Sec. 29. (a) Money in the fund may be used to provide restitution to a seller who performs a defaulted contract, to a purchaser, or to a purchaser's estate for pecuniary loss arising from a trust or an escrow required by:

(1) this chapter;

(2) IC 23-14-49-1;

(3) IC 30-2-9; or

(4) IC 30-2-10.

The repeal of a statute cited in this subsection does not terminate the ability of a party to a contract made under the repealed statute to receive restitution under this chapter.

(b) The purchaser, seller, or other interested person must request restitution by filing a verified complaint with the board.

(c) The board may investigate any verified complaint. Within one hundred eighty (180) days after a verified complaint is filed, the board shall determine if a seller has defaulted on a contract. If the seller's obligation to perform under the contract cannot be collected from the seller, the board may order the auditor of state to make restitution from the fund.

(d) The amount of restitution may not exceed the gross amount of the original contract plus interest, compounded annually, on the gross amount that is figured, for each year or part of a year for which restitution is owed, using the lesser of:

(1) the rate set forth in IC 24-4.6-1-101 in effect on January 1 of each year; or

(2) the monthly average yield on United States Treasury Securities for the month of January of each year, adjusted to a constant maturity of one (1) year, as published by the Federal Reserve.

(e) The fund may not be charged with court costs or the payment of legal or other fees. In computing the amount of restitution, the board shall give credit for:

(1) merchandise delivered; and

(2) resources still existing in trust.

(f) When restitution is paid from the fund, the fund is subrogated to the amount of the restitution, and the board shall ask the attorney general to take all reasonable steps to collect the subrogated amount from the seller. Any amount collected shall be deposited in the fund.

(g) Money in the fund may only be used for a purpose that is specified in this section.

(h) The payment of restitution from the fund is not a right, and a purchaser does not have a vested right in the fund as a beneficiary of the fund.

(i) The status of the fund shall be annually reviewed by the board. If the board determines during its annual review that the fund balance equals or exceeds two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000), the board shall suspend payments to the fund until after the next annual review that the board determines that the fund balance is less than two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000).

As added by P.L.200-1991, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.120-1994, SEC.5; P.L.52-1997, SEC.54; P.L.114-1999, SEC.17; P.L.65-2007, SEC.5; P.L.112-2014, SEC.38.