SB2023eng 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SB2023 Engrossed LRB101 09588 JRG 54686 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Banking Act is amended by changing Section 48 as follows:

(205 ILCS 5/48)

Sec. 48. Secretary's powers; duties. The Secretary shall have the powers and authority, and is charged with the duties and responsibilities designated in this Act, and a State bank shall not be subject to any other visitorial power other than as authorized by this Act, except those vested in the courts, or upon prior consultation with the Secretary, a foreign bank regulator with an appropriate supervisory interest in the parent or affiliate of a state bank. In the performance of the Secretary's duties:

(1) The Commissioner shall call for statements from all State banks as provided in Section 47 at least one time during each calendar quarter.

(2) (a) The Commissioner, as often as the Commissioner shall deem necessary or proper, and no less frequently than 18 months following the preceding examination, shall appoint a suitable person or persons to make an examination of the affairs of every State bank, except that for every eligible State bank, as defined by regulation, the Commissioner in lieu of the examination may accept on an alternating basis the examination made by the eligible State bank's appropriate federal banking agency pursuant to Section 111 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991, provided the appropriate federal banking agency has made such an examination. A person so appointed shall not be a stockholder or officer or employee of any bank which that person may be directed to examine, and shall have powers to make a thorough examination into all the affairs of the bank and in so doing to examine any of the officers or agents or employees thereof on oath and shall make a full and detailed report of the condition of the bank to the Commissioner. In making the examination the examiners shall include an examination of the affairs of all the affiliates of the bank, as defined in subsection (b) of Section 35.2 of this Act, or subsidiaries of the bank as shall be necessary to disclose fully the conditions of the subsidiaries or affiliates, the relations between the bank and the subsidiaries or affiliates and the effect of those relations upon the affairs of the bank, and in connection therewith shall have power to examine any of the officers, directors, agents, or employees of the subsidiaries or affiliates on oath. After May 31, 1997, the Commissioner may enter into cooperative agreements with state regulatory authorities of other states to provide for examination of State bank branches in those states, and the Commissioner may accept reports of examinations of State bank branches from those state regulatory authorities. These cooperative agreements may set forth the manner in which the other state regulatory authorities may be compensated for examinations prepared for and submitted to the Commissioner.

(b) After May 31, 1997, the Commissioner is authorized to examine, as often as the Commissioner shall deem necessary or proper, branches of out-of-state banks. The Commissioner may establish and may assess fees to be paid to the Commissioner for examinations under this subsection (b). The fees shall be borne by the out-of-state bank, unless the fees are borne by the state regulatory authority that chartered the out-of-state bank, as determined by a cooperative agreement between the Commissioner and the state regulatory authority that chartered the out-of-state bank.

(2.1) Pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection (6) of this Section, the Secretary shall adopt rules that ensure consistency and due process in the examination process. The Secretary may also establish guidelines that (i) define the scope of the examination process and (ii) clarify examination items to be resolved. The rules, formal guidance, interpretive letters, or opinions furnished to State banks by the Secretary may be relied upon by the State banks.

(2.5) Whenever any State bank, any subsidiary or affiliate of a State bank, or after May 31, 1997, any branch of an out-of-state bank causes to be performed, by contract or otherwise, any bank services for itself, whether on or off its premises:

(a) that performance shall be subject to examination by the Commissioner to the same extent as if services were being performed by the bank or, after May 31, 1997, branch of the out-of-state bank itself on its own premises; and

(b) the bank or, after May 31, 1997, branch of the out-of-state bank shall notify the Commissioner of the existence of a service relationship. The notification shall be submitted with the first statement of condition (as required by Section 47 of this Act) due after the making of the service contract or the performance of the service, whichever occurs first. The Commissioner shall be notified of each subsequent contract in the same manner.

For purposes of this subsection (2.5), the term "bank services" means services such as sorting and posting of checks and deposits, computation and posting of interest and other credits and charges, preparation and mailing of checks, statements, notices, and similar items, or any other clerical, bookkeeping, accounting, statistical, or similar functions performed for a State bank, including but not limited to electronic data processing related to those bank services.

