98-28879. Management Official Interlocks  

  • [Federal Register Volume 63, Number 209 (Thursday, October 29, 1998)]
    [Proposed Rules]
    [Pages 57945-57950]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 98-28879]
    
    
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    NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION
    
    12 CFR Part 711
    
    
    Management Official Interlocks
    
    AGENCY: National Credit Union Administration.
    
    ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
    
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    SUMMARY: The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) proposes to 
    revise its rule regarding management interlocks. The proposal conforms 
    the interlocks rule to recent statutory changes, and was drafted 
    through a coordinated effort among the following other federal 
    financial regulatory agencies; the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); 
    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board); Federal 
    Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); and Office of Thrift Supervision
    
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    (OTS). The proposal also modernizes and clarifies the rule, and reduces 
    unnecessary regulatory burdens where feasible, consistent with 
    statutory requirements.
    
    DATES: Comments must be received on or before January 27, 1999.
    
    ADDRESSES: Direct comments to Becky Baker, Secretary of the Board. Mail 
    or hand-deliver comments to: National Credit Union Administration, 1775 
    Duke Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3428. Fax comments to (703) 
    518-6319. E-mail comments to boardmail@ncua.gov. Please send comments 
    by one method only.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dianne M. Salva, Staff Attorney, 
    Division of Operations, Office of General Counsel, at the above address 
    or telephone: (703) 518-6540.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    I. Background
    
        The Depository Institution Management Interlocks Act (12 U.S.C. 
    3201-3208) (the Interlocks Act) generally prohibits financial 
    institution management officials from serving simultaneously with two 
    unaffiliated depository institutions or their holding companies 
    (depository organizations). The Interlocks Act exempts interlocking 
    arrangements between credit unions and, therefore, in the case of 
    credit unions, only restricts interlocks between credit unions and 
    other institutions--banks and thrifts and their holding companies.
        The scope of the prohibition depends on the size and location of 
    the involved organizations. For instance, the Interlocks Act prohibits 
    unaffiliated depository organizations, regardless of size, from 
    establishing an interlock if both organizations have an office in the 
    same community (the community prohibition). Unaffiliated depository 
    organizations may not form an interlock if both organizations have 
    total assets of $20 million or more and are located in the same 
    Relevant Metropolitan Statistical Area (RMSA) (the RMSA prohibition). 
    The Interlocks Act also prohibits unaffiliated depository 
    organizations, regardless of location, from establishing an interlock 
    if each organization has total assets exceeding specified thresholds 
    (the major assets prohibition).
        Section 2210 of the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork 
    Reduction Act of 1996 (EGRPR Act) amended Secs. 204, 206, and 209 of 
    the Interlocks Act (12 U.S.C. 3203, 3205 and 3207).\1\
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        \1\ The OCC, the Board, the FDIC, and the OTS, (collectively, 
    the Agencies) have recently proposed rules similar to NCUA to 
    implement the EGRPR Act. 63 FR 43052 (August 11, 1998).
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        Section 2210(a) of EGRPR Act amended the Interlocks Act by changing 
    the thresholds for the major assets prohibition under 12 U.S.C. 3203. 
    Prior to the EGRPR Act, management officials of depository 
    organizations with total assets exceeding $1 billion were prohibited 
    from serving as management officials of unaffiliated depository 
    organizations with assets exceeding $500 million, regardless of the 
    location of the organizations or their depository institution 
    affiliates.\2\ The EGRPR Act raised the thresholds to $2.5 billion and 
    $1.5 billion, respectively. The revision also authorized NCUA to adjust 
    the thresholds by regulation, as necessary to allow for inflation or 
    market conditions.
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        \2\ The Agencies, and NCUAA, define ``total assets'' of 
    diversified savings and loan holding companies and bank holding 
    companies exempt from Sec. 4 of the Bank Holding Company Act to 
    include only the assets of their depository institution affiliates. 
    See 12 CFR 26.2(r), 212.2(q), 348.2(q), 711.2(r), and 563f.2(r).
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        Section 2210(b) of the EGRPR Act permanently extended the 
    grandfather and diversified savings and loan holding company exemptions 
    in 12 U.S.C. 3205. Prior to the EGRPR Act, these exemptions were 
    subject to a 20-year time limit beginning November 10, 1978. The EGRPR 
    Act amended Sec. 3205(a) to permit persons who began dual service as 
    management officials of more than one depository organization before 
    November 10, 1978, to continue such service indefinitely. Similarly, 
    Sec. 3205(b) was amended to permit a person who serves as a management 
    official of a depository organization and of a company that is not a 
    depository holding company to continue to serve as an official of both 
    entities indefinitely if the non-depository organization becomes a 
    diversified savings and loan holding company. The EGRPR Act also 
    repealed Sec. 3205(c). That provision, which mandated agency review of 
    grandfathered interlocks before March 1995, became outdated.
        The EGRPR Act also amended 12 U.S.C. 3207 to provide that NCUA may 
    adopt ``regulations that permit service by a management official that 
    would otherwise be prohibited by [the community, RMSA, or major assets 
    prohibitions], if such service would not result in a monopoly or 
    substantial lessening of competition.'' This change repealed the 
    specific ``regulatory standards'' and ``management consignment'' 
    exemptions added by the Riegle Community Development and Regulatory 
    Improvement Act of 1994 (CDRI Act),\3\ and restored the NCUA's broad 
    authority to create regulatory exemptions to the statutory prohibitions 
    on interlocks.
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        \3\ NCUA adopted final regulations implementing the management 
    interlocks provision of CDRI Act, effective October 1, 1996. See 61 
    FR 50702 (September 27, 1996). The Agencies also adopted final 
    regulations implementing the management interlocks provisions of the 
    CDRI Act, effective October 1, 1996. See 61 FR 40293 (August 2, 
    1996).
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    II. Discussion of Proposed Regulations
    
