(a) General. No credit union may issue certificates of indebtedness pursuant to this section or amend the terms of such certificates unless it has obtained a written letter from the commissioner stating that the commissioner does not object ("non-objection letter"). All requirements of the provisions of this section must be met before a non-objection letter will be issued.

(b) Form of application; supporting information. Applications must be in the form prescribed by the commissioner and shall include all information and exhibits required by the application instructions.

(c) Requirements as to certificates. Certificates of Indebtedness issued pursuant to this section shall meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Form of certificate. Each certificate evidencing subordinated debt issued by a credit union pursuant to this section shall: (A) Bear on its face, in bold-face type, the following legends: (i) "This certificate is not a share account or deposit and it is not insured by the United States or any other insuring organization or fund"; and (ii) "This certificate is not eligible for purchase by any credit union or a credit union service organization thereof without the prior written approval of the Credit Union Commissioner of the State of Texas." (B) Clearly state that the certificate-- (i) Is subordinated to all other claims of the credit union's creditors; (ii) Is totally unsecured; and (iii) May not be used as collateral for any loan by the issuing credit union. (C) Shall include within its terms the right of the issuing credit union to prepay the obligation, which shall, at a minimum, include the right to prepay any amount without premium or penalty any time during the fifteen months prior to the maturity date; (D) Shall contain the following statement: "Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this certificate (or in any related documents); (i) if the NCUA or other insuring organization shall be appointed liquidating agent for the issuer of this certificate ("the issuer") and in its capacity as such shall cause the issuer to merge with or into another credit union, or in such capacity shall sell or otherwise convey part or all of the assets of the issuer to another credit union or shall arrange for the assumption of less than all of the liabilities of the issuer by one or more credit unions, the NCUA or other insuring organization shall have no obligation, either in its capacity as liquidating agent or in its corporate capacity, to contract for or to otherwise arrange for the assumption of the obligations represented by this certificate in whole or in part by any credit union or credit unions which results from any such merger or which has purchased or otherwise acquired from the NCUA or other insuring organization as liquidating agent for the issuer, any of the assets of the issuer, or which, pursuant to any arrangement with the NCUA or insuring organization, has assumed less than all of the liabilities of the issuer. To the extent that obligations represented by this certificate have not been assumed in full by a credit union with or into which the issuer may have been merged, as described in this paragraph (A), and/or by one or more credit unions which have succeeded to all or a portion of the assets of the issuer, or which have assumed a portion but not all of the liabilities of the issuer as a result of one or more transactions entered into by the NCUA or other insuring organization as liquidating agent for the issuer, then the holder of this certificate shall be entitled to payments on this obligation in accordance with the procedures and priorities set forth in any applicable law. (ii) In the event that the obligation represented by this certificate is assumed in full by another credit union, which shall succeed by merger or otherwise to substantially all of the assets and the business of the issuer, or which shall by arrangement with the NCUA or insuring organization assume all or a portion of the liabilities of the issuer, and payment or provision for shall have been made in respect of all matured installments of interests upon the certificates together with all matured installments of principal on such certificates which shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration, than any default caused by the appointment of a liquidating agent for the issuer shall be deemed to have been cured, and any declaration consequent upon such default declaring the principal and interest on the certificate to be immediately due and payable shall be deemed to have been rescinded. (iii) This certificate is not eligible to be purchased or held by any credit union or credit union service organization thereof. The issuer of this certificate may not recognize on its transfer books any transfer made to a credit union or any credit union service organization thereof and will not be obligated to make any payments of principal or interest on this certificate if the owner of this certificate is a credit union or any credit union service organization thereof."

(2) Limitations as to term and prepayment. (A) No certificate of indebtedness issued by a credit union pursuant to this section shall have an original period to maturity of less than seven years. During the first six years that such a certificate is outstanding, the total of all required sinking fund payments, other required prepayments, and required reserve allocations with respect to the portion of such six years as have elapsed shall at no time exceed the original principal amount or original redemption price, thereof multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of years that have elapsed since the issuance of the certificate and the denominator of which is the number of years covered by the original period to maturity. (B) No voluntary prepayment of principal shall be made and no payment of principal shall be accelerated without the approval of the commissioner if the credit union's net worth ratio is below 6% or, if after giving effect to such payment, the credit union's net worth ratio would fall below 6%.

(d) Offering circular. The credit union shall submit the proposed offering circular to the Department. The offering circular must state the following in bold print: "These certificates have not been approved by the Texas Credit Union Department nor has the Texas Credit Union Department approved this offering circular."

(e) Supervisory objection. Generally, the commissioner will not issue a non-objection letter where:

(1) The proposed issue fails to transfer risk away from the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund or other insuring organization and onto the certificate holders.

(2) Information submitted in connection with the application or otherwise available to the Department indicates that the credit union will not be able to service the proposed debt. Evaluation of the issuer's ability to service debt should be prospective, based upon the issuer's business plan.

(3) The ratio of subordinated debt included as equity capital to the credit union's net worth requirements exceeds one-third, after giving effect to the proposed issue.

