(a) Any South Carolina state bank, upon compliance with the requirements of this section, may agree to receive deposits, renew time deposits, close loans, service loans, receive payments on loans and other obligations, and perform such other services as may receive with the prior approval of the board, as an agent for an affiliated depository institution.

(b) A South Carolina state bank that proposes to enter into an agency agreement under this section shall file with the board, at least fifteen days before the effective date of the agreement, a notice of intention to enter into an agency agreement with an affiliated depository institution.

(c) If any proposed service is not specifically designated in subsection (a) of this section, and has not previously been approved in a regulation promulgated by the board, the board shall decide whether to approve the offering of such service within thirty days after receipt of the notice required by subsection (b). However, if the board requests additional information after reviewing such notice, the time limit for the board’s decision shall be thirty days after receiving such additional information. In deciding whether to approve, either by regulation or order, any proposed service that is not specifically designated in subsection (a), the board shall consider whether such service would be consistent with applicable federal and state law and the safety and soundness of the principal and agent institutions. The board shall give appropriate notice to the public of each approval, by regulation or order, of any proposed service pursuant to this subsection (c).

(d) Any proposed service subject to subsection (c) shall be deemed approved if the board takes no action on the notice required by subsection (b) within the time limits specified in subsection (c).

(e) A South Carolina state bank may not under an agency agreement:

(1) conduct any activity as an agent that it would be prohibited from conducting as a principal under applicable state or federal law; or

(2) have an agent conduct any activity that the bank as principal would be prohibited from conducting under applicable state or federal law.

(f) The board may order a South Carolina state bank or any other depository institution subject to the board’s enforcement powers to cease acting as an agent or principal under any agency agreement with an affiliated depository institution that the board finds to be inconsistent with safe and sound banking practices.

(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of the state law, a South Carolina state bank acting as an agent for an affiliated depository institution in accordance with this section shall not be considered to be a branch of that institution or agent for service of process as to that institution.