(3) The expense of administering this Act, including the expense of the examinations of State banks as provided in this Act, shall to the extent of the amounts resulting from the fees provided for in paragraphs (a), (a-2), and (b) of this subsection (3) be assessed against and borne by the State banks:

(a) Each bank shall pay to the Secretary a Call Report Fee which shall be paid in quarterly installments equal to one-fourth of the sum of the annual fixed fee of $800, plus a variable fee based on the assets shown on the quarterly statement of condition delivered to the Secretary in accordance with Section 47 for the preceding quarter according to the following schedule: 16˘ per $1,000 of the first $5,000,000 of total assets, 15˘ per $1,000 of the next $20,000,000 of total assets, 13˘ per $1,000 of the next $75,000,000 of total assets, 9˘ per $1,000 of the next $400,000,000 of total assets, 7˘ per $1,000 of the next $500,000,000 of total assets, and 5˘ per $1,000 of all assets in excess of $1,000,000,000, of the State bank. The Call Report Fee shall be calculated by the Secretary and billed to the banks for remittance at the time of the quarterly statements of condition provided for in Section 47. The Secretary may require payment of the fees provided in this Section by an electronic transfer of funds or an automatic debit of an account of each of the State banks. In case more than one examination of any bank is deemed by the Secretary to be necessary in any examination frequency cycle specified in subsection 2(a) of this Section, and is performed at his direction, the Secretary may assess a reasonable additional fee to recover the cost of the additional examination. In lieu of the method and amounts set forth in this paragraph (a) for the calculation of the Call Report Fee, the Secretary may specify by rule that the Call Report Fees provided by this Section may be assessed semiannually or some other period and may provide in the rule the formula to be used for calculating and assessing the periodic Call Report Fees to be paid by State banks.

(a-1) If in the opinion of the Commissioner an emergency exists or appears likely, the Commissioner may assign an examiner or examiners to monitor the affairs of a State bank with whatever frequency he deems appropriate, including but not limited to a daily basis. The reasonable and necessary expenses of the Commissioner during the period of the monitoring shall be borne by the subject bank. The Commissioner shall furnish the State bank a statement of time and expenses if requested to do so within 30 days of the conclusion of the monitoring period.

(a-2) On and after January 1, 1990, the reasonable and necessary expenses of the Commissioner during examination of the performance of electronic data processing services under subsection (2.5) shall be borne by the banks for which the services are provided. An amount, based upon a fee structure prescribed by the Commissioner, shall be paid by the banks or, after May 31, 1997, branches of out-of-state banks receiving the electronic data processing services along with the Call Report Fee assessed under paragraph (a) of this subsection (3).

(a-3) After May 31, 1997, the reasonable and necessary expenses of the Commissioner during examination of the performance of electronic data processing services under subsection (2.5) at or on behalf of branches of out-of-state banks shall be borne by the out-of-state banks, unless those expenses are borne by the state regulatory authorities that chartered the out-of-state banks, as determined by cooperative agreements between the Commissioner and the state regulatory authorities that chartered the out-of-state banks.