(4) The proposed deployment of the proceeds of the proposed issue is contrary to the credit union's business plan, is unrealistic in its assumptions, or is inconsistent with the principles of safety and soundness.

(5) The credit union has failed to comply with the terms and conditions imposed upon previous subordinated debt issuances, or has failed to comply with any outstanding enforcement action, written agreement or any other significant supervisory requirement.

(f) Additional requirements. The commissioner may impose on the credit union such requirements or conditions with regard to certificates or the offering or issuance thereof as the commissioner may deem necessary or desirable for the protection of purchasers, the credit union, the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, or other insuring organization, as the case may be.

(g) Limitation on offering period. Following the date of the issuance of a non-objection letter, the credit union shall have an offering period of not more than one year in which to complete the sale of the certificates of indebtedness issued pursuant to this section. The commissioner may in his discretion extend such offering period if a written request showing good cause for such extension is filed with the Department not later than 30 days before the expiration of such offering period or any previous extension thereof.

(h) Policies and Procedures. Before any offers or sales of the certificates are made on the premises of the credit union or its credit union service organization, the credit union shall submit to the Department a set of polices and procedures for such sale of certificates that is satisfactory to the Department.

(i) Records. A credit union shall establish and maintain certificate of indebtedness documentation practices and records that demonstrate the credit union appropriately administers and monitors certificate of indebtedness-related activities. The credit union's records should adequately evidence ownership, balances, and all transactions involving each certificate. The credit union may maintain records on certificate of indebtedness activities in any format that is consistent with standard business practices.

(j) Disclosures.

(1) In connection with the purchase of a certificate of indebtedness by a person from the issuing credit union or its credit union service organization, the credit union and/or the credit union service organization must disclose to the person that: (A) The certificate of indebtedness is not a share or deposit; (B) The certificate of indebtedness is not insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund or any other insuring organization; (C) There is investment risk associated with the certificate of indebtedness, including the possible loss of value; and (D) The credit union may not condition an extension of credit on a person's purchase of a certificate of indebtedness.

(2) The disclosures required by paragraph (1) above must be provided orally and in writing before the completion of the sale of a certificate of indebtedness. If the sale of a certificate of indebtedness is conducted by telephone, the credit union may provide the written disclosure required by paragraph (1) by mail within three business days beginning the first business day after the sale, solicitation, or offer.

(3) A credit union may provide the written disclosures required by paragraph (1) through electronic media instead of on paper, if the person affirmatively consents to receiving the disclosures electronically and if the disclosures are provided in a format that the person may retain or obtain later, for example, by printing or storing electronically (such as by downloading).

(4) The disclosures provided shall be conspicuous and designed to call attention to the nature and significance of the information provided.

(k) Sales Activities. A credit union must, to the extent practicable:

(1) Keep the area where the credit union conducts transactions involving certificate of indebtedness physically segregated from areas where shares and deposits are routinely accepted from members;

(2) Identify the area where certificate of indebtedness activities occur; and

(3) Clearly delineate and distinguish those areas from the areas where the credit union's share- and deposit-taking activities occur.

(l) Referrals. Any person who accepts deposits from members in an area where such transactions are routinely conducted in a credit union may refer a member who seeks to purchase a certificate of indebtedness to a qualified person who sells that product only if the person making the referral receives no additional compensation for making the referral.

(m) Reports. Within 30 days after completion of the sale of the subordinated debt issued pursuant to this section, the credit union shall transmit a written report to the Department stating the number of purchases, the total dollar amount of certificates sold, and the amount of net proceeds received by the credit union. The credit union's report shall clearly state the amount of subordinated debt, net of all expenses that the credit union intends to have counted as equity capital. In addition, the credit union, shall submit to the Department, certification of compliance with all applicable laws and regulations in connection with the offering, issuance, and sale of the certificates.

(n) Equity capital. When a certificate of indebtedness has a remaining maturity of 5 years, the amount of the certificates that may be considered equity capital shall be reduced by a minimum of 20% of the original amount of the certificate per year. The equity capital shall be reduced by a constant monthly amortization to ensure the recognition of subordinated debt is fully amortized when the certificate matures or is prepaid.

(o) Prohibited practices.

(1) A credit union may not engage in any practice or use any advertisement at any office of, or on behalf of, a credit union that could mislead any person or otherwise cause a reasonable person to reach an erroneous belief with respect to: (A) the fact that a certificate of indebtedness a credit union sells or offers for sale is not insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund or other insuring organization; (B) the fact that there is an investment risk, including the potential that principal may be lost and that the certificate may decline in value; or (C) the fact that the approval of an extension of credit to a person by the credit union or credit union service organization may not be conditioned on the purchase of a certificate of indebtedness from the credit union or credit union service organization.

(2) No credit union shall directly or indirectly: (A) employ any device, scheme or artifice to defraud, (B) make any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make statements made, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (C) engage in any act, practice, or course of business which operates as a fraud or deceit upon any person, in connection with the purchase or sale of any certificate of indebtedness.

Source Note: The provisions of this §91.7000 adopted to be effective March 14, 2004, 29 TexReg 2638