(1) The total loans and extensions of credit by a bank or trust company to a person outstanding at any one time shall not exceed twenty percent of the capital and surplus of such bank or trust company. The following loans and extensions of credit shall not be subject to this limitation:

     (a) Loans or extensions of credit arising from the discount of commercial or business paper evidencing an obligation to the person negotiating it with recourse;

     (b) Loans or extensions of credit secured by bonds, notes, certificates of indebtedness, or treasury bills of the United States or by other such obligations wholly guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States;

     (c) Loans or extensions of credit to or secured by unconditional takeout commitments or guarantees of any department, agency, bureau, board, commission, or establishment of the United States or any corporation wholly owned directly or indirectly by the United States;

     (d) Loans or extensions of credit fully secured by a segregated deposit account or accounts in the lending bank;

     (e) Loans or extensions of credit secured by collateral having a readily ascertained market value of at least one hundred fifteen percent of the outstanding amount of the loan or extension of credit;

     (f) Loans or extensions of credit secured by bills of lading, warehouse receipts, or similar documents transferring or securing title to readily marketable staples shall be subject to a limitation of thirty-five percent of capital and surplus in addition to the general limitations, if the market value of the staples securing each additional loan or extension of credit at all times equals or exceeds one hundred fifteen percent of the outstanding amount of the loan or extension of credit. The staples shall be fully covered by insurance whenever it is customary to insure the staples;

     (g) The purchase of bankers' acceptances of the kind described in section 13 of the federal reserve act and issued by other banks shall not be subject to any limitation based on capital and surplus;

     (h) The unpaid purchase price of a sale of bank property, if secured by such property.

     (2) For the purposes of this section, "capital" shall include the amount of common stock outstanding and unimpaired, the amount of preferred stock outstanding and unimpaired, and capital notes or debentures issued pursuant to chapter 30.36 RCW.

     (3) For the purposes of this section, "surplus" shall include capital surplus, reflecting the amounts paid in excess of the par or stated value of capital stock, or amounts contributed to the bank other than for capital stock, and undivided profits.

     (4) For the purposes of this section, "person" includes an individual, sole proprietor, partnership, joint venture, association, trust, estate, business trust, corporation, sovereign government or agency, instrumentality, or political subdivision thereof, or any similar entity or organization.

     (5) The director may prescribe rules to administer and carry out the purposes of this section, including without limitation rules to define or further define terms used in this section and to establish limits or requirements other than those specified in this section for particular classes or categories of loans or extensions of credit, and to determine when a loan putatively made to a person shall, for purposes of this section, be attributed to another person. In adopting the rules, the director shall be guided by rulings of the comptroller of the currency, or successor federal banking regulator, that govern lending limits applicable to national banks. In lieu of the adoption by the department of a rule applicable to specific types of transactions, a bank, unless otherwise approved by the director, shall conform to all applicable rulings of the comptroller of the currency, or successor federal banking regulator, which (a) relate to national banks, (b) govern such specific types of transactions, and (c) are consistent with this section and the department's adopted rules.

[2010 c 88 § 10; 1995 c 344 § 1; 1994 c 92 § 12; 1986 c 279 § 3.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 2010 c 88: See RCW 32.50.900.