§1461. Real estate recovery fund

A. There is created the Louisiana Real Estate Recovery Fund, hereinafter referred to as the "recovery fund". Money from the recovery fund shall be disbursed as provided in this Chapter on order of the commission as reimbursement to any person who is adjudged to have suffered monetary damages by reason of any of the following acts committed as part of any transaction involving the sale or lease of real property in this state by any real estate broker or salesperson who was licensed under the provisions of this Chapter at the time the alleged act was committed:

(1) Any violation of the Louisiana Real Estate License Law.

(2) Obtaining money or property by fraud, misrepresentation, deceit, false pretenses, artifice, trickery, or by any other act which would constitute any violation prescribed in this Chapter.

B.(1) In addition to the license fees provided for in R.S. 37:1443 and those fees provided for in R.S. 37:1464, upon initial issuance and/or renewal of every real estate broker's and real estate salesperson's license as well as any and all other types of licenses, if any, issued by the commission after January 1, 1979 and until December 31, 1980, the commission may charge each of the aforesaid licensees an amount not to exceed eight dollars per year to be deposited and included in the recovery fund, said amounts to be collectable on a two year basis.

(2) After December 31, 1980, for the initial issuance and/or renewal of each license specified herein, except a timeshare interest sales registration, the commission may levy a fee in an amount needed to provide for the reasonable administration of the recovery fund; to provide for the replacement of payments out of the recovery fund so that the minimum level as specified in Subsection C of this Section is retained subject to a credit for the interest earned by the recovery fund itself, and

(3) Further provided that all initial applicants after the first initial license period, January 1, 1979 to December 31, 1980, shall pay the same amount as that charged during the first recovery fund collection period specified herein.

(4) The accrued surplus, if any, in the recovery fund over and above the four hundred thousand dollar minimum level after payment of the administration and losses from the fund may be transferred on December 31 of each calendar year by voucher properly drawn and signed by the chairman of the commission or his designee to the research and education fund for use as specified in R.S. 37:1464.

C. The commission shall maintain a minimum level of four hundred thousand dollars for recovery and guaranty purposes. These funds may be invested by the commission under the same limitations as other state funds and the interest thereon shall be deposited to the credit of the recovery fund.

Acts 1978, No. 514, §1. Amended by Acts 1983, No. 379, §1; Acts 1983, No. 552, §2; Acts 1989, No. 655, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1990.