requirements unless
there is a pro rata transfer of ownership rights. Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.7420; Interpretive Letter 268
b.
Agency Activities
i. In accordance with the
rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the Department of Banking and
Consumer Finance, and Mississippi state-chartered financial institution that is
a subsidiary of a bank holding company may agree to receive deposits, renew
time deposits, close loans, service loans, and receive payments on loans and
other obligations as an agent for an affiliated depository
institution.
ii. Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, any Mississippi financial institution acting as an
agent in accordance with Subsection A of this Section shall not be considered
to a branch of the other financial institution for which it acts as
agent.
iii. In acting as an agent
pursuant this Section, a state -chartered bank may not:
1. Conduct any activity which such
institution is prohibited from conducting as a principal under any applicable
federal or state law, or
2. As a
principal, have an agent conduct under this Section any activity which the
institution is prohibited from conducting under any applicable federal or state
law.
iv. No provision of
this Section shall be construed as affecting either of the following:
1. The authority of any financial institution
to act as an agent on behalf of any other financial institution under any other
provision of law.
2. Whether a
financial institution which conducts any activity as an agent on behalf of any
other financial institution under any other provision of law shall be
considered to be a branch of such other institution.
v. Agency relationships by and between
financial institutions as provided in this Section shall be on terms that are
consistent with safe and sound banking practices and all applicable regulations
of any appropriate state or federal banking supervisory agency. Source: 12
U.S.C. §
1828(r)
c.
Agent for Deposit Placement - A bank may act as agent and place deposits in
other financial institutions on behalf of customer. (Must register as a deposit
broker). Source: Investment Securities Letter 32
d. ATM Network - Operation via Subsidiary. A
bank may form an operating subsidiary to enter into a partnership or joint
venture with another bank to establish an automated teller machine network
subject to certain conditions. Source. Interpretive Letter 289.
e. ATM Networks - Conversion of proprietary
ATM network into a shared network where it provides service for other banks in
the network. Source: No Objection Letter 87-11; Interpretive Letter
381
f. Attachment, Injunction and
Execution - No attachment, injunction or execution shall be issued against a
state chartered bank or its property before final judgment in any suit, action
or proceeding, any state, county or municipal court. Source: 12 U.S.C §
91
and U.S. v. Lemaire 86 F.2d
387 (5th Cir. 1987), rehearing denied 831 F. 2d
cert. denied 108 S. Ct. 1223
g.
Automatic Payment Plan Account - Source: 12 C.F.R §
7.7560
h. Balloon Loans - A bank may make either
conventional or repurchase balloon loans. Source: Interpretive Letter
364
i. Certificates of Deposits -
Purchase and Sale of Participations - A bank may either purchase certificates
of deposits and sell participation interest to its customers. Source:
Interpretive Letter 385
j.
Charitable Contributions - A bank may contribute to community funds or to
charitable philanthropic or benevolent instrumentalities conducive to public
welfare such sums as the board of directors may deem expedient and in the
interest of the bank, provided that investment in any one project does not
exceed 2% of capital and surplus and investments in all such projects do not
exceed 5% of capital and surplus. Source: 12 U.S.C §
24 Eighth and 12
C.F.R. §
7.7480
k. Check
Certification - Source: 12 U.S.C. §
501
l. Check Guarantee Plans - A bank may enter
into check guarantee arrangements. Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.7015
m. Credit Card Bank - A bank may establish a
credit card bank as a subsidiary.Source: Interpretive Letter 565
n. Credit Card Customer List - Sale of - A
bank may sell credit card customer list to an insurance agency offering
insurance. Source: Interpretive Letter 316
o. Credit Card Issuance - Source: 12C.F.R.
§ 7.7378
p. Data Processing
Services - A bank may directly or through an operating subsidiary provide data
processing services for itself and other depository institutions. Source:
Interpretive Letter dated May 1, 1985, [1986 WL 149765]; Interpretive Letter
dated April 25, 1986, [1986 WL 143931]; Interpretive Letter dated August 3,
1977; Interpretive Letter 449; Interpretive Letter 346; Interpretive Letter
345
q. Data Processing - Marketing
of Bank Related Computer Software - Bank's operating subsidiary may be a
general partner with a corporation where the purpose of the partnership is to
develop a market banking-relating computer software to financial institutions
and companies that process items for financial institutions; Bank may market
software. Source: Interpretive Letter dated July 13, 1987. [1987 WL 149776];
Letter December 6, 1990 [1990 WL 362196].
r. Debt Collection and Asset Management
Services - Source: Interpretive Letter 498; Interpretive Letter 538
s. Economic Development Loans to Native
Americans - Loans to certain authorized Indian organizations, at least 20% of
which are guaranteed, without being subject to restrictions of other statutes
regarding loan to value ratios, maturity, security, priority of lien or
percentage of assets that may be invested. Source: 25 U.S.C.
