A. The deputy director has the authority and responsibility for the discharge of all duties imposed by law on the division.

Terms Used In Arizona Laws 6-122

  • Bank: means a corporation that holds a banking permit issued pursuant to chapter 2 of this title. See Arizona Laws 6-101
  • Deputy director: means the deputy director of the financial institutions division of the department. See Arizona Laws 6-101
  • Division: means the financial institutions division within the department. See Arizona Laws 6-101
  • Enterprise: means any person under the jurisdiction of the department other than a financial institution. See Arizona Laws 6-101
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Financial institution: means banks, trust companies, savings and loan associations, credit unions, consumer lenders, international banking facilities and financial institution holding companies under the jurisdiction of the department. See Arizona Laws 6-101
  • including: means not limited to and is not a term of exclusion. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. Source: OCC
  • Month: means a calendar month unless otherwise expressed. See Arizona Laws 1-215
  • Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. Source: FDIC

B. The deputy director shall:

1. Examine or cause to be examined each financial institution annually, except financial institution holding companies, banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions and consumer lenders, and more frequently if the deputy director considers it necessary.

2. Examine or cause to be examined each bank, credit union and savings and loan association at the deputy director’s discretion but at least once in every twenty-four month period.

3. Examine or cause to be examined the business and affairs of any enterprise and any consumer lender for the purpose of administering and enforcing this title at the deputy director’s discretion.

4. Examine or cause to be examined financial institution holding companies as frequently as the deputy director considers necessary to administer and enforce this title.

5. Notwithstanding paragraph 3 of this subsection, examine or cause to be examined the accounts held in trust by each escrow agent at least once in every two-year period and examine or cause to be examined each escrow agent at least once in every four-year period or more frequently if the deputy director considers it necessary.

6. Publish a consumer information brochure that includes:

(a) The finance charges allowed by this state.

(b) The types of insurance that may be offered but that are not required by law to be purchased with the granting of a loan.

(c) Interest rate limitations on all lenders including amounts that may not be charged to borrowers.

(d) Consumer rights and means of recourse from unfair practitioners.

7. Make it a priority to encourage the growth of state-chartered financial institutions in this state and by February 1 of each calendar year notify the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives if the total number of state-chartered banks or state-chartered credit unions decreases during the prior calendar year.

C. Notwithstanding subsection B, paragraph 5 of this section, an escrow agent shall be examined within twelve months when an escrow agent’s license is transferred or assigned pursuant to section 6-813 or when control of the license is otherwise acquired.