(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:

(a) “Commissioner” means the director of the Office of Financial Regulation and any other person lawfully exercising such powers.

(b) “Emergency” means any condition or occurrence, actual or threatened, which may interfere physically with the conduct of normal business operations of an institution or of one or more or all of the departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities of an institution, or which poses an imminent or existing threat to the safety or security of persons or property, or both. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, an emergency may exist, arise, or be imminent as the result of any one or more, actual or threatened, of the following: fires; floods; earthquakes; tornadoes; hurricanes; wind, rain, or other storms; labor disputes and strikes; power failures; transportation failures; interruption of communication facilities; shortages of fuel, food, transportation, or labor; robberies or burglaries or attempted robberies or burglaries; actual or threatened enemy attacks; epidemics or other catastrophes; explosions; and riots, civil commotions, and other acts of lawlessness or violence, actual or threatened.

(c) “Office” means any place at which an institution transacts its business or conducts operations relating to its business. However, this section does not authorize an institution to conduct its banking business at any place or places not otherwise authorized or permitted by law.

(d) “Officers” means the person or persons designated by the board of directors, board of trustees, or other governing body of an institution to act for the institution in carrying out the provisions of this section or, in the absence of any such designation or in the absence of the officers so designated, the president or any other officer currently in charge of the institution or of the office or offices in question.

(e) The authorizations herein provided for an institution “to close” in case of an emergency means and includes the authority not to open on any business or banking day and, if having opened, to close and suspend business.

(2) POWERS OF COMMISSIONER.—Whenever the commissioner is of the opinion that an emergency exists, or is impending, in this state or in any part of this state, he or she may, by proclamation, authorize state and nationally or federally chartered institutions, if not inconsistent with, and if it does not infringe upon, paramount federal law, located in the affected area or areas to close or to close any or all the departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities thereof. In addition, if the commissioner is of the opinion that an emergency exists, or is impending, which affects, or may affect, a particular institution or institutions, or one or more particular departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities thereof, but not institutions located in the area generally, he or she may authorize the particular institution or institutions to close or to close one or more of the departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities thereof. The institution or institutions affected by any such proclamation or authorization may close in accordance therewith. Such institutions and such of the departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities thereof so closed may remain closed until the commissioner proclaims that the emergency has ended, or until such earlier time as the officers of the institution determine that the institution or any of its departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities, theretofore closed because of the emergency, should reopen, and, in either event, for such further time thereafter as may reasonably be required to reopen.

(3) POWERS OF OFFICERS.—

(a) Whenever the officers of an institution are of the opinion that an emergency exists, or is impending, which affects, or may affect, the institution or one or more or all of its departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities, they shall have the authority, in the reasonable exercise of their discretion, to close the institution or any one or more or all of the departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities thereof on any business day or days during the continuation of such emergency, even if the commissioner has not issued and does not issue a proclamation of emergency. The office or offices so closed may remain closed until such time as the officers determine that the emergency has ended and for such further time thereafter as may reasonably be required to reopen. However, in no case may such institution or any department, section, function, office, or facility thereof remain closed pursuant to this paragraph for more than 48 consecutive hours, excluding other legal holidays, without requesting the approval of the commissioner.

(b) The officers of an institution may close the institution or any one or more or all of the institution’s departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities on any day or days designated, by proclamation of the President of the United States or the Governor of this state, as a day or days of mourning, rejoicing, or other special observance.

(4) NOTICE TO BE GIVEN.—

(a) An institution chartered under the laws of this state closing, or closing any of its departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities, pursuant to the authority granted under subsection (3) shall give notice of its action to the commissioner as promptly as conditions reasonably permit and by any means reasonably available.

(b) A national or federal institution closing, or closing any of its departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities, pursuant to the authority granted by this section shall give notice of its action to the appropriate federal regulatory agency as promptly as conditions reasonably permit and by any means reasonably available.

(5) EFFECT OF CLOSING AND PARTIAL CLOSING.—

(a) Any day on which an institution, or any one or more of its departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities, is closed during all or any part of its normal banking hours pursuant to the authorization granted in this section is, with respect to such institution or, if not all its departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities are closed, then with respect to any of its departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities which are closed, a legal holiday for all purposes with respect to any business of any kind or character of the institution, or of any of its departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities, so closed, including, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, matters relating to the time payable, the presenting for payment or acceptance, and the protesting and giving notice of protest and notice of dishonor of bills of exchange, checks, promissory notes, and other items drawn on or payable at such institution and relating to any other banking business of any kind or character. No liability or loss of rights of any kind on the part of any institution or director, officer, or employee thereof accrues or results by virtue of any closing authorized by this section.

(b) On any day which by the provisions of this section is deemed or declared to be a legal holiday with respect to any institution or institutions or office or offices thereof, the officers thereof may, in the exercise of their discretion, cause such institution or any office thereof to open its doors or facilities for the transaction or conduct of a limited business by the operation of one or more, but less than all, of its departments, sections, offices, functions, or facilities. On any day when, pursuant to the provisions of this section, less than all the departments, sections, functions, offices, or facilities are open, at the election of such institution the limited business transacted or conducted on such day is deemed for all purposes as transacted or conducted on the next following business day which is not deemed or declared as a legal holiday pursuant to the provisions of this section or of any other provision of law.

(6) PROVISIONS CUMULATIVE.—The provisions of this section shall be construed and applied as being in addition to, and not in substitution for or limitation of, any other law of this state or of the United States authorizing the closing of an institution or excusing the delay by an institution in the performance of its duties and obligations because of emergencies or conditions beyond the institution’s control or otherwise.

History.—s. 56, ch. 92-303; s. 530, ch. 97-102; s. 31, ch. 99-155; s. 1733, ch. 2003-261.