§
1489
t. EFT Network Via
Subsidiary - Source: Interpretive Letter 289; Interpretive Letter 160
u. Electronic Funds Transfer Switch - A bank
may enter into a general partnership to provide an electronic funds transfer
switch for use by financial institutions. Source: Interpretive Letter
382
v. Guaranty of Obligation of
Others - A bank may lend its credit, act as a surety or otherwise become a
guarantor if it has a substantial interest in the performance of the
transaction involved or has a segregated deposit sufficient amount to cover the
bank's total potential liability. Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.7010 and §
7.7012; Interpretive Letter 218; Interpretive Letter 94
w. Incidental Powers Necessary to Business
Banking - Source: 12 U.S.C. §
24(Seventh)
x. Indemnification of Officers and Directors
- Source: Interpretive Letter dated August 2, 1977; 12 C.F.R. §
7.5217;
Interpretive Letter 404
y.
Individual Retirement Accounts - A bank without trust powers may act as an IRA
custodian if the individual retirement account funds are held in savings or in
time deposits accounts. Source: OCC Banking Cir. 61; Interpretive Letter
302
z. Insurance Activities and
Investments
i. Acting as General Insurance
Agent - authorizes national banks located in communities of less than 5,000
inhabitants to act as an insurance agent even if the principal office is in a
larger community. Note, however, that Miss. Code Ann. § 83-17-227 sets a
limit of 7,000 and prohibits banks who maintain an office in a larger community
from acting as an agent. Source: 12 U.S.C. §
92; 12 C.F.R. §
7.7100
ii. Annuities - A bank may
act as an agent for sale of fixed rate annuities (may be subject to challenge
of regulation by Insurance Department. Source: Interpretive Letter 475;
Interpretive Letter 331; Interpretive Letter 499
iii. Collateral Property Protection Insurance
- A bank may sell in connection with an extension of credit from the bank,
vendor's single or double insurance rate. Source: Unnumbered Interpretive
Letter dated June 3, 1986; Interpretive Letter 91
iv. Credit Life Insurance - Sale of - Source:
Interpretive Letter 495; Interpretive Letter 330; Interpretive Letter 283;
Interpretive Letter 152; Interpretive Letter 9; Interpretive Letter dated
November 7, 1977; Interpretive Letter 8; Interpretive Letter 18; Interpretive
Letter 45; Interpretive Letter 26; C.F.R. § 2.4 and § 2.6.
v. Credit Life Insurance - Underwriting of -
A bank may acquire as an operating subsidiary, insurance company that is
engaged in the business of underwriting credit life and accident health
insurance in connection with loans made by the bank and its subsidiaries or may
participate as a shareholding in such a company provided certain safeguards are
met. Source: Interpretive Letter 277; Letter of February 24, 1993
vi. Debt Cancellation Contracts - A bank may
establish reserves against losses arising from cancellation of outstanding debt
upon death of borrower by establishing additional charges. Source: 12 C.F.R.
§
7.7495
vii. Deferred Fee and
Death Benefit Insurance - A bank may purchase insurance to protect its
interest, including interest in the performance of its personnel. Source:
Interpretive Letter 401
viii. Key
Man Insurance - A bank may purchase insurance for the benefit of bank on life
of a bank officer. Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.7115
ix. Lease of Bank Lobby to Unaffiliated
Entities - An unaffiliated entity engaging in brokerage activities and
insurance activities with rental payments made to the bank based on a
percentage of gross commissions received by the tenant; note, however, subject
to Mississippi Insurance Law. Source: Interpretive Letter 562; Interpretive
Letter 533; Interpretive Letter 408; Interpretive Letter 407; Interpretive
Letter 406; and Interpretive Letter 274
x. Life Insurance on Directors and Employees
- A bank may purchase single premium life insurance policy for a director in
connection with a deferred fee program. Source: Interpretive Letter
401
xi. Loan Customer List - A bank
may sell list of loan customers to an insurance agency have a percentage lease
arrangement with the bank. Source: Interpretive Letter 316
xii. Split Dollar Life Insurance - A bank may
purchase a split dollar life insurance policy on an officer or director under
which the bank transfers the benefit portion of the policies to the officer or
director upon retirement or resignation while retaining ownership of a portion
of the policy sufficient to recover investment. Source: Interpretive Letter
429; OCC Banking Circular 249
xiii.