        The proposal reflects these statutory changes. This proposal also 
    renews an earlier proposal for a small market share exemption that had 
    been advanced by the FRB, OCC and FDIC before enactment of the CDRI 
    Act. NCUA invites comments on all aspects of this proposal.
    
    A. Definitions
    
        Current NCUA regulations define key terms implementing the 
    Interlocks Act. A number of these definitions were added or revised in 
    1996 to implement the CDRI Act. With the repeal of the specific 
    exemptive standards in the CDRI Act, two of these definitions have 
    become unnecessary and would be removed.
    Anticompetitive Effect
        The current rule defines ``anticompetitive effect'' as a ``monopoly 
    or substantial lessening of competition.'' Under the new statutory 
    scheme, the substance of this definition is the sole criterion for 
    gauging whether to grant an exemption under NCUA's general exemptive 
    authority. Because the proposed regulations would employ this phrase in 
    only one provision, a separate definition is unnecessary.
    Critical
        The current regulations use the term ``critical'' in connection 
    with the Regulatory Standards exemption created by the CDRI Act. Since 
    the EGRPR Act eliminates the Regulatory Standards exemption, a 
    regulatory definition of ``critical'' is unnecessary.
    
    B. Major Assets Prohibition
    
        Prior to the EGRPR Act, a management official of a depository 
    organization (or its affiliates) having total assets exceeding $1 
    billion could not serve as a management official of any depository 
    organization with total assets exceeding $500 million (or its 
    affiliates) regardless of location. The EGRPR Act revised the asset 
    thresholds for the major assets prohibition from $1 billion and $500 
    million to $2.5 billion and $1.5 billion, respectively. The legislation 
    also authorized the NCUA to adjust the threshold from time to time to 
    reflect inflation or market changes.
    
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        The proposal would amend the regulations to reflect the new 
    threshold amounts and add a mechanism providing for periodic 
    adjustments of the thresholds. The adjustment would be based on changes 
    in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers 
    (the Consumer Price Index). In years when changes in the Consumer Price 
    Index would change the thresholds by more than $100 million, NCUA will 
    announce the change by notice published in the Federal Register in 
    December. NCUA also invites comment on the types of market changes that 
    may warrant subsequent adjustments to the major assets prohibition.
    
