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Bank Branching In Washington: A Need For Reappraisal, Richard B. Cohen

Washington Law Review

Washington bank branching policy, which essentially limits geographic bank expansion to mergers with existing banks, is being frustrated by aggressive enforcement of federal antitrust statutes. Given the federal restrictions on bank concentration and the need for a responsive and competitive commercial banking structure at the local level, the author concludes that Washington should revamp current statutory policy and allow limited de novo bank branching.