Stock in Company Affiliated with Captive Insurer - A bank may purchase shares
of stock in a company affiliated with an industry captive insurance company as
a condition precedent to obtaining insurance from the captive. Source:
Interpretive Letter 554
xiv.
Leasing Equipment and Personal Property - A bank may invest in tangible
personal property, including without limitation vehicles, manufactures homes,
machinery equipment or furniture or lease financing transactions on a net lease
basis, provided the aggregate book value of all such property does not exceed
10% of the consolidated assets of the bank. Source: 12 U.S.C.
§
24(Seventh); 12 C.F.R. §
23.7; Interpretive Letter 556.
xv. Lease, Full Payout - A bank may
reasonably rely on the residual value of leased property in structuring a full
net payout lease recouping 100% of the investment plus cost of handling.
Source: Interpretive Letter 20; OCC Banking Circular 125
xvi. Lease Consulting Services via Subsidiary
- A bank may engage in property leasing activities through a subsidiary,
including lease consulting services, finder services, and lease servicing.
Source: Interpretive Letter
xvii.
Lease Financing - Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.3400; 12 C.F.R. Part
23; OCC
Banking Bulletin 91-47; Interpretive Letter 97
xviii. Lease of Bank Lobby to Unaffiliated
Entities - An unaffiliated entity engaging in brokerage activities and
insurance activities with rental payments made to the bank based on a
percentage of gross commissions received by the tenant; note however, subject
to Mississippi Insurance Law. Source: Interpretive Letter 562; Interpretive
Letter 533; Interpretive Letter 408; Interpretive Letter 407; Interpretive
Letter 406; Interpretive Letter 274
xix. Leasing of Bank Employees from Third
Party - A bank may lease services of its employees from third parties so long
as the Board of Directors continues to retain and exercise general supervision
over the affairs of the bank. Source: Interpretive Letter 431
xxi. Loan Production Offices - Approval and
funding as main or branch officer. Source: OCC Banking Circular 199; 12 C.F.R.
§
7.7380
xxii. Loan Repurchase
Agreements - A bank may agree to repurchase loans or other assets. Source: 12
C.F.R. §
7.7519
xxiii. Merger
with Insured Depository Institution - A national bank may acquire be acquired
by any insured depository institution. Source: 12 U.S.C. §
215c
xxiv. Money Orders - Sale of Non-Bank
Locations - Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.7500
xxv. Participations in Equipment Lease
Financing Receivable -A bank may purchase a participation interest of less than
100% in an equipment lease financing receivable and such purchase would not be
a participation in a partnership. Source: Interpretive Letter 374
xxvi. Participation in Small Business
Administration Guaranteed Loans - A bank may purchase participations in SB A
guaranteed loans, subject to certain conditions and limitations. Source:
Interpretive Letter 350
xxvii.
Pass-Through Participation Certificates - Purchase of - A bank may purchase
pass through participation certificates that represent interest in pools of FHA
- Insured Title I property improvement loans. Source: Interpretive Letter
579
xxviii. Payroll Insurer - A
bank may act as payroll issuer for its customers. Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.7485
xxix. Pledging Assets - A
bank may pledge investment securities to secure its borrowings, within limits
imposed by the need to maintain adequate liquidity. Source: Interpretive Letter
dated December 16, 1987 at 1987 WL 149807
xxx. Pledging Assets to Secure Public
Deposits - Source: 12 U.S.C. §
90;
25
U.S.C.
162 a and
12 C.F.R. §7 - 7410
xxxi. Preparing Income Tax Returns
- A bank may not serve as an expert tax consultant. Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.7430
aa. Real Estate
Activities and Investments
i. Adjustable Rate
Mortgages - Source:
12
C.F.R.
34.6
ii. Appraisals - A bank may perform real
estate appraisals for loans it originates as well as for other financial
institutions. Source: Interpretive Letter 467
iii. Collateralized Mortgage Obligations -
Purchase of - A bank may purchase without limit collateralized mortgage
obligations that the meeting the requirement of 12 U.S.C. §
24(Seventh).