    C. Regulatory Standards and Management Consignment Exemptions
    
        The current regulations contain Regulatory Standards and Management 
    Consignment exemptions, which were predicated on Sec. 3207 of the CDRI 
    Act. The EGRPR Act removed the exemptions from the Interlocks Act and 
    substituted a general authority for NCUA to create exemptions by 
    regulation. Accordingly, these regulatory exemptions would be removed 
    by the proposed rule.
    
    D. General Exemptive Authority
    
        Section 2210(c) of the EGRPR Act authorizes NCUA to adopt 
    regulations permitting service by a management official that would 
    otherwise be prohibited by the Interlocks Act, if such service would 
    not result in ``a monopoly or substantial lessening of competition.'' 
    To implement this authority, NCUA is proposing to exempt otherwise 
    prohibited management interlocks where the dual service would not 
    result in a monopoly or substantial lessening of competition and would 
    not otherwise threaten safety and soundness. The process for obtaining 
    such exemptions will be set out in an NCUA directive to credit unions.
        Since 1979, when regulations implementing the Interlocks Act were 
    first promulgated, NCUA has recognized that interlocks involving 
    certain classes of depository organizations present a reduced risk to 
    competition, and that, by enlarging the pool of management available to 
    such organizations, competition could be enhanced. Thus, in the initial 
    interlocks rules published in 1979, NCUA reserved the authority to 
    permit interlocks to strengthen newly-chartered organizations, troubled 
    organizations, organizations in low- or moderate-income areas and 
    organizations controlled or managed by minorities or women. The 
    authority to permit interlocks in such circumstances was deemed 
    ``necessary for the promotion of competition over the long term.'' See 
    44 FR 42161, 42165 (July 19, 1979). Prior to the CDRI Act, these 
    exemptions were granted to meet the need for qualified management. The 
    Management Consignment exemption under the CDRI Act was generally 
    available to the same four classes of organizations, but on a more 
    limited basis.
        With the EGRPR Act's restoration of the broad exemptive authority 
    under the Interlocks Act, NCUA again has authority to grant exemptions 
    that will not adversely affect competition. NCUA believes that 
    interlocks involving the four classes of organizations previously 
    identified may provide management expertise needed to enhance the 
    ability of the organizations to compete. Accordingly, NCUA proposes to 
    establish a rebuttable presumption that an interlock would not result 
    in a monopoly or substantial lessening of competition, if: (1) the 
    depository organization is located in, and primarily serves, low- or 
    moderate-income areas; (2) the depository organization is controlled or 
    managed by members of a minority group or women; (3) the depository 
    institution is newly-chartered; or (4) the depository institution, or 
    in the case of a depository organization, a depository institution 
    under its control, is deemed to be in ``troubled condition'' under 
    regulations implementing Sec. 914 of the Financial Institutions Reform, 
    Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA) (12 U.S.C. 1831i).
        A claim that factors exist giving rise to a presumption does not 
    preclude NCUA from denying a request for an exemption if NCUA finds, 
    based on available materials, that the presumption is rebutted. That 
    is, an exemption request may be denied if NCUA determines that the 
    interlock would result in a monopoly or substantial lessening of 
    competition. The presumptions are designed to provide greater 
    flexibility to classes of organizations that may have greater need for 
    seasoned management, but the presumptions are rebuttable because NCUA 
    recognizes that such needs can only be met in a manner that is 
    consistent with the statute.
        The definitions of ``area median income'' and ``low- and moderate-
    income areas'' added to the regulations in 1996 to implement the CDRI 
    Act amendments are being retained to provide guidance as to when an 
    organization would qualify for one of the presumptions. Interlocks that 
    are based on the presence of a rebuttable presumption would be allowed 
    to continue for three years, unless otherwise provided in the approval 
    order. Nothing in the proposed rule would prevent an organization from 
    applying for an extension of an interlock exemption granted under a 
    presumption if the factors continued to apply. The organizations would 
    also be free to utilize any other exemption that may be available.
        NCUA proposes that any other interlock approved under this section 
    be allowed to continue unless it becomes anticompetitive, unsafe or 
    unsound, or is subject to a condition requiring termination at a 
    specific time.
    
