32-2-816. Conversion from federal mutual savings and loan association -- state mutual savings and loan association. (1) Any federal mutual savings and loan association organized and existing under the laws and regulations of the United States and duly authorized to operate and actually operating in Montana may convert into a Montana mutual savings and loan association operating under the provisions of this chapter, with the same force and effect as though originally incorporated under the provisions of this chapter, by complying with the rules and regulations of the federal regulatory authority and also by following the procedure set forth in subsection (2).

(2) (a) The federal mutual association shall submit a plan of conversion to the commissioner. When the plan, either with or without amendment, has been approved by the commissioner, it must be submitted to the members of the mutual association as provided in subsection (2)(b).

(b) A meeting of the members must be held on not less than 30 days' notice to each member. Notice of the meeting must be mailed to each member, postage prepaid, to the last-known address of the member shown on the books of the mutual association.

(c) At the meeting of the members of the mutual association, the members may by affirmative vote of a majority of members present, in person or by proxy, resolve to convert the federal mutual association to a state mutual association. A copy of the minutes of the meeting of the members, certified by an appropriate officer of the mutual association, must be filed with the commissioner, accompanied by a conversion fee, which must be set by the department by rule.

(d) Within 30 days after the approval of the proceedings by the commissioner, the mutual association shall file with the commissioner a copy of the proposed articles of incorporation and proposed bylaws of the mutual association. The proposed articles of incorporation and bylaws must conform to the provisions of the laws of this state.

(e) Upon receipt of the proposed articles of incorporation and bylaws, the commissioner shall make a careful examination and investigation of the facts connected with the conversion of the mutual association, including an examination of its affairs generally and a determination of its assets and liabilities. If it appears that the mutual association, if converted, would lawfully be entitled to conduct business as a state mutual association pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, the commissioner shall issue a final approval to the mutual association.

(f) The mutual association shall finalize the articles of incorporation and bylaws and, upon payment of the filing fees by the mutual association, the division shall file the certificate of authority and articles of incorporation with the secretary of state. Upon issuance and recordation of the certificate of authority and articles of incorporation, the mutual association shall file them with the appropriate federal regulatory authority. Upon the filing, the mutual association ceases to be a federal association and is converted to a state mutual association.

(g) (i) Upon conversion, all of the property of the federal mutual association, including all of its rights, title, and interest in and to all property of any kind whether real, personal, or mixed, and things in action, and every right, privilege, interest, and asset of any conceivable value or benefit then existing, belonging, or pertaining to it, or that would insure to it, must immediately by act of law and without any conveyance or transfer and without any further act or deed be vested in and become the property of the state mutual association, which shall have, hold, and enjoy the same in its own right as fully and to the same extent as if the same was possessed, held, or enjoyed by the federal savings association.

(ii) The state mutual association is deemed to be a continuation of the entity and the identity of the federal mutual association, operating under and pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and all rights, obligations, and relations of the federal savings association to or in respect to any person, estate, or creditor, depositor, trustee, or beneficiary of any trust, and to or in respect to any executorship or trusteeship or other trust or fiduciary function, must remain unimpaired. The state mutual association shall by operation of this section succeed to all the rights, obligations, relations, and trusts, and the associated duties and liabilities, and shall execute and perform each and every right, obligation, trust, and relation in the same manner as if the state mutual association had itself assumed the trust or relation, including the related obligations and liabilities.