Capital Briefs: OCC Asked to Preempt Wis. on Trust Branching

Bank One Trust Co., has asked the federal government to preempt Wisconsin law and allow it to conduct fiduciary activities through a branch there.

The Columbus, Ohio-based trust subsidiary of Banc One Corp. filed an application with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to merge with another unit, Bank One Wisconsin Trust Co., Milwaukee.

After the merger, Bank One Wisconsin would become an interstate branch of the Ohio trust bank. However, Wisconsin law bars out-of-state national banks from operating trust branches there.

Because requests to preempt state laws are potentially controversial, the Comptroller's Office decided to publish the Bank One application in the Federal Register, a spokesman said.

The Feb. 21 application will be published Friday. Comments will be accepted for 30 days.

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