For purposes of this division:

1. (a) “Local financial institution” means a certified community development financial institution, a credit union, as defined in Section 165 of the Financial Code, or a small bank or an intermediate small bank, as defined in Section 25.12 of Title 12 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

2. (b)

   1. (1) “Public bank” means a corporation, organized under the Nonprofit Mutual Benefit Corporation Law (Part 3 (commencing with Section 7110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code) or the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law (Part 2 (commencing with Section 5110) of Division 2 of Title 1 of the Corporations Code) for the purpose of engaging in the commercial banking business or industrial banking business, that is wholly owned by a local agency, local agencies, or a joint powers authority formed pursuant to the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Article 1 (commencing with Section 6500) of Chapter 5 of Division 7 of Title 1) that is composed only of local agencies.
   2. (2) A local agency located within a county with a population of less than 250,000 may organize a public bank only if it does so as part of a joint powers authority formed for those purposes.
   3. (3) For purposes of paragraph (2), population shall be based on the most recent estimate of population data determined by the Demographic Research Unit of the Department of Finance.
3. (c) “Public bank license” means a certificate of authorization to transact business as a bank as described in Section 1042 of the Financial Code.