Section 5-17-45

Legislative findings; authority to expand powers of credit unions; out-of-state credit unions doing business in state; federally chartered credit unions.

(a) The Legislature finds as fact and determines that the credit unions having their principal place of business in Alabama must keep pace with technological and other improvements constantly being made throughout the United States so as to enable Alabama credit unions to render better and more efficient services to their members. It is necessary and desirable that the administrator be given additional authority in these fields.

(b) The administrator is hereby authorized to expand powers of Alabama credit unions in order to:

(1) Accommodate or take advantage of changing technologies; and,

(2) Assure the ability of Alabama credit unions to be responsive in their business to the needs and conveniences demanded by credit union members through on-premises as well as off-premises operations; provided, that nothing in this section shall enable the administrator to authorize credit unions to engage in activities which are not properly incident to the business of credit unions nor to enable the administrator to authorize credit unions to engage in the business of offering financial services which are now prohibited to them.

No credit union having its principal place of business outside of Alabama may engage in credit union business in Alabama under the provisions of this section; provided that the administrator is authorized to enter into agreements with the appropriate regulatory authorities of other states or of the United States, under the terms of which credit unions of such foreign state or subject to federal regulatory jurisdiction, provided credit unions having their principal place of business in Alabama are given and may exercise reciprocal rights.

(c) The administrator is authorized to issue regulations under subsection (b) in the same manner as other regulations of the Alabama Credit Union Administration are adopted. Any Alabama credit union covered by the provisions of subsection (b) desiring to exercise any such expanded power must secure in advance written permission of the administrator. The administrator may prescribe the form or forms for such applications for permits and may impose reasonable conditions in granting such permits.

(d) To the extent permitted by federal law, the provisions hereof may be utilized by federally chartered credit unions.

(Acts 1985, No. 85-457, p. 425, §22.)