Title 54, Credit Unions, Lending Institutions and Pawnbrokers

(1) At such intervals and for such periods as the board of directors may authorize, and after provision for the required reserves, the board of directors may declare dividends to be paid on shares or share certificates. Dividends may be paid at various rates, or not paid at all, …

(1) A credit union may receive savings in deposit and deposit certificate accounts from its members and other credit unions, subject to such conditions as the board of directors establishes. (2) Deposit and deposit certificate accounts differ from shares and share certificates in…

A member may designate any person or persons to hold shares, deposits and thrift club accounts with the member in joint tenancy, with or without the right of survivorship, but no joint tenant, unless a member in the member’s own right, shall be permitted to vote, obtain loans, or…

Shares may be issued and deposits may be held in the name of a member in trust for a beneficiary, including a minor, but no beneficiary, unless a member in the beneficiary’s own right, shall be permitted to vote, obtain loans, hold office or be required to pay an entrance or memb…

(1) A credit union may allow a member holding a regular share or deposit account to use that account as a share draft account as provided in this section, subject to conditions established by the board of directors. (2) As used in this section: (a) “Share draft” means a negotiabl…

A credit union may certify a share draft issued by the credit union. A credit union that certifies a share draft may immediately charge the amount of the share draft to the drawer’s share draft account. [1985 c.206 §5; 1987 c.286 §7; 1999 c.185 §41]

Shares, share certificates, deposits and deposit certificates may be withdrawn for payment to the account holder or to third parties in accordance with the manner and procedures established by the board of directors. The board of directors may restrict one class of shares so that…

The credit union shall have a lien on all funds of a member or joint owner on deposit with the credit union in any individual or joint account held in any capacity, for any obligation of the member or joint owner to the credit union. [Formerly 723.436; 1991 c.635 §12; 1999 c.185 …

(1) Whenever the losses of any credit union, resulting from a depreciation in value of its loans or investments or otherwise, exceed its undivided earnings and reserve fund so that the estimated value of its assets is less than the total amount due the shareholders, the credit un…

Any deposit to a credit union made to an account in the name of a minor shall be held for the exclusive right and benefit of the minor and free from the control or lien of all other persons, except other parties to the account and creditors, and shall be paid, in accordance with …

(1) On the death of a member of a credit union, if the deposit to the credit of the deceased member is $25,000 or less, the credit union may, upon receipt of an affidavit from a person claiming the deposit as provided in subsection (3) of this section, or a declaration from the D…

(1) A credit union shall be obligated to recognize an adverse claim to a deposit it holds only if the adverse claimant gives notice to the credit union of its claim and: (a) Procures a restraining order, injunction or other appropriate process against the credit union in an actio…

If a person who owns a share or deposit account subject to check authorizes another person as agent to draw checks against the account, the credit union, in the absence of written notice to the contrary, may presume that any check drawn by the agent in the manner authorized by th…

A credit union may refuse to pay any check, draft or order drawn upon it when the officers or employees of the credit union have reason to believe that the person signing or indorsing the instrument was so under the influence of alcohol, drugs or controlled substances or that the…

As used in ORS 723.474 to 723.498, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) “Account” means a contract of deposit of funds between a member and a credit union and includes a checking account, savings account, certificate of deposit and share account. (2) “Beneficiary” means a p…

The provisions of ORS 723.478, 723.480 and 723.482 concerning beneficial ownership between parties or between parties and P.O.D. payees or beneficiaries of multiple-party accounts are relevant only to controversies between those persons and their creditors and other successors, a…

(1) A joint account belongs, during the lifetime of all parties, to the parties in proportion to the net contributions by each party to the sums on deposit, unless there is clear and convincing evidence of a different intent. (2) A P.O.D. account belongs to the original party dur…

(1) Sums remaining on deposit at a credit union at the death of a party to a joint account are rebuttably presumed to belong to the surviving party or parties against the estate of the decedent. If there are two or more surviving parties, their respective ownerships during their …

The provisions of ORS 723.480 that apply to rights of survivorship are determined by the form of the account at the time of death of a party. Subject to satisfaction of the requirements of the credit union, the form of an account may be altered by a written order given by a party…

Any transfers resulting from the application of ORS 723.480 are effective by reason of the account contracts involved and application of ORS 723.480. The transfers are not to be considered as testamentary or subject to administration in the estate of a deceased party. [1999 c.185…

Credit unions may enter into multiple-party accounts to the same extent that they may enter into single-party accounts. Any multiple-party account may be paid, on request, to any one or more of the parties. For purposes of establishing net contributions a credit union shall not b…

Any sums in a joint account may be paid, on request, to any party without regard to whether any other party is incapacitated or deceased at the time the payment is requested. Payment may not be made to the personal representative or heirs of a deceased party unless: (1) Proof of …

Any P.O.D. account may be paid, on request, to any original party to the account. Payment may be made, on request, to the P.O.D. payee or to the personal representative or heirs of a deceased P.O.D. payee upon presentation to the credit union of proof of death showing that the P.…

Any trust account may be paid, on request, to any trustee. Unless the credit union has received written notice that the beneficiary has a vested interest not dependent upon the beneficiary surviving the trustee, payment may be made to the personal representative or heirs of a dec…

