SECTION 21A. Assent to and participation in bank reorganization by government officers

Any officer of the commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof, or of any public or quasi-public body or corporation, receiving public or quasi-public moneys, including trust and sinking funds, who lawfully and in good faith and in the exercise of due care has deposited any of such moneys to the credit of any political subdivision of the commonwealth, or of any department, board, commission or other activity of the commonwealth or of any political subdivision thereof, or of any such body or corporation in a bank as defined in section one or in a national banking association doing business within the commonwealth, may, subject to the approval hereinafter required, on behalf of the commonwealth or political subdivision thereof or of the public or quasi-public body or corporation, on behalf of which such moneys were deposited, and without thereby incurring any personal liability for the loss of any such moneys by reason of any reorganization hereinafter referred to, assent to and participate in a plan of reorganization of such bank or national banking association, if such plan shall have previously been approved by the commissioner or by the comptroller of the currency, and may enter into all necessary agreements in connection therewith. The state treasurer, subject to the approval hereinafter required, may act under authority of this section as to any public moneys deposited by himself or any other officer of the commonwealth to the credit of the commonwealth and not specifically to the credit of any department, board, commission or other activity thereof.

No action shall be taken under authority of this section unless and until approved, in case of action of the state treasurer or any other officer of the commonwealth, by the governor and council; in case of action of any officer of a county, city or town, by the county commissioners, mayor and city council or board of selectmen; in case of action of any officer of a district, by the prudential committee thereof, or other officer or board exercising similar powers therein; and in case of action of any officer of a public or quasi-public body or corporation, by its board of directors, or board of trustees or other officers or board thereof exercising similar powers.