Source: Interpretive Letter dated April 16, 1987
iv. Exchanging OREO for Mortgages on Other
Property - Source: Interpretive Letter dated June 4, 1986 [1986 WL
143934]
v. Investing in Mortgage
Related Securities via Mutual Funds - A bank may generally purchase related
securities and may, therefore, invest in mutual funds which own eligible
mortgage-related securities. Source: Investment Securities Letter 15
vi. Lease of DPC Property - A bank may enter
into a lease agreement regarding DPC property. Source: Interpretive Letter
dated September 2, 1977
vii. Lease
of Public Facilities - A bank may lease a building to a municipality so long as
the lease agreement provides that municipality will become owner of building
upon expiration of lease. Bank may purchase or construct a municipal building
and as holder of legal title lease it to a public authority having resources
sufficient to make rental payments. Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.3300
viii. Mortgage Banking Subsidiary - A bank
may establish an operating subsidiary as a mortgage company. Source:
Interpretive Letter dated December 19, 1986 [1986 WL 143894].
ix. Mortgage Servicing - A bank may act as
agent to service mortgage and may, through an operating subsidiary, be a 50%
equity partner and sole general partner in limited partnership from the purpose
of conducting a mortgage servicing operation. Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.7379
and Interpretive Letter dated July 23, 1986 [1986 WL 143932].
x. Purchase of Property to Secure Previously
Contracted Debt - A bank may purchase real property in order to protect a
partial interest or title that was acquired to secure previously contracted
debt, but bank may not enter into a joint venture to operate such property.
Source: Interpretive Letter 12
xi.
Real Estate Management Services - An operating subsidiary may furnish real
estate asset management and advisory services to other financial institutions.
Source: Interpretive Letter 389
xii. Real Estate Consulting via Subsidiary -
An operating subsidiary may act as finder in locating, analyzing and making
recommendations regarding the purchase of property and may make recommendations
concerning the sale of property, but may not act as broker in performing these
activities. Source: Interpretive Letter 238
xiii. Real Estate Loan via Subsidiary - A
bank's operating subsidiary may make commercial real estate loans, including
construction and development loans, as originator or participant. Source:
Interpretive Letter 389
xiv. Real
Estate Swaps - A bank may exchange OREO for other property provided the
transaction is undertaken to substantially reduce or avoid potential loss on
OREO property. Source: Interpretive Letter 349
xv. Selling OREO with Bank Financing -
Source: Interpretive Letter dated July 30, 1986 [1986 WL 143914]
xvi. Services for Homeowners Associations - A
bank may perform various types of review and analysis required for homeowner
associations and their management companies, including projections for future
reserve needs, timing of contributions, and economic forecasts. Source:
Interpretive Letter dated August 20, 1987 [1987 WL 149774]
xvii. Shared Appreciation Mortgage Loans - A
bank may make shared appreciation loan to developer for the conversion of
residential property into condominium units and receive a fixed amount or
percentage of the sales price of each unit sold; and the bank may finance the
acquisition or improvement of real property on which the borrower will operate
its business. Source: Interpretive Letter 244
xviii. Mortgage Related Securities - A bank
may purchase mortgage relates securities and may therefore invest in mutual
funds which own eligible mortgage related securities. Source: Investment
Securities Letter 15
xix. Other
Real Estate Owned - OREO may be an equity investment subject to the five year
holding limitation. Source: 12 U.S.C §
29 and 12 C.F.R. §
7.3025
xx. Real Estate, Residence
for Bank Officer - For the development and efficient utilization of bank
personnel, a bank may purchase the residence of an employee who has been
transferred to another area, in order to spare the employee a loss in the
prevailing market. A bank may own real property that is to be used as a
residence for bank officer when working out of town as long as IRS allows an
expense deduction. Source: 12 C.F.R. §
7.5230; Interpretive Letter
263
bb. Securities
Activities
i. Advisory and Discount Brokerage
Services and Automatic Investment Services - Source: Interpretive Letter 353;
Interpretive Letter 562; Interpretive Letter 360; Interpretive Letter 332; and
C.F.R. 12.1 -12.7
ii. Agent for
Sale of Government Securities - A bank may act as agent for purchase and sale
