Section 7-1-600. Definitions

   As used in this part, the term:

   (1) "Bank" means any moneyed corporation authorized by law to receive deposits of money and commercial paper, to make loans, to discount bills, notes, and other commercial paper, to buy and sell bills of exchange, and to issue bills, notes, acceptances, or other evidences of debt, and shall include incorporated banks, savings banks, banking companies, trust companies, and other corporations doing a banking business and may include corporations who provide some or all of the financial services listed in this paragraph by technological means in lieu of or in addition to traditional geographically based delivery systems but, unless the context otherwise indicates, shall not include national banks or building and loan associations or similar associations or corporations; provided, however, that Code Sections 7-1-590 through 7-1-594, providing for the registration of representative offices; Code Sections 7-1-601 and 7-1-602, regulating the operation and establishment of bank branch offices; Code Section 7-1-603, regulating the expansion of existing facilities; and Code Sections 7-1-604 through 7-1-608, restricting the acquisition and ownership of bank shares or assets and regulating the operation of banks and bank holding companies in this state, shall apply to national banks and all other persons, corporations, or associations, by whatever authority organized, doing a banking or trust business in this state. "Bank" shall include "main office" and any "branch office," unless the context indicates that it does not.

   (2) "Bank holding company" means "bank holding company" as defined in Code Section 7-1-605.

   (3) "Banking office" or "banking location" means either a main office or a branch office.

   (4) "Banking services" shall include all those offerings or services resulting from the exercise of banking powers as granted to banks in this title or by other applicable federal or state law or regulation.

   (5) "Branch office" means any location of a bank other than the main office where banking services are offered to the public. It does not include a representative office as defined in Code Section 7-1-590 or a bank extension as defined in Code Section 7-1-603. The department may provide by regulation that certain other activities do or do not constitute the formation of a branch office.

   (6) "Main office" means the principal banking location of a bank as such location appears in the records of the department. A bank shall indicate its principal banking location with the department, and if it fails to do so, the department shall choose a banking location of such bank to be the main office and shall so notify such bank.

Ga. L. 1919, p. 135, art. 1, § 1; Ga. L. 1925, p. 119, § 1; Ga. L. 1927, p. 195, § 1; Code 1933, § 13-201; Ga. L. 1960, p. 67, § 2; Code 1933, § 13-201.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1960, p. 67, § 3; Ga. L. 1963, p. 602, § 1; Ga. L. 1970, p. 954, § 2; Ga. L. 1976, p. 168, § 1; Ga. L. 1986, p. 458, § 8; Ga. L. 1996, p. 6, § 7; Ga. L. 1997, p. 485, § 20; Ga. L. 1999, p. 674, § 17.