    E. Small Market Share Exemption
    
        In 1994, the OCC, FDIC, and FRB published notices of proposed 
    rulemaking seeking comment on a proposed market share exemption. The 
    proposed exemption would have been available for interlocks involving 
    institutions that, on a combined basis, would control less than 20% of 
    the deposits in a community or relevant MSA. These agencies published 
    small market share exemption proposals pursuant to the broad exemptive 
    authority vested in the agencies prior to the CDRI Act. Because the 
    CDRI Act restricted the agencies' broad rulemaking authority, the OCC, 
    FDIC, and FRB withdrew their proposals.\4\ The broad exemptive 
    authority under the EGRPR Act again authorizes the small market share 
    exemption. Accordingly, NCUA joins the Agencies in renewing the 
    proposal for the small market share exemption.
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        \4\ See OCC, 59 FR 29740 (June 9, 1994), FDIC, 59 FR 18764 
    (April 20, 1994), and FRB, 59 FR 7909 (February 17, 1994) for 
    proposals prior to CDRI Act. Following enactment of the CDRI Act 
    these proposals were withdrawn; 60 FR 67424 (December 29, 1995) for 
    withdrawal by OCC and FRB; and 60 FR 7139 (February 7, 1995) for 
    withdrawal by the FDIC.
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        The Interlocks Act, by discouraging common management among 
    financial institutions, seeks to prevent unaffiliated institutions from 
    having an adverse impact on competition in the products and services 
    they offer. Where depository institutions dominate a large portion of 
    the market, these risks are significant. When a particular market is 
    served by many institutions, however, the risks diminish that 
    depository institutions with interlocking relationships can adversely 
    affect the available products and services available in their markets.
        NCUA believes that the combination of the shares and deposits of 
    two institutions provides a meaningful assessment of the capacity of 
    the two institutions to control credit and related
    
