(a) The Commissioner shall conduct a regular examination of the condition of each Vermont financial institution at least once every three years or more frequently as the Commissioner determines it to be prudent.

(b) The Commissioner may at any time conduct a special examination or may expand the scope of any regular examination. An entity examined pursuant to this subsection shall be responsible for examination fees and expenses provided in section 18 of this title and collected as provided in subsections (c) and (e) of section 19 of this title.

(c) The Commissioner shall be given access to all the files, books, accounts, securities, and assets of the financial institution and any person under contract with it to perform services for the financial institution that the Commissioner deems material to the financial condition of the financial institution and shall be afforded every reasonable facility for making an examination of the affairs of the financial institution and such person under contract.

(d) Whenever the Commissioner deems it necessary, the Commissioner may examine any company, the majority of the stock of which is owned by a Vermont financial institution, or which is found by the Commissioner to be controlled by a Vermont financial institution. In addition, whenever the Commissioner deems it necessary in the conduct of the exercise of the Commissioner's supervisory authority over a financial institution, the Commissioner may review the records of any person that controls a Vermont financial institution. In furtherance of the conduct of the exercise of the Commissioner's supervisory authority over a Vermont financial institution, to the extent not prohibited by federal law, and upon the request of the Commissioner, a person that controls a financial institution shall furnish to the Commissioner copies of reports filed with the Federal Reserve Board or the Office of Thrift Supervision. Such person shall also consent to the request by the Commissioner to the Federal Reserve Board or the Office of Thrift Supervision for any other information pertaining to such person. The Commissioner shall not disclose any information obtained pursuant to this section which is treated as confidential by the Federal Reserve Board or the Office of Thrift Supervision. Nothing in this section shall be construed to grant any additional examination, supervisory, or regulatory authority over any person that controls a Vermont financial institution. (Added 1999, No. 153 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2001.)