§ 45-2-1602 — Examination of banks

(a) (1) The commissioner shall, either personally or by competent examiner appointed by the commissioner, visit and examine every bank subject to the commissioner's supervision at least once in each year. The commissioner has discretion to determine the scope of the examination; provided, that a full-scope examination, as set out in subsection (b), shall be conducted by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee at least once in every three (3) years. The commissioner has discretion to accept, in any calendar year, all or part of an examination report of a federal banking regulatory agency conducted of a state bank in that year. (2) The provision of subdivision (a)(1) requiring an examination at least once in each year may be extended to eighteen (18) months; provided, that the bank meets the criteria applicable to the examination cycle imposed on federally insured depository institutions in Section 10(d) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ( 12 U.S.C. § 1820(d) ). (3) The commissioner shall examine a state trust company at least once in an eighteen-month period, except that the commissioner may extend this examination cycle up to an additional eighteen (18) months. In making this determination, the commissioner may consider the state trust company's quality of management, capitalization, risk profile and any other factors the commissioner deems relevant. In no event may a state trust company's examination cycle be extended if the company did not receive a composite rating of one (1) or two (2) at its last examination. (b) On every examination, inquiry shall be made as to the condition and resources of the bank, the mode of conducting and managing the affairs of the bank, the action of its directors, the investment of the funds of the bank, the safety and prudence of the management of the bank, and whether the requirements of its charter and law have been complied with in the administration of the affairs of the bank, and as to any matters that the commissioner uniformly prescribes. (c) In addition, the commissioner has the power, and it is the commissioner's duty in like manner, to examine or cause to be examined into the affairs of every bank whenever, in the judgment of the commissioner, the management and condition of the bank are such as to render an examination of its affairs necessary or expedient, or whenever, in the opinion of the commissioner, the interest of the public demands an examination. (d) The commissioner also has the power to examine, or cause to be examined, every agency located in this state of any foreign bank or banking corporation, in the manner and for the same purpose that the commissioner shall examine domestic banks. (e) The commissioner also has the power to examine or cause to be examined subsidiary corporations of banks subject to the commissioner's supervision. (f) The commissioner, and every examiner acting under or appointed by the commissioner, has the power and authority to administer oaths and to examine under oath any person whose testimony may be required on the examination of any bank, or on the examination of any agency of any foreign bank or banking corporation, or on examination of any subsidiary of any bank subject to the commissioner's supervision, and has the authority and power to compel the appearance and attendance of the person for the purpose of the examination. (g) Any stockholder in any incorporated bank, any corporation doing a banking business, or any person interested in a firm or individual bank may call upon the commissioner, at any time, to make an examination of the bank in which the stockholder, corporation or person is interested, which examination the commissioner, either in person or by an examiner, may or may not make, in the exercise of discretion, upon the one making the request depositing with the commissioner in advance a sum sufficient to cover the cost of the examination. (h) (1) Each examiner shall act under the direction of the commissioner, and shall forthwith examine fully into the books, papers, and affairs of the bank that the examiner may be directed by the commissioner to examine. (2) The commissioner shall furnish to each examiner a commission under the signature of the commissioner and official seal of the department, which commission the examiner shall exhibit to the officer or officers of the bank proposed to be examined as the examiner's authority for making the examination. (3) Each examiner shall report on oath to the commissioner the result of each examination made by the examiner, which report the commissioner shall keep on file in the commissioner's office; and when the commissioner in person makes an examination of the affairs of any bank, the commissioner shall in like manner make out a report under oath of the result of the examination, and the same shall be kept on file in the office of the commissioner, and a duplicate copy furnished the bank examined. (i) In the discretion of the commissioner, a state bank may be notified in advance that an examination is about to commence in order to afford the bank an opportunity to prepare reports or other information requested by the commissioner. In the discretion of the commissioner, a state bank may be examined at any time without prior notice to the bank. (j) The commissioner has the power to review the operations of any location engaging in activities as principal or on behalf of a state or out-of-state trust institution or any other company to determine if the location is engaging in unauthorized trust activity.

Legislative History

Amended by 2014 Tenn. Acts, ch. 642,s 2, eff. 7/1/2014. Acts 1969, ch. 36, § 1 (2.202); 1973, ch. 294, § 6; 1978, ch. 563, §§ 1, 2; T.C.A., § 45-702; Acts 1980, ch. 540, § 1; 1987, ch. 165, § 1; 1993, ch. 31, § 1; 1996, ch. 768, § 25; 1997, ch. 9, § 1; 1999, ch. 112, § 16.