A. Upon application to and approval granted by the State Banking Commissioner or Comptroller of the Currency, an out-of-state bank which engages or has engaged in an interstate merger transaction with a bank or savings association that, prior to the merger, had its main office located in this state shall be permitted to establish de novo branches in this state. An out-of-state bank which is not engaging, and has not previously engaged, in an interstate merger transaction with a bank or savings association that, prior to the merger, had its main office located in this state, shall not be permitted to establish a de novo branch in this state, nor to acquire a branch bank or savings association branch in this state, unless, on a reciprocal basis, the state where the main office of the out-of-state bank is located would permit a bank with a main office located in this state to establish a de novo branch in that other state without having engaged in an interstate merger transaction with a bank having its main office in that other state.

B. Subject to the limitations set forth in subsection A of this section, a bank, branch bank, savings association, or savings association branch may be acquired by and engage in an interstate merger transaction or interstate branch acquisition transaction with any out-of-state bank in accordance with applicable laws and rules of the Oklahoma State Banking Department and the state in which the main office of the out-of-state bank is located. If the out-of-state bank does not have a branch bank or savings association branch in this state at the time the interstate merger or interstate branch acquisition transaction application is filed with the appropriate regulatory authority, and if the law of the state where the main office of the out-of-state bank is located does not permit reciprocal interstate de novo branching by a bank with a main office located in this state as more particularly provided for in subsection A of this section, then the out-of-state bank must acquire the bank or the savings association, and may not acquire just a branch or branches thereof. An interstate merger or interstate branch acquisition transaction will not be permitted if it will result in a violation of the twenty percent (20%) deposit limitation contained in subsection I of Section 19 of this act. If the result of an interstate merger transaction is that the bank or savings association which is acquired is converted to one or more branch banks of an out-of-state bank, the resulting branch bank shall have all the powers and be subject to the same limitations as any other branch bank located in this state. All in-state branch banks of an out-of-state bank shall be regulated by the State Banking Commissioner as if the branch banks comprised an Oklahoma bank and the branch banks shall comply with applicable Oklahoma laws and rules in the conduct of their business in this state to the maximum extent authorized under federal law. No in-state branch bank of an out-of-state bank shall be permitted to engage in any activity not permissible for a bank in this state.

C. Beginning May 31, 1997, a bank may establish a branch bank in any other state, or may acquire branch banks of an out-of-state bank which are located in any other state in accordance with the laws of the other state. The bank shall be required to follow all procedures and to obtain all approvals necessary to establish or acquire a branch bank under applicable Oklahoma law and any applicable rules as may be established by the Banking Board. The bank shall file with the Department a copy of each application or notice filed with federal or other state regulatory authorities relating to the transaction at the same time the application or notice is filed with the federal or other state regulatory authorities. Upon consummation of the transaction, the bank shall have all of the powers under the applicable laws and regulations of the state in which each branch bank is located, subject to the duties and restrictions thereof. In addition to any regulation by bank and regulatory authorities in the state where a branch bank is located, each branch bank located outside of this state shall be subject to regulation by the Department as if the branch bank were located in this state and shall comply with the law of this state in the conduct of its banking business in such other state.

D. The provisions of this section shall not be construed as permitting branches established pursuant to this section through an interstate merger transaction to be taxed at a rate which is different from or discriminates in any way against a bank, savings association, or branch of either, which is chartered in this state. The Oklahoma Tax Commission is hereby authorized to adopt policies and procedures consistent with the provisions of this subsection.

E. An operating subsidiary of a bank which engages in the business of owner-occupied home mortgage lending shall not be considered a branch under this section in order to conduct such lending operation at any location.

Added by Laws 1988, c. 20, § 1, emerg. eff. March 16, 1988. Amended by Laws 1990, c. 173, § 6, emerg. eff. May 3, 1990; Laws 1993, c. 52, § 1, eff. Aug. 1, 1993; Laws 1995, c. 36, § 12, eff. July 1, 1995; Laws 1996, c. 92, § 6, eff. June 1, 1996; Laws 1996, c. 310, § 2, eff. July 1, 1996; Laws 1997, c. 120, § 1; Laws 1997, c. 404, § 1, eff. Aug. 29, 1997; Laws 1999, c. 27, § 7, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2000, c. 205, § 18, emerg. eff. May 17, 2000.

NOTE: Laws 1997, c. 111, § 54 repealed by Laws 1997, c. 404, § 10, eff. Aug. 29, 1997.