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    services in their market. Accordingly, NCUA proposes to exempt 
    interlocking service involving two unaffiliated depository 
    organizations that together control no more than 20% of the shares and 
    deposits in any RMSA or community, as appropriate. Organizations 
    claiming the exemption would be required to determine the market share 
    in each RMSA and community in which both depository organizations (or 
    affiliates) are located.
        Determination of the relevant market in which to apply the 20% 
    market share standards would be made in accordance with the rules for 
    determining the relevant market under other provisions of NCUA's 
    interlocks regulations. The rules are structured to apply the community 
    prohibition to interlocks between organizations operating within a 
    community and to apply the RMSA prohibition to interlocks between 
    organizations operating within a RMSA. The small market share exemption 
    would not be available for interlocks subject to the major assets 
    prohibition.
        The exemptions would continue to apply as long as the organizations 
    meet the applicable conditions. Any event that causes the level of 
    deposits controlled to exceed 20% of deposits in any RMSA or community, 
    such as expansion or a merger, would be considered to be a change in 
    circumstances. Accordingly, the depository organizations would have 15 
    months, under NCUA's regulation, to address the prohibited interlock by 
    termination or otherwise. The Agency with jurisdiction over the 
    organization may establish a shorter period. Conforming changes 
    relating to termination have been made to NCUA's change of 
    circumstances provisions.
        NCUA believes that the small market share exemption may be 
    considered pro-competitive. The exemption is intended to enlarge the 
    pool of management talent upon which depository institutions may draw, 
    resulting in more competitive, better-managed institutions without 
    causing significant anticompetitive effects.
        No prior NCUA approval would be required in order to claim the 
    proposed small market share exemption. Management is responsible for 
    compliance with the terms of the exemption and for maintaining 
    sufficient supporting documentation. To determine their eligibility for 
    the exemptions, depository organizations would need to obtain 
    appropriate share and deposit data from NCUA and appropriate deposit 
    data from the FDIC. This information is available upon request to the 
    agencies or on the Internet at http://www.ncua.gov or http://
    www.fdic.gov.
        In order to understand the following discussion, it is important to 
    understand that credit unions offer both share accounts and deposit 
    accounts. Federal credit unions may only establish and maintain share 
    accounts for members, except for public unit accounts and certain 
    nonmember deposits at low-income designated credit unions. Some state-
    chartered credit unions may establish and maintain both share accounts 
    and deposit accounts. Differences between share and deposit accounts 
    are discussed in NCUA's Truth in Savings rules, 12 CFR part 707, app. 
    C, comments 707.2(i)1-5 and 707.2(p)1-3. These differences are 
    important in obtaining pertinent information to document the small 
    market share exemption.
        As NCUA does not report total credit union shares or deposits held 
    in federally insured credit unions by RMSA or community, affected 
    depository institutions must create their own custom reports from 
    information on the NCUA Website. Credit union share and deposit 
    information is available under the heading ``Credit Union Data'' on 
    NCUA's first Website page. Entry into the ``Credit Union Data'' icon 
    will lead the user into the ``Custom Reports'' icon. Entry into the 
    ``Custom Reports'' icon will allow the user to collect total share 
    information by city or state by adding the ``total shares-total'' and 
    ``total shares and deposits-total'' of all credit unions listed at that 
    locale. ``Total shares-total'' will capture the share accounts of 
    federal credit unions and federally insured, state-chartered credit 
    unions only accepting share accounts. ``Total shares and deposits-
    total'' will capture the share and deposit accounts of federally 
    insured, state-chartered credit unions accepting both share accounts 
    and deposit accounts. Since NCUA does not provide share and deposit 
    totals by community, RMSA, or branch, each credit union will need to 
    provide a reasonable, good faith estimate as to total credit union 
    shares and deposits in a community, RMSA, or branch. The credit union 
    totals will need to be added to information about bank and thrift 
    deposits obtained from the FDIC, and the percentages calculated and 
    maintained in the credit union's records to act as proof documenting 
    the use of the small market share exemption.
        The most recently available share and deposit data will be used to 
    determine whether organizations are entitled to the exemptions. All 
    credit unions file call report information semi-annually. Credit unions 
    over $50 million in assets report and file call report information 
    quarterly. FDIC publishes its deposit total information annually. A 
    credit union seeking the exception is entitled to rely upon the share 
    and deposit data that has been compiled for the previous year, until 
    more recent data has been distributed.
        NCUA requests comments on all aspects of the proposed small market 
    share exemption. In particular, NCUA requests comments regarding the 
    following issues:
        1. Whether 20 % of the deposits in a community or RMSA is an 
    appropriate limit for the application of the exemptions.
        2. Whether deposit data collected by the FDIC in connection with 
    the Report of Condition and Income and NCUA in connection with the 
    Financial and Statistical Report, NCUA 5300, for federal credit unions, 
    and the Call Report, NCUA 5300S, for federally insured, state chartered 
    credit unions should be used to determine eligibility for the 
    exemptions, and whether alternative sources of information concerning 
    deposit share should be acceptable for determining availability of the 
    exemptions.
        3. Whether calculation of a depository organization's eligibility 
    for exemption from the community prohibition will create undue burdens, 
    and, if so, how the burdens could be reduced (for example, by basing 
    the exemption on the total asset size of the institutions involved).
        4. Whether there is a significant risk that depository 
    organizations would create ``hub and spoke'' interlocks to evade the 
    Interlocks Act, whereby several directors of one depository 
    organization serve as directors of different unaffiliated depository 
    organizations.
    