of government securities on an unsolicited basis. Source: Investment Securities
Letter 31
iii. Closed End
Collective Investment Funds - Source: Trust Interpretation 208
iv. Collateralized Mortgage Obligations -
Issuing and Selling of - A bank may issues and sell CMOs backed by pool of
conventional FHA guaranteed and VA insured residential mortgages through an
unaffiliated underwriter. Source: Interpretive Letter 378; Interpretive
Letter171
v. Collateralized
Mortgage Obligations - Issuing Underwriting and Dealing in Via Subsidiary - A
bank's operating subsidiary may issue, underwrite and deal in bonds partially
collateralized by pools of mortgages, including GNMA certificates, FNMA
certificates, FHLMC certificates, and/or non-federally insured conventional
residential mortgage loans. Source: Interpretive Letter 362
vi. Commercial Paper Replacement - A bank may
place third party commercial paper. Source: Interpretive Letter 329
vii. Discount Brokerage Activities - A bank
may acquire stock of company as operating subsidiary to perform discount
brokerage services and provide investment advice. Source: Interpretive Letter
380; Interpretive Letter dated June 30, 1987, [1987 WL 149813]; Interpretive
Letter 403
viii. Financial Advice
and Counseling - A bank may offer strategic planning of a financial nature and
market economic information to customers in general. Investment advice may be
given through a subsidiary. Source: Interpretive Letter 137; Interpretive
Letter 367; and Interpretive Letter 403
ix. Financial Advice and Counseling for
Mutual Funds - A bank or its operating subsidiary may offer investment advice
to a mutual fund. Source:
12 U.S.C.
92 a(a); Interpretive Letter 403; and
Interpretive Letter 298; 12 C.F.R. §
9.2105
x. Lease of Bank Lobby to Unaffiliated
Entities - An unaffiliated entity may engage in brokerage activities and
insurance activities with rental payments made to the bank based on a
percentage of gross commissions received by the tenant; note, however, subject
to Mississippi Insurance Law. Source: Interpretive Letter 562; Interpretive
Letter 533; Interpretive Letter 408; Interpretive Letter 407; Interpretive
Letter 406; Interpretive Letter 274
xi. Municipal Finance Consulting - Source:
Interpretive Letter 122
xii.
Municipal Leases and Installment Purchase Contracts - Underwriting the Sale of
- A bank may underwrite the sale of municipal leases and installment purchase
contracts. Source: Interpretive Letter 250
xiii. Municipal Securities Dealers, Acting as
- Source:
12 U.S.C.; §78c(a)(30)(c)(B);
12 C.F.R. §
§ 10.1 -
10.41
xiv. Mutual Fund Shares -
Purchase and Sale of - A bank may purchase or sell shares in mutual funds as
agent without recourse upon a customer's order. Source: Interpretive Letter
363
xv. Private Placement of
Securities and Equity Investments - A bank may participate in private placement
of investment securities with equity interest in real estate as agent for bank
customer. Source: Interpretive Letter 194; Interpretive Letter 25; Interpretive
Letter 463; Interpretive Letter 271; and Interpretive Letter 32
xvi. Securities Lending - A bank may lend
U.S. Government securities to another bank for the second bank to pledge to
state deposits, subject to the bank's legal lending limit. Source: Interpretive
Letter 376
xvii. Security
Monitoring Services -A bank may provide security monitoring services to other
financial institutions. Source: Interpretive Letter dated June 6, 1985 [1985 WL
143955]
xviii. Stand By Letters of
Credit - A bank may issue a standby letter of credit subject to conditions and
limitations. Source: Interpretive Letter dated September 5, 1985 [1985 WL
73110]; Interpretive Letter 57
xix.
Stock Acquired in Lieu of DPC - A bank may acquire newly issued stock in other
banks in settlement of debts previously contracted so long as stock is acquired
primarily as a means of preventing or limiting loan losses. Source:
Interpretive Letter 444
xx. Stock
Warranties (Equity Kickers) - A bank may establish an operating subsidiary that
will enter into two tandem limited partnerships, one of which will make
commercial loans in connection with highly leveraged transactions, while the
other will hold stock warrants as "equity kickers" in connection with such
loans. Source: Interpretive Letter 517
xxi. Trust Powers, Exception to Requirement
of Security for Trust Funds Deposited on Commercial Side - Requirement that
securities be pledged for trust funds deposited on commercial side while
awaiting investment or distribution, does not apply to accounts where the bank
acts in the capacity of agent and does not have investment discretion. Source:
12 C.F.R. §
9.2700; 12 C.F.R. §
9.3210