(b) "Fiscal year" for purposes of this Section 48 is defined as a period beginning July 1 of any year and ending June 30 of the next year. The Commissioner shall receive for each fiscal year, commencing with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1987, a contingent fee equal to the lesser of the aggregate of the fees paid by all State banks under paragraph (a) of subsection (3) for that year, or the amount, if any, whereby the aggregate of the administration expenses, as defined in paragraph (c), for that fiscal year exceeds the sum of the aggregate of the fees payable by all State banks for that year under paragraph (a) of subsection (3), plus any amounts transferred into the Bank and Trust Company Fund from the State Pensions Fund for that year, plus all other amounts collected by the Commissioner for that year under any other provision of this Act, plus the aggregate of all fees collected for that year by the Commissioner under the Corporate Fiduciary Act, excluding the receivership fees provided for in Section 5-10 of the Corporate Fiduciary Act, and the Foreign Banking Office Act. The aggregate amount of the contingent fee thus arrived at for any fiscal year shall be apportioned amongst, assessed upon, and paid by the State banks and foreign banking corporations, respectively, in the same proportion that the fee of each under paragraph (a) of subsection (3), respectively, for that year bears to the aggregate for that year of the fees collected under paragraph (a) of subsection (3). The aggregate amount of the contingent fee, and the portion thereof to be assessed upon each State bank and foreign banking corporation, respectively, shall be determined by the Commissioner and shall be paid by each, respectively, within 120 days of the close of the period for which the contingent fee is computed and is payable, and the Commissioner shall give 20 days' advance notice of the amount of the contingent fee payable by the State bank and of the date fixed by the Commissioner for payment of the fee.

(c) The "administration expenses" for any fiscal year shall mean the ordinary and contingent expenses for that year incident to making the examinations provided for by, and for otherwise administering, this Act, the Corporate Fiduciary Act, excluding the expenses paid from the Corporate Fiduciary Receivership account in the Bank and Trust Company Fund, the Foreign Banking Office Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the Illinois Bank Examiners' Education Foundation Act, including all salaries and other compensation paid for personal services rendered for the State by officers or employees of the State, including the Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioners, communication equipment and services, office furnishings, surety bond premiums, and travel expenses of those officers and employees, employees, expenditures or charges for the acquisition, enlargement or improvement of, or for the use of, any office space, building, or structure, or expenditures for the maintenance thereof or for furnishing heat, light, or power with respect thereto, all to the extent that those expenditures are directly incidental to such examinations or administration. The Commissioner shall not be required by paragraphs (c) or (d-1) of this subsection (3) to maintain in any fiscal year's budget appropriated reserves for accrued vacation and accrued sick leave that is required to be paid to employees of the Commissioner upon termination of their service with the Commissioner in an amount that is more than is reasonably anticipated to be necessary for any anticipated turnover in employees, whether due to normal attrition or due to layoffs, terminations, or resignations.

(d) The aggregate of all fees collected by the Secretary under this Act, the Corporate Fiduciary Act, or the Foreign Banking Office Act on and after July 1, 1979, shall be paid promptly after receipt of the same, accompanied by a detailed statement thereof, into the State treasury and shall be set apart in a special fund to be known as the "Bank and Trust Company Fund", except as provided in paragraph (c) of subsection (11) of this Section. All earnings received from investments of funds in the Bank and Trust Company Fund shall be deposited in the Bank and Trust Company Fund and may be used for the same purposes as fees deposited in that Fund. The amount from time to time deposited into the Bank and Trust Company Fund shall be used: (i) to offset the ordinary administrative expenses of the Secretary as defined in this Section or (ii) as a credit against fees under paragraph (d-1) of this subsection (3). Nothing in this amendatory Act of 1979 shall prevent continuing the practice of paying expenses involving salaries, retirement, social security, and State-paid insurance premiums of State officers by appropriations from the General Revenue Fund. However, the General Revenue Fund shall be reimbursed for those payments made on and after July 1, 1979, by an annual transfer of funds from the Bank and Trust Company Fund. Moneys in the Bank and Trust Company Fund may be transferred to the Professions Indirect Cost Fund, as authorized under Section 2105-300 of the Department of Professional Regulation Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.

Notwithstanding provisions in the State Finance Act, as now or hereafter amended, or any other law to the contrary, the sum of $18,788,847 shall be transferred from the Bank and Trust Company Fund to the Financial Institutions Settlement of 2008 Fund on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, or as soon thereafter as practical.

