§31A-4-40. Permissive closing on fixed weekday or portions of weekdays; notice of closings; emergency closings; procedures.

(a) Any banking institution may elect to operate branches that are open for business on the days and for the hours as determined appropriate by that banking institution. Prior to changing the days or hours a branch or main office will be open for business, the banking institution shall provide notice of the change to its customers in the form of conspicuous signage in the lobby and any drive-through lanes at that branch posted at least forty-five days prior to the change. The banking institution shall also provide the Commissioner of Financial Institutions with forty-five days' advance written notice of the change.

(b) Any banking institution may close, without notice, during any period of actual or threatened enemy attack affecting the community in which the banking institution is located or during any period of other emergency including, but not limited to, fire, flood, hurricane, riot, snow or civil commotion: Provided, That the commissioner shall be notified of any closing made pursuant to this subsection as soon as practical thereafter.

(c) Any fixed weekday and/or portion of one or more weekdays on which any banking institution elects to close and any period during which the commissioner may permit it to close pursuant to the authority of this section is a legal holiday with respect to the banking institution and not a business day or banking day for the purposes of the law relating to negotiable instruments and any act or contract authorized, required or permitted to be carried out or performed at, by or with respect to the banking institution may be performed on the next business or banking day and no liability or loss of rights on the part of any person or banking institution shall result therefrom.