Promoting New Bank Formation Act

This bill aims to make it easier to start new community banks, especially in rural areas. It gives new banks up to three years to meet federal capital rules and lets them ask to change their approved business plan during that time. Regulators must answer within 30 days, and if they don’t, the change is automatically approved. For new rural community banks, it temporarily sets the required capital ratio at 8% for the first three years, with a gradual phase‑in over the first two years; after that, it returns to 9% . The bill also allows federal savings associations to make agricultural loans, which could support local farm lending. Finally, banking regulators must study why so few new banks have formed in the last 10 years and how to encourage more in underserved areas, and report back within one year.

• New banks and bank holding companies get up to three years to meet capital rules.
• Regulators must decide business‑plan change requests in 30 days, or the change is approved by default.
• New rural community banks may use an 8% capital ratio for their first three years, phased in lower for the first two years; then it goes back to 9% .
• Federal savings associations may make agricultural loans.
• Regulators must study barriers to new banks and ways to expand access in underserved areas, with a report due in one year.