Policy and purposes

A. The purpose of this Chapter is to provide for the chartering, regulation, and supervision of savings banks. The policy of this Chapter is: to encourage growth of the personal savings base of the citizens of Louisiana; to promote and assist their stockholders and members in purchasing, building, improving, and repairing immovable property and removing encumbrances therefrom for the purpose of lending money to their stockholders and members; to provide a healthy savings bank industry with safe and sound methods of investment so that this savings base will be retained in Louisiana for Louisiana's growth; to encourage the retention of capital in Louisiana; and to build a strong new system of financial institutions in Louisiana which will, by their strength, be controlled and owned by Louisiana citizens and corporations and which shall be the nucleus for a geographically expansive industry. B. To further its purpose and policies, this Chapter shall be liberally construed except for those provisions which relate to safety and soundness of operations, investments, and management. In those areas, the legislature decrees that this Chapter shall be strictly construed and that each savings bank shall apply the prudent person rule. The commissioner of financial institutions shall interpret those provisions of this Chapter in keeping with that standard.