Article 2. Bank Investments In International Or Foreign Banking Or Financing Companies Organized Under The Laws Of The United States of California Financial Code >> Division 1.1. >> Chapter 21. >> Article 2.

Any bank may, with the consent of the commissioner, upon such conditions and under such regulations as the commissioner may prescribe, invest in the stock of one or more corporations organized under the laws of the United States for the purpose of engaging in international or foreign banking or other international or foreign financial operations, or in banking or other financial operations in a dependency or insular possession of the United States, either directly or through the agency, ownership or control of local institutions in foreign countries, or in dependencies or insular possessions of the United States and to act when required by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States as fiscal agents of the United States; provided, however, that the aggregate amount of stock held in all corporations engaged in business of the kind described in this chapter shall not exceed 10 percent of the subscribing bank's shareholders' equity.

Every bank investing in the capital stock of any corporation described in Section 1900 shall be required to furnish information concerning the condition of such corporation to the commissioner upon demand, and the commissioner may order special examinations of said corporation at such time or times as he or she may deem appropriate. The cost of such special examinations shall be paid by said corporation.

Before any bank shall be permitted to purchase stock in any corporation described in Section 1900 the said corporation shall enter into an agreement or undertaking with the commissioner to restrict its operations or conduct of its business in such manner or under such limitations and restrictions as the said commissioner may prescribe for the place or places wherein such business is to be conducted. If at any time the commissioner shall ascertain that the regulations prescribed by him or her are not being complied with, said commissioner is hereby authorized and shall have power to institute an investigation of the matter and to send for persons and papers, subpoena witnesses and administer oaths in order to satisfy himself or herself as to the actual nature of the transactions referred to. Should such investigation result in establishing the failure of the corporation in question, or any bank which may be a stockholder therein, to comply with the regulations laid down by the said commissioner, said bank may be required to dispose of its stockholding in the said corporation upon reasonable notice.