(a) Before submitting an application to organize and establish a public bank pursuant to § 1020 of the Financial Code, a local agency shall conduct a study to assess the viability of the proposed public bank. The study shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following elements:

(1) A discussion of the purposes of the bank including, but not limited to, achieving cost savings, strengthening local economies, supporting community economic development, and addressing infrastructure and housing needs for localities.

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(2) A fiscal analysis of costs associated with starting the proposed public bank.

(3) An estimate of the initial amount of capital to be provided by the local agency to the proposed public bank.

(4) Financial projections, including a pro forma balance sheet and income statement, of the proposed public bank for at least the first five years of operation. The financial projections shall include an estimate of the time period for when expected revenues meet or exceed expected costs and an estimate of the total operating subsidy that the local agency may be required to provide until the proposed public bank generates sufficient revenue to cover its costs. In addition to projections that assume favorable economic conditions, the analysis shall also include a downside scenario that considers the effect of an economic recession on the financial results of the proposed public bank. The projections may include the downside scenario of continuing to do business with the local government’s current banker or bankers.

(5) A legal analysis of whether the proposed structure and operations of the public bank would likely comply with § 6 of Article XVI of the California Constitution, but nothing herein shall compel the waiver of any attorney-client privilege attaching to that legal analysis.

(6) An analysis of how the proposed governance structure of the public bank would protect the bank from unlawful insider transactions and apparent conflicts of interest.

(b) The study may include any of the following elements:

(1) A fiscal analysis of benefits associated with starting the proposed public bank, including, but not limited to, cost savings, jobs created, jobs retained, economic activity generated, and private capital leveraged.

(2) A qualitative assessment of social or environmental benefits of the proposed public bank.

(3) An estimate of the fees paid to the local agency’s current banker or bankers.

(4) A fiscal analysis of the costs, including social and environmental, of continuing to do business with the local agency’s current banker or bankers.

(c) (1) The study required by subdivision (a) shall be presented to and approved by the governing body of the local agency, and a motion to move forward with an application for a public banking charter shall be approved by a majority vote of the governing body at a public meeting prior to the local agency submitting an application pursuant to § 1020 of the Financial Code. In addition, the local agency shall include a copy of the study required by subdivision (a) in the application submitted to the Commissioner of Financial Protection and Innovation.

(2) Before the local agency submits an application pursuant to § 1020 of the Financial Code, the motion to move forward with an application for a public banking charter shall be subject to voter approval at the next regularly scheduled election held at least 180 days following the vote of the governing body.

(3) The voter approval requirement described in paragraph (2) shall apply to a local agency entering into a joint powers authority formed pursuant to the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5 of Division 7 of Title 1) after the study required in subdivision (a) has been completed and before submitting an application to organize and establish a public bank pursuant to § 1020 of the Financial Code.

(4) As used in paragraphs (2) and (3), “local agency” does not include a charter city.

(d) The local agency shall make available to the public the financial models and key assumptions used to estimate the elements described in paragraphs (2) through (4) of subdivision (a) before presenting the study to the governing body of the local agency as required by subdivision (c).

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 452, Sec. 190. (SB 1498) Effective January 1, 2023.)