Notwithstanding provisions in the State Finance Act, as now or hereafter amended, or any other law to the contrary, the Governor may, during any fiscal year through January 10, 2011, from time to time direct the State Treasurer and Comptroller to transfer a specified sum not exceeding 10% of the revenues to be deposited into the Bank and Trust Company Fund during that fiscal year from that Fund to the General Revenue Fund in order to help defray the State's operating costs for the fiscal year. Notwithstanding provisions in the State Finance Act, as now or hereafter amended, or any other law to the contrary, the total sum transferred during any fiscal year through January 10, 2011, from the Bank and Trust Company Fund to the General Revenue Fund pursuant to this provision shall not exceed during any fiscal year 10% of the revenues to be deposited into the Bank and Trust Company Fund during that fiscal year. The State Treasurer and Comptroller shall transfer the amounts designated under this Section as soon as may be practicable after receiving the direction to transfer from the Governor.

(d-1) Adequate funds shall be available in the Bank and Trust Company Fund to permit the timely payment of administration expenses. In each fiscal year the total administration expenses shall be deducted from the total fees collected by the Commissioner and the remainder transferred into the Cash Flow Reserve Account, unless the balance of the Cash Flow Reserve Account prior to the transfer equals or exceeds one-fourth of the total initial appropriations from the Bank and Trust Company Fund for the subsequent year, in which case the remainder shall be credited to State banks and foreign banking corporations and applied against their fees for the subsequent year. The amount credited to each State bank and foreign banking corporation shall be in the same proportion as the Call Report Fees paid by each for the year bear to the total Call Report Fees collected for the year. If, after a transfer to the Cash Flow Reserve Account is made or if no remainder is available for transfer, the balance of the Cash Flow Reserve Account is less than one-fourth of the total initial appropriations for the subsequent year and the amount transferred is less than 5% of the total Call Report Fees for the year, additional amounts needed to make the transfer equal to 5% of the total Call Report Fees for the year shall be apportioned amongst, assessed upon, and paid by the State banks and foreign banking corporations in the same proportion that the Call Report Fees of each, respectively, for the year bear to the total Call Report Fees collected for the year. The additional amounts assessed shall be transferred into the Cash Flow Reserve Account. For purposes of this paragraph (d-1), the calculation of the fees collected by the Commissioner shall exclude the receivership fees provided for in Section 5-10 of the Corporate Fiduciary Act.

(e) The Commissioner may upon request certify to any public record in his keeping and shall have authority to levy a reasonable charge for issuing certifications of any public record in his keeping.

(f) In addition to fees authorized elsewhere in this Act, the Commissioner may, in connection with a review, approval, or provision of a service, levy a reasonable charge to recover the cost of the review, approval, or service.

(4) Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to limit the obligation relative to examinations and reports of any State bank, deposits in which are to any extent insured by the United States or any agency thereof, nor to limit in any way the powers of the Commissioner with reference to examinations and reports of that bank.

(5) The nature and condition of the assets in or investment of any bonus, pension, or profit sharing plan for officers or employees of every State bank or, after May 31, 1997, branch of an out-of-state bank shall be deemed to be included in the affairs of that State bank or branch of an out-of-state bank subject to examination by the Commissioner under the provisions of subsection (2) of this Section, and if the Commissioner shall find from an examination that the condition of or operation of the investments or assets of the plan is unlawful, fraudulent, or unsafe, or that any trustee has abused his trust, the Commissioner shall, if the situation so found by the Commissioner shall not be corrected to his satisfaction within 60 days after the Commissioner has given notice to the board of directors of the State bank or out-of-state bank of his findings, report the facts to the Attorney General who shall thereupon institute proceedings against the State bank or out-of-state bank, the board of directors thereof, or the trustees under such plan as the nature of the case may require.

(6) The Commissioner shall have the power:

(a) To promulgate reasonable rules for the purpose of administering the provisions of this Act.

(a-5) To impose conditions on any approval issued by the Commissioner if he determines that the conditions are necessary or appropriate. These conditions shall be imposed in writing and shall continue in effect for the period prescribed by the Commissioner.