    Paperwork Reduction Act
    
        NCUA invites comment on:
        (1) Whether the proposed collection of information contained in 
    this notice of proposed rulemaking is necessary for the proper 
    performance of NCUA's functions, including whether the information has 
    practical utility;
        (2) The accuracy of NCUA's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
    information collection;
        (3) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
    information to be collected;
        (4) Ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on 
    respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
    techniques or other forms of information technology; and
    
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        (5) Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, 
    minutes, and purchase of services to provide information.
        The collection of information requirements contained in this notice 
    of proposed rulemaking have been submitted to the Office of Management 
    and Budget for review in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
    1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)). Organizations and individuals desiring to 
    submit comments on the information collection requirements should 
    direct them to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, 
    Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503; 
    Attention: Alex Hunt, Desk Officer for NCUA. Comments must also be sent 
    to NCUA, 1775 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-3428; Attention: James 
    L. Baylen, Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, Telephone No. (703) 
    518-6410; Fax No. (703) 518-6433; E-Mail Address: [email protected] All 
    comments submitted in response to these proposed regulations will be 
    available for public inspection, during and after the comment period, 
    at NCUA's Central Office, 6th Floor, Law Library, 1775 Duke Street, 
    Alexandria, VA between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through 
    Friday of each week except federal holidays, and by appointment through 
    the Law Librarian at (703) 518-6540.
        The collection of information requirements in this proposed rule 
    are found in 12 CFR 711.4(h)(1)(i), 711.5(a)(1), 711.5(a)(2), 711.5(b), 
    711.6(a), and 711.6(c). This information is required to evidence 
    compliance with the requirements of the Interlocks Act by federal 
    credit unions and federally insured, state-chartered credit unions. The 
    likely respondents are federal credit unions and federally insured, 
    state-chartered credit unions.
        In the past several years, NCUA has received approximately one 
    management interlock application each year. The following estimates are 
    provided:
        Estimated average annual burden hours per respondent: 3 hours.
        Estimated number of respondents: 1.
        Start-up costs to respondents: None.
        NCUA may not conduct or sponsor, and an organization is not 
    required to respond to, these information collections unless they 
    display currently valid OMB control numbers.
        No issues of confidentiality under the provisions of the Freedom of 
    Information Act normally arise for the applications.
    
    Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) 
    (5 U.S.C. 605(b)), NCUA hereby certifies that this proposed rule will 
    not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
    entities. NCUA expects that this proposal will not: (1) have 
    significant secondary or incidental effects on a substantial number of 
    small entities; or (2) create any additional burden on small entities. 
    These conclusions are based on the fact that the proposed regulations 
    relax the criteria for obtaining an exemption from the interlocks 
    prohibitions, and specifically address the needs of small entities by 
    creating the small market share exemption. Accordingly, a regulatory 
    flexibility analysis is not required.
    
    Executive Order 12866
    
        The NCUA Board has determined that this proposal is not a 
    significant regulatory action under Executive Order 12866.
    
    Executive Order 12612
    
        Executive Order 12612 requires NCUA to consider the effect of its 
    actions on state interests. The proposed rule would, as does the 
    current rule, apply to all federally insured credit unions, including 
    federally insured state-chartered credit unions. However, since the 
    proposed rule reduces regulatory burdens, NCUA has determined that the 
    proposed rule does not constitute a ``significant regulatory action'' 
    for purposes of the Executive Order. NCUA welcomes comment on means and 
    methods to coordinate with the state credit union supervisors regarding 
    achievement of shared goals involving viability, flexibility, parity, 
    conformity, and safety and soundness regarding management interlocks.
    
    List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 711
    
        Antitrust, Credit unions, Holding companies, Management official 
    interlocks.
    
        By the National Credit Union Administration Board on October 22, 
    1998.
    Becky Baker,
    Secretary of the Board.
    
        For the reasons set out in the preamble, the NCUA proposes to amend 
    part 711 of chapter VII of title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
    to read as follows:
    
    PART 711--MANAGEMENT OFFICIAL INTERLOCKS
    
        1. The authority citation for part 711 continues to read as 
    follows:
    
        Authority: 12 U.S.C. 3201-3208.
    
    
    Sec. 711.2  [Amended]
    
        1. Section 711.2 is amended by removing paragraphs (b) and (f) and 
    redesignating paragraphs (c) through (s) as paragraphs (b) through (q), 
    respectively.
        2. Section 711.3 is amended by revising paragraph (c) to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 711.3  Prohibitions.
    
