§7.2000. National bank corporate governance. — Inbound Citations

(c) Subject to the requirements of 12 U.S.C. 51a and 59, a national bank may adopt procedures to authorize the board of directors to issue, determine the terms of, repurchase, and redeem one or more series of preferred stock, if permitted by the corporate governance provisions adopted by the bank under § 7.2000. To satisfy the shareholder approval requirements of 12 U.S.C. 51a and 59, the adoption of such procedures must be approved by shareholders in advance through an amendment to the national bank's articles of association. Any amendment to a national bank's articles of association that authorizes both the issuance and the repurchase and redemption of shares must be approved by holders of two-thirds of the national bank's shares.

(a) Pursuant to § 7.2000(b), a national bank may adopt anti-takeover provisions included in State corporate governance law if the provisions are not inconsistent with Federal banking statutes or regulations and not inconsistent with bank safety and soundness.

(2) A national bank must follow the procedures for telephonic or electronic participation in a shareholder meeting of the corporate governance provisions it has elected to follow pursuant to § 7.2000(b), if those elected provisions include telephonic or electronic participation procedures; the Delaware General Corporation Law, Del. Code Ann. Tit. 8 (1991, as amended 1994, and as amended thereafter); or the Model Business Corporation Act, provided, however, that such procedures are not inconsistent with applicable Federal statutes and regulations and safety and soundness. The national bank must indicate the use of these procedures in its bylaws.

(a) Subject to the limitations of paragraph (b) of this section, a national bank or Federal savings association may indemnify an institution-affiliated party for damages and expenses, including the advancement of expenses and legal fees, in accordance with the law of the State the bank or savings association has designated for its corporate governance pursuant to § 7.2000(b) (for national banks), 12 CFR 5.21(j)(3)(ii) (for Federal mutual savings associations), or 12 CFR 5.22(j)(2)(ii) (for Federal stock savings associations), provided such payments are consistent with safe and sound banking practices. The term “institution-affiliated party” has the same meaning as set forth at 12 U.S.C. 1813(u).

(2) The OCC may initiate a review, or a bank may request OCC review pursuant to § 7.2000(d), of a State anti-takeover provision.