(b) To issue orders against any person, if the Commissioner has reasonable cause to believe that an unsafe or unsound banking practice has occurred, is occurring, or is about to occur, if any person has violated, is violating, or is about to violate any law, rule, or written agreement with the Commissioner, or for the purpose of administering the provisions of this Act and any rule promulgated in accordance with this Act.

(b-1) To enter into agreements with a bank establishing a program to correct the condition of the bank or its practices.

(c) To appoint hearing officers to execute any of the powers granted to the Commissioner under this Section for the purpose of administering this Act and any rule promulgated in accordance with this Act and otherwise to authorize, in writing, an officer or employee of the Office of Banks and Real Estate to exercise his powers under this Act.

(d) To subpoena witnesses, to compel their attendance, to administer an oath, to examine any person under oath, and to require the production of any relevant books, papers, accounts, and documents in the course of and pursuant to any investigation being conducted, or any action being taken, by the Commissioner in respect of any matter relating to the duties imposed upon, or the powers vested in, the Commissioner under the provisions of this Act or any rule promulgated in accordance with this Act.

(e) To conduct hearings.

(7) Whenever, in the opinion of the Secretary, any director, officer, employee, or agent of a State bank or any subsidiary or bank holding company of the bank or, after May 31, 1997, of any branch of an out-of-state bank or any subsidiary or bank holding company of the bank shall have violated any law, rule, or order relating to that bank or any subsidiary or bank holding company of the bank, shall have obstructed or impeded any examination or investigation by the Secretary, shall have engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting the business of that bank or any subsidiary or bank holding company of the bank, or shall have violated any law or engaged or participated in any unsafe or unsound practice in connection with any financial institution or other business entity such that the character and fitness of the director, officer, employee, or agent does not assure reasonable promise of safe and sound operation of the State bank, the Secretary may issue an order of removal. If, in the opinion of the Secretary, any former director, officer, employee, or agent of a State bank or any subsidiary or bank holding company of the bank, prior to the termination of his or her service with that bank or any subsidiary or bank holding company of the bank, violated any law, rule, or order relating to that State bank or any subsidiary or bank holding company of the bank, obstructed or impeded any examination or investigation by the Secretary, engaged in an unsafe or unsound practice in conducting the business of that bank or any subsidiary or bank holding company of the bank, or violated any law or engaged or participated in any unsafe or unsound practice in connection with any financial institution or other business entity such that the character and fitness of the director, officer, employee, or agent would not have assured reasonable promise of safe and sound operation of the State bank, the Secretary may issue an order prohibiting that person from further service with a bank or any subsidiary or bank holding company of the bank as a director, officer, employee, or agent. An order issued pursuant to this subsection shall be served upon the director, officer, employee, or agent. A copy of the order shall be sent to each director of the bank affected by registered mail. A copy of the order shall also be served upon the bank of which he is a director, officer, employee, or agent, whereupon he shall cease to be a director, officer, employee, or agent of that bank. The Secretary may institute a civil action against the director, officer, or agent of the State bank or, after May 31, 1997, of the branch of the out-of-state bank against whom any order provided for by this subsection (7) of this Section 48 has been issued, and against the State bank or, after May 31, 1997, out-of-state bank, to enforce compliance with or to enjoin any violation of the terms of the order. Any person who has been the subject of an order of removal or an order of prohibition issued by the Secretary under this subsection or Section 5-6 of the Corporate Fiduciary Act may not thereafter serve as director, officer, employee, or agent of any State bank or of any branch of any out-of-state bank, or of any corporate fiduciary, as defined in Section 1-5.05 of the Corporate Fiduciary Act, or of any other entity that is subject to licensure or regulation by the Division of Banking unless the Secretary has granted prior approval in writing.

For purposes of this paragraph (7), "bank holding company" has the meaning prescribed in Section 2 of the Illinois Bank Holding Company Act of 1957.

