(a) Unless expressly otherwise allowed under this title, an acquisition, a merger, or an ownership transaction is not permitted between a depository institution in this state and a depository institution in another state, if upon consummation of the acquisition, merger, or transaction the resulting depository institution, whether organized under state or federal law, controls 50 or more percent of the total amount of the deposits held by all depository institutions in this state.
(b) The department may by regulation adopt a procedure that allows the department to waive the restriction in (a) of this section if the department finds that the purposes of this title will be fulfilled and the acquisition, merger, or transaction is in the public interest.