45-1017. Licensees; business, records, and accounts; inspection; expenses; fines; lien.

(1) The department shall inspect the business, records, and accounts of all persons that lend money subject to the Nebraska Installment Loan Act. The department may examine or investigate complaints about or reports of alleged violations by a licensee made to the department. The department may inspect and investigate the business, records, and accounts of all persons in the public business of lending money contrary to the act and who do not have a license under the act. The director may appoint examiners who shall, under his or her direction, investigate the loans and business and examine the books and records of licensees annually and more often as determined by the director. The expenses incurred by the department in examining the books and records of licensees and in administering the act during each calendar year shall be paid by the licensee as set forth in sections 8-605 and 8-606.

(2) Upon receipt by a licensee of a notice of investigation or inquiry request for information from the department, the licensee shall respond within twenty-one calendar days. Each day a licensee fails to respond as required by this subsection constitutes a separate violation.

(3) If the director finds, after notice and opportunity for hearing in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, that any person has willfully and intentionally violated any provision of the Nebraska Installment Loan Act, any rule or regulation adopted and promulgated under the act, or any order issued under the act, the director may order such person to pay (a) an administrative fine of not more than one thousand dollars for each separate violation and (b) the costs of investigation. All fines collected by the department pursuant to this subsection shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the permanent school fund.

(4) If a person fails to pay an administrative fine and the costs of investigation ordered pursuant to subsection (3) of this section, a lien in the amount of such fine and costs may be imposed upon all assets and property of such person in this state and may be recovered in a civil action by the director. The lien shall attach to the real property of such person when notice of the lien is filed and indexed against the real property in the office of the register of deeds in the county where the real property is located. The lien shall attach to any other property of such person when notice of the lien is filed against the property in the manner prescribed by law. Failure of the person to pay such fine and costs constitutes a separate violation of the act.

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