     * * * * *
        (c) Major assets. A management official of a depository 
    organization with total assets exceeding $2.5 billion (or any affiliate 
    thereof) may not serve at the same time as a management official of an 
    unaffiliated depository organization with total assets exceeding $1.5 
    billion (or any affiliate thereof), regardless of the location of the 
    two depository organizations. The NCUA will adjust these thresholds, as 
    necessary, based on year-to-year change in the average of the Consumer 
    Price Index for the Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, not 
    seasonally adjusted, with rounding to the nearest $100 million. The 
    NCUA will announce the revised thresholds by publishing a notice in the 
    Federal Register.
        3. Section 711.5 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 711.5  Small market share exemption.
    
        (a) Exemption. A management interlock that is prohibited by 
    Sec. 711.3(a) or Sec. 711.3(b) is permissible, provided:
        (1) The interlock is not prohibited by Sec. 711.3(c); and
        (2) The depository organizations (and their depository institution 
    affiliates) hold, in the aggregate, no more than 20% of the deposits, 
    in each RMSA or community in which the depository organizations (or 
    their depository institution affiliates) are located. The amount of 
    shares or deposits will be determined by reference to the most recent 
    annual Summary of Deposits published by the FDIC or in information 
    provided by NCUA for the RMSA or community. This information is 
    available on the Internet at http://www.ncua.gov or http://
    www.fdic.gov.
        (b) Confirmation and records. Each depository organization must 
    maintain records sufficient to support its determination of eligibility 
    for the exemption under paragraph (a) of this section, and must 
    reconfirm that determination on an annual basis.
        4. Section 711.6 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 711.6  General exemption.
    
        (a) Exemption. NCUA may, by agency order issued following receipt 
    of an application, exempt an interlock from
    
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    the prohibitions in Sec. 711.3, if NCUA finds that the interlock would 
    not result in a monopoly or substantial lessening of competition, and 
    would not present other safety and soundness concerns.
        (b) Presumptions. In reviewing applications for an exemption under 
    this section, NCUA will apply a rebuttable presumption that an 
    interlock will not result in a monopoly or substantial lessening of 
    competition if the depository organization seeking to add a management 
    official:
        (1) Primarily serves, low-and moderate-income areas;
        (2) Is controlled or managed by persons who are members of a 
    minority group or women;
        (3) Is a depository institution that has been chartered for less 
    than two years; or
        (4) Is deemed to be in ``troubled condition'' as defined in 
    Sec. 701.14(b)(3) of this chapter.
        (c) Duration. Unless a shorter expiration period is provided in the 
    NCUA approval, an exemption permitted by paragraph (a) of this section 
    may continue so long as it would not result in a monopoly or 
    substantial lessening of competition, or be unsafe or unsound. If the 
    NCUA grants an interlock exemption in reliance upon a presumption under 
    paragraph (b) of this section, the interlock may continue for three 
    years, unless otherwise provided in the approval.
        5. Section 711.7 is amended by revising paragraph (a) to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 711.7  Change in circumstances.
    
        (a) Termination. A management official shall terminate his or her 
    service if a change in circumstances causes the service to become 
    prohibited. A change in circumstances may include, but is not limited 
    to, an increase in asset size of an organization, a change in the 
    delineation of the RMSA or community, the establishment of an office, 
    an increase in the aggregate deposits of the depository organization, 
    or an acquisition, merger, consolidation, or reorganization of the 
    ownership structure of a depository organization that causes a 
    previously permissible interlock to become prohibited.
    * * * * *
    [FR Doc. 98-28879 Filed 10-28-98; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 7535-01-U
    
    
    

Document Information

Published:
10/29/1998
Department:
National Credit Union Administration
Entry Type:
Proposed Rule
Action:
Notice of proposed rulemaking.
Document Number:
98-28879
Dates:
Comments must be received on or before January 27, 1999.
Pages:
57945-57950 (6 pages)
PDF File:
98-28879.pdf
CFR: (8)
12 CFR 711.3(a)
12 CFR 701.14(b)(3)
12 CFR 3205(b)
12 CFR 711.2
12 CFR 711.3
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