215.03 Supervision and control of associations.
(1) Types of associations supervised. All associations organized under this chapter or similar laws, or permitted by license to transact, in this state, a business similar to that authorized by this chapter, shall be under the supervision and control of the division.
(2) Annual supervisory examinations.
(a) Except as provided in par. (b), at least once within every 18-month period, the division shall examine the cash, bills, collaterals, securities, assets, books of account, condition and affairs of all such associations and for that purpose the division or the division's examiners shall have access to, and may compel the production of, all their books, papers, securities and moneys, administer oaths to and examine their officers and agents as to their affairs. In conducting examinations under this paragraph, the division may accept and rely on information collected by other agencies or independent 3rd parties in determining whether an association has satisfied any requirement that is part of the examination. An employee of the division may not examine an association in which the employee is interested as an officer or director.
(b) In lieu of any examination required under par. (a), the division may accept any examination that may have been made of any association within a reasonable period by the deposit insurance corporation, a federal regulatory agency, or any agency of another state with primary responsibility for supervising associations chartered under the laws of that state.
(4) Refusal to submit to an examination. Any association refusing to submit to an examination so ordered or requested, shall be reported to the attorney general, who shall institute proceedings to revoke its certificate of incorporation for such refusal.
(5) Accounting and bookkeeping procedure.
(a) Whenever it appears to the division that any association does not keep books and accounts in such manner as to enable the division to readily ascertain its true condition, the division may require the officers of such associations or any of them to open and keep such books or accounts as the division prescribes.
(b) Any association that fails to open books or keep books or accounts as prescribed by the division, shall, at the discretion of the division, forfeit $10 for each day it so fails. If the association fails to pay the forfeiture, the division may institute proceedings to recover such forfeitures.
(6) File annual reports.
(a)
1. Not later than February 1 of each year each association subject to the supervision and control of the division shall file with the division a report of its activities of the preceding year, upon forms furnished by the division.
2. The report shall include:
a. A true and verified copy of a statement of condition as of the close of December 31 of the preceding calendar year;
b. A statement of its operations during that period; and
c. Such other information as the division requires.
3. Attached to the annual report shall be a copy of a printed statement of condition and operations as of the end of the association's most recent fiscal year, which shall be available to the public. The printed statement shall contain such information as the division may by rule prescribe.
(b) If such association fails or refuses to furnish the report herein required, it shall be subject, at the discretion of the division, to a forfeiture of $10 per day for each day of default, and the division may maintain an action to recover such penalty, and the same shall be paid into the general fund.
(7) Relocation of association office. Any association which determines to move its home office or a branch office to some other location shall make an application to the division. In approving or denying the application for relocation, the division shall ascertain the need for relocation and determine whether undue harm or injury would be caused to any properly conducted association or branch now doing business in the area or vicinity of the proposed relocation.
(8) Application to establish branches; appeal.
(a) Any association desiring to establish a branch office, subject to the limitations of s. 215.13 (39), shall apply to the division in such form as the division prescribes, giving such information as the division requires. Each application shall be accompanied by a fee of $500. The division shall give notice and provide an opportunity for hearing as provided in s. 215.40 (7). The division may grant certificates of authority to maintain and operate branch offices or may refuse to issue certificates when, in the division's opinion, such branch is not in the best interests of the public, or when other good and sufficient reasons exist for refusal.
(b) It is the intent of this section to provide adequate and convenient savings and loan facilities for the public. When 2 or more applications for a branch in the same area are pending, priority of application shall be considered but not be controlling, and the division shall give consideration to the equitable distribution of branches among the associations making application.
(c) Review of the decision of the division in regard to applications for branches shall be governed by s. 215.04 (4).
History: 1975 c. 359 ss. 5, 6, 51; 1977 c. 140; 1983 a. 167; 1985 a. 157, 325; 1991 a. 316; 1995 a. 27, 104, 325; 1997 a. 144; 2003 a. 263; 2017 a. 340.