(7.5) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, the Secretary shall not:

(1) issue an order against a State bank or any subsidiary organized under this Act for unsafe or unsound banking practices solely because the entity provides or has provided financial services to a cannabis-related legitimate business;

(2) prohibit, penalize, or otherwise discourage a State bank or any subsidiary from providing financial services to a cannabis-related legitimate business solely because the entity provides or has provided financial services to a cannabis-related legitimate business;

(3) recommend, incentivize, or encourage a State bank or any subsidiary not to offer financial services to an account holder or to downgrade or cancel the financial services offered to an account holder solely because:

(A) the account holder is a manufacturer or producer, or is the owner, operator, or employee of a cannabis-related legitimate business;

(B) the account holder later becomes an owner or operator of a cannabis-related legitimate business; or

(C) the State bank or any subsidiary was not aware that the account holder is the owner or operator of a cannabis-related legitimate business; and

(4) take any adverse or corrective supervisory action on a loan made to an owner or operator of:

(A) a cannabis-related legitimate business solely because the owner or operator owns or operates a cannabis-related legitimate business; or

(B) real estate or equipment that is leased to a cannabis-related legitimate business solely because the owner or operator of the real estate or equipment leased the equipment or real estate to a cannabis-related legitimate business.

(8) The Commissioner may impose civil penalties of up to $100,000 against any person for each violation of any provision of this Act, any rule promulgated in accordance with this Act, any order of the Commissioner, or any other action which in the Commissioner's discretion is an unsafe or unsound banking practice.

(9) The Commissioner may impose civil penalties of up to $100 against any person for the first failure to comply with reporting requirements set forth in the report of examination of the bank and up to $200 for the second and subsequent failures to comply with those reporting requirements.

(10) All final administrative decisions of the Commissioner hereunder shall be subject to judicial review pursuant to the provisions of the Administrative Review Law. For matters involving administrative review, venue shall be in either Sangamon County or Cook County.

(11) The endowment fund for the Illinois Bank Examiners' Education Foundation shall be administered as follows:

(a) (Blank).

(b) The Foundation is empowered to receive voluntary contributions, gifts, grants, bequests, and donations on behalf of the Illinois Bank Examiners' Education Foundation from national banks and other persons for the purpose of funding the endowment of the Illinois Bank Examiners' Education Foundation.

(c) The aggregate of all special educational fees collected by the Secretary and property received by the Secretary on behalf of the Illinois Bank Examiners' Education Foundation under this subsection (11) on or after June 30, 1986, shall be either (i) promptly paid after receipt of the same, accompanied by a detailed statement thereof, into the State Treasury and shall be set apart in a special fund to be known as "The Illinois Bank Examiners' Education Fund" to be invested by either the Treasurer of the State of Illinois in the Public Treasurers' Investment Pool or in any other investment he is authorized to make or by the Illinois State Board of Investment as the State Banking Board of Illinois may direct or (ii) deposited into an account maintained in a commercial bank or corporate fiduciary in the name of the Illinois Bank Examiners' Education Foundation pursuant to the order and direction of the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Bank Examiners' Education Foundation.

(12) (Blank).

(13) The Secretary may borrow funds from the General Revenue Fund on behalf of the Bank and Trust Company Fund if the Director of Banking certifies to the Governor that there is an economic emergency affecting banking that requires a borrowing to provide additional funds to the Bank and Trust Company Fund. The borrowed funds shall be paid back within 3 years and shall not exceed the total funding appropriated to the Agency in the previous year.

(14) In addition to the fees authorized in this Act, the Secretary may assess reasonable receivership fees against any State bank that does not maintain insurance with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. All fees collected under this subsection (14) shall be paid into the Non-insured Institutions Receivership account in the Bank and Trust Company Fund, as established by the Secretary. The fees assessed under this subsection (14) shall provide for the expenses that arise from the administration of the receivership of any such institution required to pay into the Non-insured Institutions Receivership account, whether pursuant to this Act, the Corporate Fiduciary Act, the Foreign Banking Office Act, or any other Act that requires payments into the Non-insured Institutions Receivership account. The Secretary may establish by rule a reasonable manner of assessing fees under this subsection (14).

