The Financial Stability Oversight Council (“FSOC”) has announced that on Thursday, April 12, 2018, it will consider a “potential application” from a bank holding company or its successor to be de-designated as a systemically important financial institution under section 117 of the Dodd-Frank Act.

Sometimes known as the “Hotel California” provision,[1] section 117 of Dodd-Frank provides that any institution that was a bank holding company with $50 billion or more in total consolidated assets as of January 1, 2010, participated in the Capital Purchase Program of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, and ceases to be a bank holding company, will presumptively be treated as a nonbank systemically important financial institution (“nonbank SIFI”) and continue to be supervised and regulated by the Federal Reserve.  Such an institution may appeal its designation as a nonbank SIFI to FSOC, which may grant the appeal by a vote of two-thirds or more of its voting members, including an affirmative vote by the Chairperson (the Secretary of the Treasury).

It is widely assumed that the potential applicant is Zions Bancorporation, which announced in November 2017 that it would eliminate its bank holding company and file an application with FSOC under section 117 to be de-designated as a nonbank SIFI.  Other banking organizations will be watching closely to discern FSOC’s approach to evaluating section 117 applications.  Institutions with interest in the section 117 process are likely to include any institution that does not rely substantially on the expanded powers granted to bank holding companies, and therefore could operate its businesses exclusively through its bank and bank operating subsidiaries; and any institution that focuses on nonbanking businesses such as securities, and therefore could divest its bank subsidiary or seek to convert it into a type of bank that is exempt from the definition of “bank” under the Bank Holding Company Act, such as an industrial loan company.

[1]           “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave!”  Eagles, Hotel California, 1977.

Photo of Randy Benjenk Randy Benjenk

Randy Benjenk is a partner in Covington’s industry-leading Financial Services Group and focuses his practice on regulatory advice and advocacy. He represents domestic and foreign banks, fintech companies, and trade associations on compliance issues, corporate transactions, and public policy matters.

Chambers USA says…

Randy Benjenk is a partner in Covington’s industry-leading Financial Services Group and focuses his practice on regulatory advice and advocacy. He represents domestic and foreign banks, fintech companies, and trade associations on compliance issues, corporate transactions, and public policy matters.

Chambers USA says Randy has received “widespread praise” from clients, who describe him as “excellent” and say that “the quality of his legal work and his writing abilities were incredible” and “he’s very easy to work with, knowledgeable and efficient.”

Randy regularly advises clients on a wide range of regulatory matters, including:

  • Bank Activities and Prudential Regulation. Complex bank activities, structure, licensing, and prudential matters, often involving issues of first impression at the federal and state banking agencies.
  • Corporate Transactions. Mergers and acquisitions, spinoffs, charter conversions, debt and equity issuances, investments, strategic partnerships, de novo bank formations, and related regulatory applications and disclosures.
  • Private Equity Investments. Private equity investments in banks, bank investments in private funds, and fund structuring related to the Volcker Rule and Bank Holding Company Act.
  • Public Policy Matters. Regulatory and legislative policy matters, with an emphasis on changes arising out of U.S. banking legislation and international standards.
  • Crisis Response. Navigating extraordinary events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and related governmental responses, and firm-specific matters.
  • Supervisory and Enforcement Matters. Compliance and safety and soundness issues that arise in the examination and enforcement contexts.
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