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Introduced Version Senate Bill 334 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
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Senate Bill No. 334

(By Senator Minard)

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[Introduced January 18, 2012; referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance; and then to the Committee on Finance.]

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A BILL to amend and reenact §46A-4-103 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to the authority of the Commissioner of Banking over consumer lender licensees; providing for a penalty of not more than $2,000 for each day a violation exists; and providing for hearings.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That §46A-4-103 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 4. REGULATED CONSUMER LENDERS.

§46A-4-103. Revocation, suspension or forfeiture of license.

    (1) (a) The commissioner may issue to a person licensed to make regulated consumer loans an order to show cause why his or her license should not be revoked or should not be suspended for a period not in excess of six months. The order shall state the place for a hearing and set a time for the hearing that is no less than ten days from the date of the order. After the hearing the commissioner shall revoke or suspend the license if he or she finds that:

    (a) (1) The licensee has repeatedly and willfully violated this chapter or any rule or order lawfully made or issued pursuant to this article;

    (b) (2) The licensee has failed to remit their required annual assessment, or to maintain their status as a business in good standing with the office of the Secretary of State, notwithstanding notification in writing by the commissioner sent by certified mail to the licensee's last known address providing for thirty days to rectify such failure;

    (c) (3) The licensee has forfeited their license by failing to remain open for regulated consumer lending business in conformity with the rules or order of the commissioner; or

    (d) (4) Facts or conditions exist which would clearly have justified the commissioner in refusing to grant a license had these facts or conditions been known to exist at the time the application for the license was made.

    (2) (b) No revocation or suspension of a license under this article is lawful unless prior to institution of proceedings by the commissioner notice is given to the licensee of the facts or conduct which warrant the intended action, and the licensee is given an opportunity to show compliance with all lawful requirements for retention of the license.

    (3) (c) If the commissioner finds that probable cause for revocation of a license exists and that enforcement of this article requires immediate suspension of the license pending investigation, he or she may, after a hearing upon five days' written notice, enter an order suspending the license for not more than thirty days.

    (4) (d) Nothing in this section limits the authority of the commissioner to take action against a regulated consumer lender pursuant to chapter thirty-one-a of this code.

    (5) (e) Whenever the commissioner revokes or suspends a license, he or she shall enter an order to that effect and forthwith notify the licensee of the revocation or suspension. Within five days after the entry of the order he or she shall mail by registered or certified mail or deliver to the licensee a copy of the order and the findings supporting the order.

    (6) (f) Any person holding a license to make regulated consumer loans may relinquish the license by notifying the commissioner in writing of its relinquishment, but this relinquishment shall not affect his or her liability for acts previously committed.

    (7) (g) No revocation, suspension, forfeiture or relinquishment of a license shall impair or affect the obligation of any preexisting lawful contract between the licensee and any consumer.

    (8) (h) The commissioner may reinstate a license, terminate a suspension or grant a new license to a person whose license has been revoked or suspended if no fact or condition then exists which clearly would have justified the commissioner in refusing to grant a license.

    (i) In addition to the authority authorized by this section, the commissioner may impose a fine or penalty not exceeding $2,000 upon any regulated consumer lender required to be licensed under this article who violates this chapter, chapter thirty-one-a or any other law or rule that the Division of Banking is authorized to enforce with respect to companies licensed under this article. For the purposes of this section, each day, excluding Sundays and holidays, that an unlicensed person engages in the business or holds himself or herself out to the general public as a licensed consumer lender is a separate violation and, as such, each day is subject to the maximum fine of $2,000 per day. Any fine or penalty imposed under this subsection may be contested by the licensee pursuant to article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code.




    NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to expand the authority of the Commissioner of Banking over regulated consumer lender licensees. The bill provides for a penalty of not more than $2,000 for each day a violation exists and for hearings.


    Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

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