(Source: P.A. 99-39, eff. 1-1-16; 100-22, eff. 1-1-18.)

Section 10. The Illinois Credit Union Act is amended by changing Section 8 as follows:

(205 ILCS 305/8) (from Ch. 17, par. 4409)

Sec. 8. Secretary's powers and duties. Credit unions are regulated by the Department. The Secretary in executing the powers and discharging the duties vested by law in the Department has the following powers and duties:

(1) To exercise the rights, powers and duties set forth in this Act or any related Act. The Director shall oversee the functions of the Division and report to the Secretary, with respect to the Director's exercise of any of the rights, powers, and duties vested by law in the Secretary under this Act. All references in this Act to the Secretary shall be deemed to include the Director, as a person authorized by the Secretary or this Act to assume responsibility for the oversight of the functions of the Department relating to the regulatory supervision of credit unions under this Act.

(2) To prescribe rules and regulations for the administration of this Act. The provisions of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act are hereby expressly adopted and incorporated herein as though a part of this Act, and shall apply to all administrative rules and procedures of the Department under this Act.

(3) To direct and supervise all the administrative and technical activities of the Department including the employment of a Credit Union Supervisor who shall have knowledge in the theory and practice of, or experience in, the operations or supervision of financial institutions, preferably credit unions, and such other persons as are necessary to carry out his functions. The Secretary shall ensure that all examiners appointed or assigned to examine the affairs of State-chartered credit unions possess the necessary training and continuing education to effectively execute their jobs.

(4) To issue cease and desist orders when in the opinion of the Secretary, a credit union is engaged or has engaged, or the Secretary has reasonable cause to believe the credit union is about to engage, in an unsafe or unsound practice, or is violating or has violated or the Secretary has reasonable cause to believe is about to violate a law, rule or regulation or any condition imposed in writing by the Department.

(5) To suspend from office and to prohibit from further participation in any manner in the conduct of the affairs of his credit union any director, officer or committee member who has committed any violation of a law, rule, regulation or of a cease and desist order or who has engaged or participated in any unsafe or unsound practice in connection with the credit union or who has committed or engaged in any act, omission, or practice which constitutes a breach of his fiduciary duty as such director, officer or committee member, when the Secretary has determined that such action or actions have resulted or will result in substantial financial loss or other damage that seriously prejudices the interests of the members.

(6) To assess a civil penalty against a credit union provided that:

(A) the Secretary reasonably determines, based on objective facts and an accurate assessment of applicable legal standards, that the credit union has:

(i) committed a violation of this Act, any rule adopted in accordance with this Act, or any order of the Secretary issued pursuant to his or her authority under this Act; or

(ii) engaged or participated in any unsafe or unsound practice;

(B) before a civil penalty is assessed under this item (6), the Secretary must make the further reasonable determination, based on objective facts and an accurate assessment of applicable legal standards, that the credit union's action constituting a violation under subparagraph (i) of paragraph (A) of item (6) or an unsafe and unsound practice under subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (A) of item (6):

(i) directly resulted in a substantial and material financial loss or created a reasonable probability that a substantial and material financial loss will directly result; or

(ii) constituted willful misconduct or a material breach of fiduciary duty of any director, officer, or committee member of the credit union;

Material financial loss, as referenced in this paragraph (B), shall be assessed in light of surrounding circumstances and the relative size and nature of the financial loss or probable financial loss. Certain benchmarks shall be used in determining whether financial loss is material, such as a percentage of total assets or total gross income for the immediately preceding 12-month period. Absent compelling and extraordinary circumstances, no civil penalty shall be assessed, unless the financial loss or probable financial loss is equal to or greater than either 1% of the credit union's total assets for the immediately preceding 12-month period, or 1% of the credit union's total gross income for the immediately preceding 12-month period, whichever is less;

