RS 6:646

§646. Supervision by commissioner; suspension or revocation of charter; liquidation; reports; examination fees A.(1)(a) Credit unions are under the supervision of the commissioner. The commissioner may prescribe rules and regulations for the administration of this Chapter and for the administration of a state share insurance corporation, including but not by way of limitation the merger, consolidation, or dissolution of corporations organized under this Chapter. (b) Any central or corporate credit union chartered under this Chapter shall be subject to such rules, regulations, and orders as the commissioner deems appropriate and, except as otherwise specifically provided in such rules, regulations, or orders, shall be vested with or subject to the same rights, privileges, duties and restrictions, penalties, liabilities, conditions, and limitations that would apply to all credit unions organized under this Chapter. The commissioner may approve bylaws that he deems appropriate to a corporate or central credit union. (2)(a) The Commissioner shall approve the merger or consolidation of credit unions organized under this Chapter or converted from federal credit unions to a credit union under this Chapter if in conformity with this Chapter, and if satisfied that the proposed field of membership for the merging or consolidating credit unions is favorable to the success of the proposed merger or consolidation. The commissioner shall thereupon issue to the proposed merging or consolidating credit unions a certificate of approval. (b) The commissioner in granting approval to mergers, consolidations, or expansion of the field of membership shall give consideration to the following: locale of domicile, access to credit union facilities, and whether the proposed merger, consolidation, or expansion of the field of membership is favorable to the success of the credit union. (3) Repealed by Acts 2003, No. 362, §2, eff. June 18, 2003. (4)(a) Mergers must be approved by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the merging credit union who vote on the proposal and by the board of directors of the continuing credit union. Such membership vote on the merger may be conducted by mail balloting. (b) Written notice of any annual or special meeting of the members of the merging credit union shall be sent to each member at the address reflected in the credit union's records at least ten days prior to such meeting. (5) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraphs (2) and (3) of this Subsection, the commissioner may approve a merger or consolidation of credit unions without membership approval when the merging credit union is insolvent, or in danger of insolvency, as determined by the commissioner. B.(1) The commissioner may suspend or revoke the charter of any credit union under his supervision, or place the same in involuntary liquidation and appoint a liquidating agent therefor, upon his finding that the organization is bankrupt or insolvent or has violated any provisions of its charter, its bylaws, or of this Chapter, or of any regulations issued thereunder. (2) Each credit union shall file quarterly financial reports with the commissioner in a manner and form prescribed by the commissioner. Any credit union failing to file such financial reports postmarked by the required due dates may be fined not more than fifty dollars for each day the report remains unfiled. (3) Each credit union shall be subject to examination by the commissioner or his authorized deputy on a recurring schedule consonant with the resources of the office and in accordance with good examination practice. The commissioner may order other examinations as necessary, and shall at all times be given free access to all the books, papers, securities, and other sources of information with respect to the credit union. For that purpose he may, personally or through his duly authorized deputies, subpoena and examine witnesses under oath about documents pertaining to the business of credit unions. (4) Repealed by Acts 1993, No. 278, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1994. (5) The commissioner may, by rule, establish a fee schedule for the examination of a corporate credit union. C. If a credit union neglects for fifteen days to make the required reports or to pay the charges required, including penalties for delay in filing reports, the commissioner shall notify the credit union of his intention to revoke the certificate of approval. If the neglect or failure continues for another fifteen days or if the credit union violates any of the provisions of this Chapter, the commissioner may revoke the certificate of approval and personally or through one of his deputies, shall take possession of the business of the credit union and retain possession until such time as he may permit it to resume business or until its affairs are finally liquidated. D. If it appears to the commissioner that a credit union has violated any of the provisions of this Chapter, he may by an order made over his hand and official seal after a hearing or an opportunity for hearing has been given the credit union, direct the credit union to discontinue its illegal methods and practices. If a credit union is insolvent or has within a reasonable time failed to comply with any order mailed to the last address filed by the credit union with the commissioner, he shall immediately or within a reasonable time thereafter take possession of the business and property of the credit union and retain possession until such time as he may permit it to resume business or until its affairs are finally liquidated. E. The commissioner shall prescribe rules and regulations specifying the period of time a credit union must retain its records and permitting a credit union to destroy records after the time required by such regulations has expired. Acts 1993, No. 278, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1994; Acts 1993, No. 583, §1; Acts 1997, No. 234, §1; Acts 1999, No. 703, §1, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 887, §1, eff. June 26, 2001; Acts 2003, No. 362, §§1 and 2, eff. June 18, 2003.