Fla. Stat. § 658.2953 — Florida Code / Title XXXVIII / Chapter 658 / Section 658.2953
658.2953 Interstate branching.
Status: in_force

(1) SHORT TITLE. — This section may be cited as the “Florida Interstate Branching Act.”

(2) PURPOSE. — The purpose of this section is to provide for the regulation of interstate branching, in accordance with this section and consistent with the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, as amended, 12 U.S.C. ss. 1811 et seq.; the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended, 12 U.S.C. ss. 1841 et seq., and 12 U.S.C. s. 5451; and Pub. L. No. 111-203.

(3) DEFINITIONS. — As used in this section, the term: (a) “Interstate merger transaction” means the merger or consolidation of banks with different home states, and the conversion of branches of any bank involved in the merger or consolidation into branches of the resulting bank. (b) “Resulting bank” means a bank that results from an interstate merger transaction under this section. (c) “Florida bank” means a bank whose home state is this state.

(4) AUTHORITY OF STATE BANKS TO ESTABLISH INTERSTATE BRANCHES BY MERGER. — With the prior written approval of the office, a state bank may establish, maintain, and operate one or more branches in a state other than this state pursuant to an interstate merger transaction in which the state bank is the resulting bank. No later than the date on which the required application for the interstate merger transaction is filed with the appropriate federal bank regulatory agency, the applicant state bank shall file an application on a form prescribed by the commission accompanied by the required fee pursuant to s. 658.73. The applicant must also comply with the provisions of ss. 658.40-658.45.

(5) INTERSTATE MERGER TRANSACTIONS AND BRANCHING PERMITTED. — (a) One or more Florida banks may enter into an interstate merger transaction with one or more out-of-state banks. An out-of-state bank resulting from such transaction may maintain and operate the branches of a Florida bank that participated in such transaction if the conditions and filing requirements of this section are met. (b) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this section, an interstate merger transaction is not permitted if, upon consummation of such transaction, the resulting bank, including all insured depository institutions that would be affiliates, as defined in 12 U.S.C. s. 1841(k), of the resulting bank, would control 30 percent or more of the total amount of deposits held by all insured depository institutions in this state. However, this paragraph does not apply to initial entry into this state by an out-of-state bank or bank holding company.

(6) NOTICE AND FILING REQUIREMENTS. — An out-of-state bank that will be the resulting bank pursuant to an interstate merger transaction involving a Florida bank must notify the office of the proposed merger within 15 days after the date it files an application for an interstate merger transaction with the appropriate federal regulatory agency and the home state regulatory agency, if applicable. Thereafter, the out-of-state bank and the Florida bank must, upon request of the office, submit status updates with such information as the office specifies until the merger transaction is completed or the merger application is withdrawn or denied.

(7) EXAMINATIONS; PERIODIC REPORTS; COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS; ASSESSMENT OF FEES. — (a) The office may examine any Florida branch of an out-of-state state bank which the office deems necessary for the purpose of determining whether the branch is being operated in compliance with the laws of this state and in accordance with safe and sound banking practices. (b) The office may enter into cooperative, coordinating, or information-sharing agreements with other bank regulatory agencies or any organization affiliated with or representing one or more bank regulatory agencies to facilitate the regulation of out-of-state state branches doing business in this state. (c) The office may accept reports of examinations or investigations, or other records from other regulatory agencies having concurrent jurisdiction over a state bank or a bank holding company that controls out-of-state state banks that operate branches in this state in lieu of conducting its own examinations or investigations. (d) The office may assess supervisory and examination fees that are payable by state banks and out-of-state state bank holding companies doing business in this state in connection with the office’s performance of its duties under this section and as prescribed by the commission. Such fees may be shared with other bank regulatory agencies or organizations affiliated with or representing one or more bank regulatory agencies in accordance with agreements between them and the office.

(8) LAWS APPLICABLE TO INTERSTATE BRANCHING OPERATIONS. — Laws of this state regarding consumer protection, fair lending, and establishment of intrastate branches apply to any out-of-state bank branch doing business in this state to the same extent as the laws of this state apply to a state bank, unless: (a) Federal law preempts the application of the laws of this state. (b) The Comptroller of the Currency determines that the application of the laws of this state would have a discriminatory effect on the branch of a national bank in comparison with the effect the application of such state laws would have with respect to branches of a state bank.

(9) ENFORCEMENT. — (a) If the office determines that a branch maintained by an out-of-state state bank in this state is being operated in violation of any law of this state, or that such branch is being operated in an unsafe and unsound manner, the office may take all such enforcement actions as it would be empowered to take if the branch were a state bank if the office promptly gives notice to the home state regulator of each enforcement action taken against the out-of-state state bank and, to the extent practicable, consults and cooperates with the home state regulator in pursuing and resolving the enforcement action. (b) The office may take any action jointly with other regulatory agencies having concurrent jurisdiction over out-of-state banks and bank holding companies that operate branches in this state, or take such action independently, to carry out its responsibilities.

(10) NOTICE OF SUBSEQUENT MERGER. — (a) Each out-of-state state bank that has established and maintains a branch in this state must give at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the office of any merger, consolidation, or other transaction that would cause a change of control pursuant to home state or federal law with respect to such bank or any bank holding company that controls such bank. (b) In the case of a failing financial institution, the office, with the concurrence of the appropriate regulatory agencies, may issue an emergency order authorizing any necessary interstate banking or branching transaction pursuant to s. 655.4185.

(11) DE NOVO INTERSTATE BRANCHING. — (a) As used in this subsection, the term “de novo branch” means a branch of a bank which is originally established by the bank as a branch and does not become a branch of such bank as a result of: 1. The bank’s acquisition of another bank or of a branch of another bank; or 2. The conversion, merger, or consolidation of any bank or branch. (b) With the prior approval of the office, a state bank may establish and maintain a de novo branch or acquire a branch in a state other than this state by submitting an application with the office pursuant to s. 658.26. (c) A state bank desiring to establish and maintain a branch in another state shall pay the branch application fee set forth in s. 658.73. In acting on the application, the office shall consider the views of the appropriate bank regulatory agencies. (d) An out-of-state bank may establish and maintain a de novo branch or acquire a branch in this state upon compliance with chapter 605 or part I of chapter 607 relating to doing business in this state as a foreign business entity, including maintaining a registered agent for service of process and other legal notice pursuant to s. 655.0201.

(12) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES; POWERS. — (a) An out-of-state bank that has lawfully acquired or established a branch in this state may establish additional branches in this state to the same extent that any Florida bank may establish branches in this state. (b) An out-of-state bank may conduct only those activities at its Florida branch or branches which are authorized under the laws of this state or of the United States. However, an out-of-state bank with trust powers may exercise all trust powers in this state as a Florida bank with trust powers.

History: s. 8, ch. 96-168; s. 11, ch. 97-30; s. 61, ch. 99-3; s. 1776, ch. 2003-261; s. 24, ch. 2011-194; s. 61, ch. 2014-209; s. 35, ch. 2015-148; s. 13, ch. 2022-178.