Section 15A. (a) As used in this section and in sections 15B to 15K, inclusive, ''legal list'' or ''legal investments'' shall mean the list of securities approved for investment by the commissioner.

(b) On or before July 1 of each year, the commissioner shall prepare a list of all stocks, bonds, notes and other interest-bearing obligations which are then legal investments under said sections 15B to 15K, inclusive; provided, however, that all privately placed or held issues may in the discretion of the commissioner be omitted. An entity issuing such an instrument shall identify itself directly to the commissioner as being eligible to be included on the list under sections 15E to 15K, inclusive; provided, however, that the commissioner shall have the discretion to add any entity and instrument to the list. The list shall include the name of any investment fund approved by the commissioner which invests only in such stocks, bonds, notes and other interest bearing obligations. The shares of any such investment fund so approved shall be legal investments pursuant to this section to the same extent as any such stocks, bonds, notes and other interest bearing obligations. The list shall at all times be public. In the preparation of any such list which the commissioner shall prepare or furnish, the commissioner may employ expert assistance as the commissioner believes proper or may rely upon information contained in publications which the commissioner believes authoritative in reference to such matters and the commissioner shall not be held responsible or liable for the omission from the list of the name of any state or political subdivision or authority of the state or of any corporation or association the stocks, bonds, notes or other interest bearing obligations which so conform or any investment fund which conforms to this chapter or for the omission of any investment funds, stocks, bonds, notes or other interest bearing obligations which so conform. The commissioner shall not be held responsible or liable for inclusion in the list of any such names or of nonconforming investment funds, stocks, bonds, notes or other interest-bearing obligations.

(c) Officers and members of a board of a bank or credit union may rely upon the legal list as representing an accurate listing of investment funds, stocks, bonds, notes and other interest bearing obligations eligible for investment by the bank or credit union and no officer or member shall be personally liable for any loss incurred by the bank or credit union arising from the purchase in good faith of any shares in an investment fund or security appearing on the list at the time of the purchase.

(d) Subsequent to the annual preparation of the list, the commissioner may add the name of any investment fund which meets the requirements of this section.

(e) Before making an investment under this section, an entity shall conduct an appropriate level of due diligence to determine if an investment is both permissible and appropriate. This may include both internal and external analysis. For debt instruments, the analysis shall not rely solely on 1 or more credit rating agencies and the entity shall determine that the instrument has both a low risk of default by the obligor and the full and timely repayment is expected over the expected life of the investment.