(C) before a civil penalty is assessed under this item (6), the credit union must be expressly advised in writing of the:

(i) specific violation that could subject it to a penalty under this item (6); and

(ii) the specific remedial action to be taken within a specific and reasonable time frame to avoid imposition of the penalty;

(D) Civil penalties assessed under this item (6) shall be remedial, not punitive, and reasonably tailored to ensure future compliance by the credit union with the provisions of this Act and any rules adopted pursuant to this Act;

(E) a credit union's failure to take timely remedial action with respect to the specific violation may result in the issuance of an order assessing a civil penalty up to the following maximum amount, based upon the total assets of the credit union:

(i) Credit unions with assets of less than $10 million................................................$1,000

(ii) Credit unions with assets of at least $10 million and less than $50 million......................$2,500

(iii) Credit unions with assets of at least $50 million and less than $100 million.....................$5,000

(iv) Credit unions with assets of at least $100 million and less than $500 million....................$10,000

(v) Credit unions with assets of at least $500 million and less than $1 billion......................$25,000

(vi) Credit unions with assets of $1 billion and greater.....................................$50,000; and

(F) an order assessing a civil penalty under this item (6) shall take effect upon service of the order, unless the credit union makes a written request for a hearing under 38 IL. Adm. Code 190.20 of the Department's rules for credit unions within 90 days after issuance of the order; in that event, the order shall be stayed until a final administrative order is entered.

This item (6) shall not apply to violations separately addressed in rules as authorized under item (7) of this Section.

(7) Except for the fees established in this Act, to prescribe, by rule and regulation, fees and penalties for preparing, approving, and filing reports and other documents; furnishing transcripts; holding hearings; investigating applications for permission to organize, merge, or convert; failure to maintain accurate books and records to enable the Department to conduct an examination; and taking supervisory actions.

(8) To destroy, in his discretion, any or all books and records of any credit union in his possession or under his control after the expiration of three years from the date of cancellation of the charter of such credit unions.

(9) To make investigations and to conduct research and studies and to publish some of the problems of persons in obtaining credit at reasonable rates of interest and of the methods and benefits of cooperative saving and lending for such persons.

(10) To authorize, foster or establish experimental, developmental, demonstration or pilot projects by public or private organizations including credit unions which:

(a) promote more effective operation of credit unions so as to provide members an opportunity to use and control their own money to improve their economic and social conditions; or

(b) are in the best interests of credit unions, their members and the people of the State of Illinois.

(11) To cooperate in studies, training or other administrative activities with, but not limited to, the NCUA, other state credit union regulatory agencies and industry trade associations in order to promote more effective and efficient supervision of Illinois chartered credit unions.

(12) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, the Secretary shall not:

(1) issue an order against a credit union organized under this Act for unsafe or unsound banking practices solely because the entity provides or has provided financial services to a cannabis-related legitimate business;

(2) prohibit, penalize, or otherwise discourage a credit union from providing financial services to a cannabis-related legitimate business solely because the entity provides or has provided financial services to a cannabis-related legitimate business;

(3) recommend, incentivize, or encourage a credit union not to offer financial services to an account holder or to downgrade or cancel the financial services offered to an account holder solely because:

(A) the account holder is a manufacturer or producer, or is the owner, operator, or employee of a cannabis-related legitimate business;

(B) the account holder later becomes an owner or operator of a cannabis-related legitimate business; or

(C) the credit union was not aware that the account holder is the owner or operator of a cannabis-related legitimate business; and

(4) take any adverse or corrective supervisory action on a loan made to an owner or operator of:

(A) a cannabis-related legitimate business solely because the owner or operator owns or operates a cannabis-related legitimate business; or

(B) real estate or equipment that is leased to a cannabis-related legitimate business solely because the owner or operator of the real estate or equipment leased the equipment or real estate to a cannabis-related legitimate business.

(Source: P.A. 97-133, eff. 1-1-12; 98-400, eff. 8-16-13.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.