(a) “Demand deposits” as used in this section shall mean all deposits payable within 30 days; and time deposits shall comprise all deposits payable after 30 days, all savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and postal savings which are subject to not less than 30 days notice before payment.

(b) Every bank, trust company or savings bank shall maintain reserves as follows:

(1) Seven percent of the average aggregate of its demand deposits and 3 percent of the average aggregate of its time deposits, except that no reserves need be maintained against deposits of the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or the State or any political subdivision or municipality thereof which are collateralized; and

(2) Such reserves shall consist of cash in the possession of the bank or of net balances payable on demand with banking institutions within or without the State which have been approved in writing as reserve depositories by the State Bank Commissioner or 50% of such required reserves may be maintained in unencumbered obligations of or guaranteed by the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof including, without limitation, obligations of the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and public housing authorities, or obligations of the State or its municipalities, subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities and having a like market value.

(c) Whenever the State Bank Commissioner determines that the maintenance of sound banking practices or the prevention of injurious credit expansion or contraction makes such action advisable, he may, by general regulation, change, from time to time, the requirements as to reserves against demand or time deposits, or both, in banking institutions doing business in this State which are not members of the Federal Reserve System. The reserves so specified shall be not less than the statutory requirement, nor greater than those requirements of the Federal Reserve Bank in this district applicable to member banks in this State. Reserves maintained under federal statute by state chartered nonmember banks shall satisfy the reserve requirements of this section.

(d) No money held in a fiduciary capacity whether as executor, administrator, guardian, trustee or otherwise, which is on deposit with other banking institutions, shall be carried or counted as a part of the required reserves in any bank or trust company, exclusive of Federal Reserve Member Banks, unless it shall first set aside, earmarked for the trust department, obligations of or guaranteed by the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof including, without limitation, obligations of the Federal National Mortgage Association, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation and public housing authorities or obligations of the State, its municipalities, subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities having a maturity of not more than 5 years from the date of earmarking for the trust department and having a current market value of at least 110 percent of the amount on deposit.

(e) If the reserve of any corporation comprehended by this section shall be less than prescribed by general regulations issued by the State Bank Commissioner, the corporation shall not make any new loans or discounts, other than discounting bills of exchange payable on sight, nor shall the corporation declare or pay any dividends until the full amount of its reserve shall have been restored. Upon failure of any corporation to make good its reserve within 30 days after notice from the State Bank Commissioner, the Commissioner may treat such corporation as in an unsound condition and may proceed against it accordingly.

(f) For purposes of subsection (b) of this section, “deposits” as they relate to activities of international banking facilities shall not be included in the terms “demand deposits” or “time deposits” as such terms are defined in subsection (a) of this section.

32 Del. Laws, c. 103, § 10; Code 1935, § 2298; 43 Del. Laws, c. 139, § 1; 44 Del. Laws, c. 130, § 1; 45 Del. Laws, c. 163, § 1; 5 Del. C. 1953, § 907; 61 Del. Laws, c. 96, §§ 1-3; 62 Del. Laws, c. 248, § 1; 64 Del. Laws, c. 43, § 3; 69 Del. Laws, c. 165, § 19.