Payment made pursuant to ORS 723.486, 723.488, 723.490 or 723.492 discharges the credit union from all claims for amounts paid, whether or not the payment is consistent with the beneficial ownership of the account between parties, P.O.D. payees or beneficiaries, or their successo…

Without qualifying any other statutory or common law right to setoff or lien, and subject to any contractual provision, if a party to a multiple-party account is indebted to a credit union, the credit union has a right to setoff against the account in which the party has or had i…

Nothing in ORS 723.426, 723.432, 723.474, 723.476 or 723.478 shall preclude a party to an account from adding the name of another person to the account with the designation of “agent.” The agent shall have no present or future interest in the sums on deposit in the account, but t…

A credit union may make loans to members of the credit union for such purpose and upon such security and terms as the credit committee, credit manager or loan officer approves. A person who is not a member of the credit union may be a guarantor or co-obligor on a credit union’s l…

Every application for a loan shall be made in the form prescribed by the credit committee, credit manager or loan officer. The application shall state the security, if any offered. Each loan shall be evidenced by a written document. [1975 c.652 §53; 1991 c.635 §14]

(1) A credit union may not make a loan to any member in an aggregate amount that exceeds $100,000, or 15 percent of the credit union’s equity, whichever is greater. In determining the amount of loans to be made to a member, loans for which that member is a guarantor or surety mus…

A member may receive a loan in installments, or in one sum, and may pay the whole or any part of the member’s loan on any day on which the office of the credit union is open for business. [1975 c.652 §55]

The credit committee, credit manager, or loan officer may approve in advance upon their own motion or upon application by a member, a line of credit, and advances may be granted to such member within the limit of such extension of credit. Where a line of credit has been approved,…

(1) Loans to credit union members may be shared with other credit unions, corporations or financial organizations. (2) A credit union may participate in guaranteed loan programs of the federal government, the State of Oregon or any other state. (3) A credit union may purchase the…

(1) For the purposes of this section, “management team” means the president or chief executive officer of a credit union or an individual who holds a position in a credit union of vice president or higher who has policymaking authority or authority to approve loans. (2) A credit …

Any officer, director or member of a committee of a credit union who knowingly permits a loan to be made or participates in a loan to a nonmember of the credit union shall be primarily liable to the credit union for the amount thus illegally loaned. The illegality of such loan sh…

(1) A credit union may purchase or make available life savings, loan protection and other forms of insurance for its members in amounts related to their respective ages, shares, deposits or loan balances or to any combination of them. (2) A credit union may enter into cooperative…

A credit union may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the credit union, or who is or was serving at the request of the credit union as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partn…

(1) Each credit union shall secure insurance on shares and deposits from the National Credit Union Administration under the Federal Credit Union Act or its successor, or from any other insuring organization that provides comparable coverages and is approved by the Director of the…

A credit union may enter into cooperative marketing arrangements to facilitate its members’ voluntary purchases of such goods and services as are in the interest of improving economic and social conditions of the members. Said investment shall not exceed one percent of the credit…

A credit union may invest funds not used in loans to members in: (1) Securities, obligations or other instruments of or issued by or fully guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States or an agency of the United States or in a trust or trusts established directly o…

(1) A credit union shall establish and maintain a regular reserve for contingencies. The Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services may adopt rules prescribing: (a) Minimum net worth requirements for credit unions; and (b) Actions a credit union must take when t…

(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, the board of directors of a credit union may authorize losses to be charged to the regular reserve after first depleting the balance of the undivided earnings account and other appropriations of undivided earnings designated by the m…

(1) In addition to the regular reserve established under ORS 723.631, special reserves to protect the interest of members shall be established, as provided in this section: (a) When required by rule; or (b) When found by the board of directors of the credit union or by the Direct…

(1) If it appears that any credit union is bankrupt or insolvent, or that it has willfully violated any provision of this chapter, or is operating in an unsafe or unsound manner, the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services shall issue an order temporarily sus…

(1) A credit union may elect to dissolve voluntarily and liquidate its affairs in the manner prescribed in this section. (2) The board of directors shall adopt a resolution recommending the credit union be dissolved voluntarily and directing that the question of liquidation be su…

(1)(a) A credit union chartered in this state may, with the approval of the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services, merge with another credit union under the existing charter of the other credit union pursuant to a plan that the majority of each board of dir…

(1) A credit union chartered under the laws of this state may be converted to a credit union chartered under the laws of the United States, subject to the approval of the National Credit Union Administration. (2) A credit union chartered under the laws of the United States may co…

Any central credit union may be organized and operated under this chapter with all the rights and powers of any credit union organized under this chapter, except those granted to a corporate central credit union under ORS 723.730, and shall be subject to all provisions of this ch…

Membership in a central credit union is limited to: (1) Credit unions organized and operating under this chapter or under any other credit union act. (2) Officers, directors, committee members and employees of such credit unions; officials and employees of any association of cred…

Each credit union becoming a member of such central credit union may designate one person to be its voting representative in the central credit union, which person shall be designated by the board of directors of the member credit union. Such voting representative shall be eligib…