South Carolina § 34-1-180 - Requirements for board to approve a charter for proposed bank.

§ 34-1-180. Requirements for board to approve a charter for proposed bank.

(A) The board may approve a charter for a proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank only when the board determines that all of the following requirements have been satisfied or are reasonably probable to be satisfied within a reasonable period of time specified by the board in the order of approval:

(1) The proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank has solicited or will solicit subscriptions for purchases of shares sufficient to provide an amount of required capital satisfactory to the board for the commencement of the business of banking.

(2) All prior public solicitations for purchases of shares and all future solicitations will be solicited with appropriate disclosure, taking into account all the circumstances of the public solicitation, including a prominent statement in any solicitation document to the effect that the solicitation has not been approved by the board and that a representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

(3) All payments for purchases of shares in a bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank in organization are made in United States currency.

(4) The proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank has an operational expense fund from which to pay organizational expenses, in an amount determined by the board to be sufficient for the safe and sound operation of the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank while the charter application is pending.

(5) The proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank has been formed for legitimate and lawful business purposes.

(6) The character, competence, and experience of the organizers, proposed directors, proposed officers, and initial holders of more than ten percent of the voting securities of the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank will command the confidence of the public.

(7) The proposed officers and directors, as a group, have degrees of character, competence, and experience sufficient to justify a belief that the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank is free from improper or unlawful influence and otherwise will operate safely, soundly, and in compliance with law.

(8) The anticipated volume and nature of business of the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank projected in the application are reasonable and indicate a reasonable probability of safe, sound, and profitable operation of the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank.

(9) If the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank intends to conduct 'trust business', trust powers should be granted based on consideration of the various factors set forth in Chapter 21, Title 34 for considering applications and setting capital for a trust institution.

(B) The board's determination that the requirements described in subsection (A) are reasonably probable of satisfaction may be based on partial satisfaction of the requirements at a level set by the board as a prerequisite for approval of the charter, and also may be based on presentation of a plan for the full satisfaction of the requirements.

(C) If the board determines that the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank has satisfied or is reasonably probable to satisfy the requirements for issuance of a charter, the board shall issue an order approving the application for a charter. The board may, in the order approving the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank's charter, impose other reasonable conditions or restrictions upon the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank or the new bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank, consistent with this chapter.

(D) If the board determines that the proposed bank, building and loan association, savings and loan association, or savings bank has not satisfied and is not reasonably probable of satisfying the requirements for issuance of a charter or if the board determines that the application to establish a branch does not meet the requirements, the board shall issue an order denying approval of the application, pending a request for a hearing by the applicant. The applicant may, within ten days of issuance of the order, give notice of appeal of this decision to the board.

HISTORY: 2021 Act No. 30 (S.467), SECTION 1, eff May 6, 2021.