Virginia Law

Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act

A. This chapter may be cited as the "Virginia Security for Public Deposits Act."

B. The General Assembly intends by this chapter to establish a single body of law applicable to the pledge of collateral for public deposits in financial institutions so that the procedure for securing public deposits may be uniform throughout the Commonwealth.

C. All public deposits in qualified public depositories that are required to be secured by other provisions of law or by a public depositor shall be secured pursuant to this chapter. Public depositors are required to secure their deposits pursuant to several applicable provisions of law, including but not limited to §§ 2.2-1813, 2.2-1815, 8.01-582, 8.01-600, 15.2-1512.1, 15.2-1615, 15.2-2625, 15.2-6611, 15.2-6637, 58.1-3149, 58.1-3150, 58.1-3154, and 58.1-3158.

D. This chapter, however, shall not apply to deposits made by the State Treasurer in out-of-state financial institutions related to master custody and tri-party repurchase agreements, provided that (i) such deposits do not exceed 10 percent of average monthly investment balances and (ii) the out-of-state financial institutions used for this purpose have received at least one of the following short-term deposit ratings: (a) not less than A-1 by Standard & Poor's; (b) not less than P-1 by Moody's Investors Service, Inc.; or (c) not less than F1 by Fitch Ratings, Inc.

1973, c. 172, §§ 2.1-359, 2.1-361; 1984, c. 135; 2000, cc. 335, 352; 2001, c. 844; 2010, cc. 640, 674; 2020, c. 333.

As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning:

"Dedicated method" or "opt-out method" means the securing of public deposits without accepting the contingent liability for the losses of public deposits of other qualified public depositories, pursuant to § 2.2-4404 and regulations and guidelines promulgated by the Treasury Board.

"Defaulting depository" means any qualified public depository determined to be in default or insolvent.

"Default or insolvency" includes, but shall not be limited to, the failure or refusal of any qualified public depository to return any public deposit upon demand or at maturity and the issuance of an order of supervisory authority restraining such depository from making payments of deposit liabilities or the appointment of a receiver for such depository.

"Eligible collateral" means securities or instruments authorized as legal investments under the laws of the Commonwealth for public sinking funds or other public funds as well as Federal Home Loan Bank letters of credit issued in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the Treasury Board.

"Located in Virginia" means having a main office or branch office in the Commonwealth where deposits are accepted, checks are paid, and money is lent.

"Pooled method" means securing public deposits by accepting the contingent liability for the losses of public deposits of other qualified public depositories choosing this method, pursuant to § 2.2-4403 and regulations and guidelines promulgated by the Treasury Board.

"Public deposit" means moneys held by a public depositor who is charged with the duty to receive or administer such moneys and is acting in an official capacity, such moneys being deposited in any of the following types of accounts: nonnegotiable time deposits, demand deposits, savings deposits, or any other transaction accounts.

"Public depositor" means the Commonwealth or any county, city, town or other political subdivision thereof, including any commission, institution, committee, board, or officer of the foregoing and any state court.

"Qualified escrow agent" means the State Treasurer or any bank or trust company approved by the Treasury Board to hold collateral pledged to secure public deposits.

"Qualified public depository" means any national banking association, federal savings and loan association or federal savings bank located in Virginia, any bank, trust company or savings institution organized under Virginia law, or any state bank or savings institution organized under the laws of another state located in Virginia authorized by the Treasury Board to hold public deposits according to this chapter.

"Required collateral" of a qualified public depository means the amount of eligible collateral required to secure public deposits set by regulations or an action of the Treasury Board.

"Treasury Board" means the Treasury Board of the Commonwealth created by § 2.2-2415.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-360; 1984, c. 135; 1987, c. 718; 1996, c. 77; 1998, cc. 20, 21; 2001, c. 844; 2008, c. 7; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

Qualified public depositories shall elect to secure deposits by either the pooled method or the dedicated method. Every qualified public depository shall deposit with a qualified escrow agent eligible collateral equal to or in excess of the required collateral. Eligible collateral shall be valued as determined by the Treasury Board. Substitutions and withdrawals of eligible collateral may be made as determined by the Treasury Board.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no qualified public depository shall be required to give bond or pledge securities or instruments in the manner herein provided for the purpose of securing deposits received or held in the trust department of the depository and that are secured as required by § 6.2-1005 of the Code of Virginia or that are secured pursuant to Title 12, § 92a of the United States Code by securities of the classes prescribed by § 6.2-1005 of the Code of Virginia.

No qualified public depository shall accept or retain any public deposit that is required to be secured unless it has deposited eligible collateral equal to its required collateral with a qualified escrow agent pursuant to this chapter.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-362; 2001, c. 844; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

When the Treasury Board determines that a qualified public depository securing public deposits in accordance with this section is a defaulting depository, it shall as promptly as practicable take steps to reimburse public depositors for uninsured public deposits using the following procedures:

1. The Treasury Board shall ascertain the amount of uninsured public deposits held by the defaulting depository, either with the cooperation of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions, the receiver appointed for such depository, or by any other means available.

2. The amount of such uninsured public deposits ascertained as provided in subdivision 1, plus any costs associated with liquidation, shall be assessed by the Treasury Board first against the defaulting depository to the extent of the full realizable market value of the collateral pledged to secure its public deposits.

