1.   Made it slightly harder to sue directors of federally chartered banks who May have mismanaged the institutions.

2.   Banks argue that federal law gives U.S. bank regulators sole authority over the fee practices of nationally chartered banks, pre-empting local law.

3.   But a federal court decision has allowed federally chartered banks to ignore many of these restrictions, so many state legislatures have been gradually eliminating them.

4.   But federally chartered banks, like Citibank and Fleet, can charge as much as they like.

5.   But the administration opposes that approach because it would rob the Treasury, which oversees nationally chartered banks, from playing a prominent role in banking issues.

6.   Federally chartered banks can already operate in New York.

7.   For nationally chartered banks, complaints may be made to the Comptroller of the Currency, a part of the Treasury Department.

8.   Hawke, whose agency regulates nationally chartered banks, declined to comment on Providian.

9.   In March the high court ruled states cannot interfere with a federal law that allows nationally chartered banks to sell insurance under certain circumstances.

10.   In March the US Supreme Court ruled that states cannot interfere with a federal law that allows nationally chartered banks to sell insurance under certain circumstances.