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HB2537 • 2026

Financial Institutions, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 45, Chapter 2; Title 45, Chapter 4 and Title 45, Chapter 7, relative to financial institutions.

Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Lamberth, Johnson
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 671
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included a claim about removing the state credit union share insurance corporation, which was not explicitly stated in the official source material. The bill does terminate this corporation but it wasn't mentioned as a separate point.

Changes to Financial Institution Regulations

This bill changes how often banks and credit unions are examined by the commissioner of financial institutions in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the commissioner to decide when full scope examinations for banks should happen, instead of requiring them every three years.
  • Permits the commissioner to extend bank inspections from once a year up to two years or longer based on certain factors.
  • Gives the commissioner authority to set share insurance requirements for state credit unions rather than requiring membership in specific organizations.
  • Extends the period between credit union examinations from one year to up to two years, depending on the commissioner's decision.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Financial institutions like banks and credit unions in Tennessee
  • The commissioner of financial institutions

Terms To Know

full scope examination
A thorough review by the commissioner to check if a bank is following all rules.
share insurance corporation
An organization that provides protection for credit union members' savings and deposits.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when it will take effect.
  • It is unclear how the changes will affect smaller financial institutions differently from larger ones.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 671

  2. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/07/2026

  3. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 671

  4. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 0, PNV 2

  11. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  12. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/23/2026

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/19/2026

  14. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 3/16/2026

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Government Operations Committee

  17. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Commerce Committee for 3/11/2026

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Commerce Committee

  19. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  21. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  22. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  23. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  24. 2026-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 2/23/2026

  25. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  26. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 2/17/2026

  27. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Banking & Consumer Affairs Subcommittee

  28. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Commerce Committee - Government Operations for Review

  29. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  30. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  31. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  32. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  33. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law requires the
commissioner of
financial institutions ("commissioner") to visit and examine every bank under the commissioner's supervision at least once each year and to conduct a full scope examination at least once every three years. This bill, instead, authorizes the commissioner
to determine the scope of the examination and does not provide a requirement for the frequency of a full scope examination. Further, the requirement that every bank be examined
at least once each year may be extend
ed to up to
24
months or
for
such longer period as determined by the commissioner
. In making such a determination, the commissioner must consider
the bank's quality of management, capitalization, risk profile and internal controls, the examination cycle imposed by any applicable federal banking regulatory authority, and any other factors the commissioner deems relevant
.

SHARE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE CREDIT UNIONS

Present law requires credit unions to obtain and maintain insurance for its share and deposit balances by membership in either the state credit union share insurance corporation or the National Credit Union Association. This bill, instead, authorizes th
e commissioner to determine the type, amounts, and other characteristics of share insurance required to be maintained by each state credit union. The commissioner must consider (i) the safety and soundness of the state credit union; (ii) the ability of t
he
state credit union to promote the economic progress of this state; (iii) public confidence in the credit union system; (iv) the views of the credit union industry in this state; and (v) any other factors deemed relevant.

CREDIT UNION EXAMINATIONS

Present law requires the commissioner to visit and examine every credit union under the commissioner's supervision at least once each year but allows the frequency of examination to be extended to 18 months. This bill allows the frequency of examination
to be extended up to 24 months or a longer period as determined by the commissioner. In making such determination, the commissioner should consider
the credit union's quality of management, capitalization, internal controls, the examination cycle imposed
by any applicable federal credit union regulatory authority, and any other factors
deemed
relevant
. Further, this bill clarifies that this examination requirement also applies to the volunteer corporate credit union.

STATE CREDIT UNION SHARE INSURANCE CORPORATION

Present law creates the state credit union share insurance corporation for the purposes of aiding and assisting member credit unions that liquidate or incur financial difficulty, and for the purpose of advancing the general welfare of credit unions in th
is state and other states where credit unions become members. This bill terminates the state credit union share insurance corporation entirely.

RULEMAKING

This bill authorizes the
commissioner
to promulgate rules to effectuate this bill
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 1870
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 2537
By Lamberth
HB2537
011266
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 45,
Chapter 2; Title 45, Chapter 4 and Title 45,
Chapter 7, relative to financial institutions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 45-2-1602(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the language"; provided, that a full-scope examination, as set out in subsection (b),
shall be conducted by the commissioner or the commissioner's designee at least once in every
three (3) years".
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 45-2-1602(a)(2), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting instead:
(2) The provision of subdivision (a)(1) requiring an examination at least once in
each year may be extended to up to twenty-four (24) months or such longer period as
determined by the commissioner. In making this determination, the commissioner
should consider the bank's quality of management, capitalization, risk profile and internal
controls, the examination cycle imposed by any applicable federal banking regulatory
authority, and any other factors the commissioner deems relevant.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 45-4-505(a), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting instead:
(a) Any credit union organized under this chapter shall, prior to commencing its
operations, obtain and thereafter maintain insurance of its share and deposit balances
by membership in the National Credit Union Association, unless otherwise determined
by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (c).

- 2 - 011266

SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 45-4-505, is amended by adding the
following as new subsections:
(c) The commissioner may determine the type, amounts, and other
characteristics of share insurance required to be maintained by each state credit union.
In making the determination, the commissioner shall consider the following factors:
(1) The safety and soundness of the state credit union;
(2) The ability of the state credit union to promote the economic progress
of this state;
(3) Public confidence in the credit union system;
(4) The views of the credit union industry in this state; and
(5) Any other factors the commissioner may deem relevant.
(d) The commissioner may promulgate rules to implement this section. The
rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures
Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 45-4-703, is amended by deleting
subsection (d) and by deleting the first sentence of subsection (e).
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 45-4-1002(a), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting instead:
(a) The commissioner shall either personally or by competent examiner
appointed by the commissioner visit and examine every credit union subject to the
commissioner's supervision at least once each year; provided, that this provision
requiring examination at least once in each year may be extended to up to twenty-four
(24) months or such longer period as determined by the commissioner. In making this
determination, the commissioner should consider the credit union's quality of
management, capitalization, internal controls, the examination cycle imposed by any

- 3 - 011266

applicable federal credit union regulatory authority, and any other factors the
commissioner deems relevant. The commissioner may order examinations and shall, at
all times, be given free access to all the books, papers, securities, and other sources of
information in respect to the credit union. For that purpose, the commissioner shall have
the power to subpoena and examine, personally or through a deputy duly authorized,
witnesses on oath and documents pertaining to the business of the credit union. The
commissioner may have follow-up examinations and visitations conducted on a credit
union if the commissioner believes that the examinations and visitations are necessary
to protect the interests of the members of the credit union.
SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 45, Chapter 4, Part 11, is amended by
deleting the part in its entirety.
SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 45-4-1210(a), is amended by
deleting the language "an annual examination" and substituting instead "examination in
accordance with § 45-4-1002(a)".
SECTION 9. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 45-7-104(6), is amended by deleting
the subdivision and substituting instead:
(6) A federally insured depository financial institution, bank holding company,
office of an international banking corporation, foreign bank that establishes a federal
branch pursuant to 12 U.S.C. § 3102, corporation organized pursuant to the Bank
Service Company Act (12 U.S.C. §§ 1861-1867), or corporation organized under the
Edge Act (12 U.S.C. §§ 611-633).
SECTION 10. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.