3. In the event the realized value of the pledged collateral in subdivision 2 is insufficient to satisfy the liability of the defaulting depository to its public depositors and the Treasury Board, the Treasury Board shall assess the remaining liability against all other qualified public depositories securing public deposits according to the following ratio: total average public deposit balance for each qualified public depository held during the immediately preceding twelve months divided by the total average public deposit balance for the same period held by all qualified public depositories under this section other than the defaulting depository.

4. Assessments made by the Treasury Board in accordance with subdivision 3 shall be payable by the close of business on the second business day following demand. Upon the failure of any qualified public depository to pay such assessment when due, the State Treasurer shall promptly take possession of the eligible collateral deposited with the non-paying depository's escrow agent and liquidate the same to the extent necessary to pay the original assessment plus any additional costs necessary to liquidate the collateral.

5. Upon receipt of such assessments and the net proceeds of the eligible collateral liquidated from the State Treasurer, the Treasury Board shall reimburse the public depositors to the extent of the defaulting depository's liability to them, net of any applicable deposit insurance.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-363; 1978, c. 14; 1984, c. 135; 2001, c. 844; 2009, c. 64; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

When the Treasury Board determines that a qualified public depository securing public deposits in accordance with this section is a defaulting depository, it shall as promptly as practicable take steps to reimburse public depositors of all uninsured public deposits using the following procedures:

1. The Treasury Board shall ascertain the amount of uninsured public deposits held by the defaulting depository with the cooperation of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions, the receiver appointed for such depository or by any other means available.

2. The amount of such uninsured public deposits ascertained as provided in subdivision 1, plus any costs associated with liquidation of the eligible collateral of the defaulting depository, shall be assessed by the Treasury Board against the defaulting depository. The State Treasurer shall promptly take possession of the eligible collateral deposited by such depository with the depository's escrow agent, as is necessary to satisfy the assessment of the Treasury Board and shall liquidate the same and turn over the net proceeds to the Treasury Board.

3. Upon receipt from the State Treasurer of the eligible collateral liquidated, the Treasury Board shall reimburse the public depositors from the proceeds of the collateral up to the extent of the depository's deposit liability to them, net of any applicable deposit insurance.

1984, c. 135, § 2.1-363.1; 2001, c. 844; 2009, c. 64; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

The Treasury Board shall have power to:

1. Make and enforce regulations and guidelines necessary and proper to the full and complete performance of its functions under this chapter;

2. Prescribe and enforce regulations and guidelines fixing terms and conditions consistent with this chapter under which public deposits must be secured;

3. Require additional collateral, in excess of the required collateral of any or all qualified public depositories as it may determine prudent under the circumstances;

4. Determine what securities or instruments shall be acceptable as eligible collateral, and fix the percentage of face value or market value of such securities or instruments that can be used to secure public deposits;

5. Establish guidelines to permit banks to withdraw from the procedures for the payment of losses under § 2.2-4403 and instead be governed by the procedures for the payment of losses under § 2.2-4404, consistent with the primary purpose of protecting public deposits;

6. Require any qualified public depository to provide information concerning its public deposits as requested by the Treasury Board; and

7. Determine when a default or insolvency has occurred and to take such action as it may deem advisable for the protection, collection, compromise or settlement of any claim arising in case of default or insolvency.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-364; 2001, c. 844; 2009, c. 64; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

Upon payment in full to any public depositor on any claim presented pursuant to § 2.2-4403 or 2.2-4404, the Treasury Board shall be subrogated to all of such depositor's rights, title and interest against the depository in default or insolvent and shall share in any distribution of such defaulting or insolvent depository's assets ratably with other depositors. Any sums received from any such distribution shall be paid to the other qualified public depositories against which assessments were made, in proportion to such assessments, net of any proper payment or expense of the Treasury Board in enforcing any such claim.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-365; 2001, c. 844; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

Public deposits required to be secured pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited in a qualified public depository.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-366; 2001, c. 844; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

A. All public depositors are hereby authorized to make public deposits under their control in qualified public depositories, securing such public deposits pursuant to this chapter.

B. Local officials handling public deposits in the Commonwealth may not require from a qualified public depository any pledge of collateral for their deposits in excess of the requirements of this chapter.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-367; 1980, c. 538, § 2.1-234.5; 1998, cc. 20, 21; 2001, c. 844; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

All qualified public depositories are hereby authorized to secure public deposits in accordance with this chapter and shall be deemed to have accepted the liabilities and duties imposed upon it pursuant to this chapter.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-368; 2001, c. 844; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

When deposits are made in accordance with this chapter no official of a public depositor shall be personally liable for any loss resulting from the default or insolvency of any qualified public depository in the absence of negligence, malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance on his part or on the part of his agents.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-370; 2001, c. 844; 2010, cc. 640, 674.

By the tenth day after the end of each calendar reporting month or when requested by the Treasury Board each qualified public depository shall submit to the Treasury Board an electronic report of such data required by the Treasury Board to demonstrate that the current market value of its pledged collateral was equal to or greater than the amount of required collateral for the previous month, certified as to its accuracy by an authorized official of the qualified public depository.

Upon request by a public depositor, a qualified public depository shall provide a schedule detailing the public deposit accounts reported to the Treasury Board for that depositor, as well as the amount of total public deposits held by that depository at the close of the applicable month and the total market value of the collateral securing such public deposits.

1973, c. 172, § 2.1-369; 1979, c. 154; 2001, c. 844; 2010, cc. 640, 674.