[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 26, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-9580] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: April 26, 1994] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION 12 CFR Part 303 RIN 3064-AB36 Applications and Publication Requirements; Establishment and Relocation of Remote Service Facilities AGENCY: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC or Corporation). ACTION: Proposed rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Board of Directors (Board) of the FDIC is proposing to revise its application and publication requirements for the establishment and relocation of remote service facilities (RSFs). The intended effect of this rule is to lessen the regulatory burden on state nonmember banks and state-licensed branches of foreign banks. DATES: Written comments must be received by the FDIC on or before June 27, 1994. ADDRESSES: Written comments shall be addressed to the Office of the Executive Secretary, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20429. Comments may be hand-delivered to room F-400, 1776 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20429, on business days between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. (FAX number: (202) 898-3838). Comments will be available for inspection in room 7118, 550 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20429, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on business days. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Curtis L. Vaughn, Examination Specialist, Division of Supervision (202/898-6759), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 1776 F Street NW., Washington, DC 20429; or Jeffrey M. Kopchik, Counsel, Legal Division, (202/898-3872), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, 550 17th Street NW., Washington, D.C. 20429. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Paperwork Reduction Act No additional collections of information pursuant to section 3504(h) of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) are contained in the proposed rule. The Board of Directors of the FDIC has concluded that the notices required of depository institutions which seek to establish or relocate a remote service facility under the proposed regulation will not constitute a ``collection of information'' as defined in 5 CFR 1320.7 which has not already been approved by the Office of Management and Budget. Consequently, no information has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review. Regulatory Flexibility Act Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 605(b), the FDIC hereby certifies that the proposed rule will not have a significant impact on a substantial number of small entities. The FDIC has reached this conclusion because the effect of the rule, if it is ultimately promulgated in its current form, will be to reduce the recordkeeping, reporting and compliance requirements that are imposed upon small entities rather than to increase them. This is because the proposed rule seeks to create a blanket approval process for requests that must receive the prior written consent of the FDIC. The proposed rule imposes no new recordkeeping or reporting requirements upon small entities since notices required are abbreviated versions of letter applications currently required of banks. Furthermore, most institutions would not be required to give public notice of the transaction which would reduce burden on the requesting institutions. Discussion The FDIC desires to reduce the regulatory burden on banks seeking to establish or relocate RSFs. Currently, banks desiring to establish an initial RSF must comply with all the application and publication requirements applicable to the establishment of a ``brick and mortar'' branch office. See 12 CFR 303.2(a) & (c). Successive RSFs may be established or relocated without a formal application pursuant to somewhat less involved requirements. See 12 CFR 303.2(c). The existing regulation does not differentiate based upon the condition of the institution submitting the application; the only difference it recognizes is whether or not this is an initial application. In view of the limited investment represented by an RSF and the fact that all the information in the FDIC's possession indicates that consumers are of the opinion that RSFs are a convenient and desirable banking service, the FDIC is proposing that its existing regulation concerning the establishment and relocation of RSFs be revised to lessen the application and notice requirements which an institution must satisfy before it may establish or relocate an RSF. Furthermore, unlike the existing regulation, the proposal sets forth even more streamlined procedures for banks with Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) ratings of satisfactory or better. Specifically, the proposal revises Sec. 303.2(c) of the FDIC's regulations to provide that a state nonmember bank or an insured state- licensed branch of a foreign bank whose most recent CRA rating is Satisfactory or better may establish and operate or relocate an RSF by filing a letter with the appropriate FDIC regional director. The letter shall contain the location of the RSF and either a representation that the site is not included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places or written verification that in the opinion of the appropriate state historic preservation officer the establishment or relocation of the RSF will have no adverse effect on a historic site. Unless the institution is notified otherwise by the FDIC within seven days of receipt of the letter, the institution may establish or relocate the RSF. The FDIC is proposing that the existing public notice requirements be dispensed with in this case. See proposed Sec. 303.2(c)(2). However, if the institution cannot make such representations concerning compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq., it shall proceed pursuant to Sec. 303.2(c)(3). In the event that the state nonmember bank or insured state- licensed branch's most recent CRA rating is not Satisfactory or better, proposed Sec. 303.2(c)(3) provides that the institution shall file the letter described in Sec. 303.2(c)(2) of the proposal and comply with the existing notice provisions of Sec. 303.6(f). Unless the institution is notified otherwise within fifteen days after completion of processing of the letter, the institution may establish or relocate the RSF. In the event that a protest is filed or other objection is taken, the institution may not proceed until the FDIC provides written notice of its approval. The remaining proposed revisions are to Sec. 303.6 (a) and (f) of the FDIC's regulations. They are technical in nature in order to conform these sections, which concern application procedures and public notices of application filings, to the new procedures set forth in proposed Sec. 303.2. First, the proposal revises Sec. 303.6(a) (2) and (3) to take into account the different procedures set forth in Sec. 303.2(c) for institutions with CRA ratings of Satisfactory or better as opposed to institutions with CRA ratings of less than Satisfactory. Second, the heading of Sec. 303.6(f)(1)(A) would be revised under the proposal to make it clear that section applies to applications to establish an RSF. Third, the proposal amends Sec. 303.6(f)(2) to delete any reference to remote service facilities. This is being proposed in order to conform this section of the regulation with the proposed revision to Sec. 303.6(a) which deletes the publication requirement for applicants with CRA ratings of satisfactory or better. The Board is of the opinion that this is a sensible proposal which will substantially reduce the regulatory burden imposed on state nonmember banks and insured state-licensed branches of foreign banks that desire to establish or relocate an RSF without adversely affecting the FDIC's ability to assure the safety and soundness of the insured financial institutions it regulates or its responsibilities under the CRA. The Board also requests comment on whether the proposal should treat different types of RSFs differently, i.e., an RSF which caters exclusively to one bank's customers as opposed to a shared RSF which is utilized by customers of many banks. List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 303 Administrative practice and procedure, Authority delegations (Government agencies), Bank deposit insurance, Banks, banking, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Savings associations. For the reasons set forth in the preamble, the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation hereby proposes to amend part 303 of title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows: PART 303--APPLICATIONS, REQUESTS, SUBMITTALS, DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY, AND NOTICES REQUIRED TO BE FILED BY STATUTE OR REGULATION 1. The authority citation for part 303 continues to read as follows: Authority: 12 U.S.C. 378, 1813, 1815, 1816, 1817(a)(2)(b), 1817(j), 1818, 1819 (``Seventh'', ``Eighth'' and ``Tenth''), 1828, 1831e, 1831o, 1831p-1(a); 15 U.S.C. 1607. 2. In Sec. 303.2, paragraph (a) introductory text is amended by removing the second parenthetical in the first sentence, the parentheticals in the second and third sentences, and by removing ``, relocate a remote service facility'' and ``other than a remote service facility'' from the fourth sentence, and paragraph (c) is revised to read as follows: Sec. 303.2 Applications by insured state nonmember bank to establish a branch, move its main office or relocate a branch. * * * * * (c) Special procedures for remote service facilities. (1) For purposes of this section, establishing means owning or leasing a remote service facility either individually or jointly. (2) An insured state nonmember bank or an insured state-licensed branch of a foreign bank whose most recent Community Reinvestment Act rating is Satisfactory or better and who desires to establish and operate or relocate a remote service facility (RSF) shall file a letter with the appropriate regional director. The letter shall contain the exact location of the proposed or relocated RSF, including street address (unless one has not been assigned to the location), and either a representation that the site of the proposed or relocated RSF is not included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places or written verification that in the opinion of the appropriate state historic preservation officer the establishment or relocation of the RSF will have no adverse effect on a historic site. Unless the institution is notified otherwise by the FDIC within seven days of receipt of the letter, the institution may establish and operate or relocate the RSF. In the event that the institution cannot represent in good faith that the site of the proposed or relocated RSF is not included in or eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places or evidence that written verification has been obtained from the appropriate state historic preservation officer, the institution shall proceed pursuant to paragraph (c)(3) of this section. (3) An insured state nonmember bank or an insured state-licensed branch of a foreign bank whose most recent Community Reinvestment Act rating is not Satisfactory or better and who desires to establish and operate or relocate an RSF shall file the letter described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section and comply with the notice provisions of Sec. 303.6(f). Unless the institution is notified otherwise by the FDIC within 15 days after completion of processing of the letter, the institution may establish and operate or relocate the RSF; provided however, that in the event that a protest is filed with the FDIC or other objection is taken prior to completion of processing the letter, the institution shall not establish and operate or relocate the RSF until the FDIC provides written notice of its approval. 3. Section 303.6 is amended by revising paragraphs (a)(2), (a)(3), the heading of paragraph (f)(1)(ii)(A), and paragraph (f)(2) to read as follows: Sec. 303.6 Application procedures. (a) * * * (2) Applications by insured state nonmember banks to establish branches, including applications to establish remote service facilities by banks whose most recent Community Reinvestment Act rating is not Satisfactory or better or who cannot represent compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act; (3) Applications by insured state nonmember banks to move their main office or relocate their branch offices, including applications to relocate remote service facilities by banks whose most recent Community Reinvestment Act rating is not Satisfactory or better or who cannot represent compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act; * * * * * (f) * * * (1) * * * (ii) * * * (A) Applications to establish a branch, including a remote service facility. * * * * * * * * (2) Notice by posting. In the case of applications to move a main office or relocate a branch, in addition to the notice by publication described in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, notice of the publication shall be posted in the public lobby of the office(s) to be moved or relocated, if such public lobby exists, for at least 21 days beginning with the date of the last published notice required by paragraph (f)(1) of this section for applications to move a main office; and for at least 15 days beginning with the date of the publication notice required by paragraph (f)(1) of this section for applications to relocate a branch. * * * * * By order of the Board of Directors. Dated at Washington, DC, this 12th day of April, 1994. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Robert E. Feldman, Acting Executive Secretary. [FR Doc. 94-9580 Filed 4-25-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6714-01-P