45-742. License; suspension or revocation; administrative fine; procedure; surrender; cancellation; expiration; effect; reinstatement.

(1) The director may, following a hearing under the Administrative Procedure Act and the rules and regulations adopted and promulgated under the act, suspend or revoke any license issued under the Residential Mortgage Licensing Act. The director may also impose an administrative fine for each separate violation of the act if the director finds:

(a) The licensee has materially violated or demonstrated a continuing pattern of violating the act, rules and regulations adopted and promulgated under the act, any order, including a cease and desist order, issued under the act, or any other state or federal law applicable to the conduct of its business;

(b) A fact or condition exists which, if it had existed at the time of the original application for the license, would have warranted the director to deny the application;

(c) The licensee has violated a voluntary consent or compliance agreement which had been entered into with the director;

(d) The licensee has made or caused to be made, in any document filed with the director or in any proceeding under the act, any statement which was, at the time and in light of the circumstances under which it was made, false or misleading in any material respect or suppressed or withheld from the director any information which, if submitted by the licensee, would have resulted in denial of the license application;

(e) The licensee has refused to permit an examination by the director of the licensee's books and affairs pursuant to subsection (1) or (2) of section 45-741 or has refused or failed to comply with subsection (5) of section 45-741 after written notice of the violation by the director. Each day the licensee continues in violation of this subdivision after such written notice constitutes a separate violation;

(f) The licensee has failed to maintain records as required by subdivision (8) of section 45-737 or as otherwise required following written notice of the violation by the director. Each day the licensee continues in violation of this subdivision after such written notice constitutes a separate violation;

(g) The licensee knowingly has employed any individual or knowingly has maintained a contractual relationship with any individual acting as an agent, if such individual has been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or was found guilty after a plea of nolo contendere to (i) a misdemeanor under any state or federal law which involves dishonesty or fraud or which involves any aspect of the mortgage banking business, depository institution business, or installment loan company business or (ii) any felony under state or federal law;

(h) The licensee knowingly has employed any individual or knowingly has maintained a contractual relationship with any individual acting as an agent, if such individual (i) has had a mortgage loan originator license revoked in any state, unless such revocation was subsequently vacated, (ii) has a mortgage loan originator license which has been suspended by the director, or (iii) while previously associated in any other capacity with another licensee, was the subject of a complaint under the act and the complaint was not resolved at the time the individual became employed by, or began acting as an agent for, the licensee and the licensee with reasonable diligence could have discovered the existence of such complaint;

(i) The licensee knowingly has employed any individual or knowingly has maintained a contractual relationship with any individual acting as an agent if such individual is conducting activities requiring a mortgage loan originator license in this state without first obtaining such license;

(j) The licensee has violated the written restrictions or conditions under which the license was issued;

(k) The licensee, or if the licensee is a business entity, one of the officers, directors, shareholders, partners, and members, was convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or was found guilty after a plea of nolo contendere to (i) a misdemeanor under any state or federal law which involves dishonesty or fraud or which involves any aspect of the mortgage banking business, depository institution business, or installment loan company business or (ii) any felony under state or federal law;

(l) The licensee has had a similar license revoked in any other jurisdiction; or

(m) The licensee has failed to reasonably supervise any officer, employee, or agent to assure his or her compliance with the act or with any state or federal law applicable to the mortgage banking business.

(2) Except as provided in this section and section 45-742.01, a license shall not be revoked or suspended except after notice and a hearing in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act and the rules and regulations adopted and promulgated by the department.

(3) A licensee may voluntarily surrender a license by delivering to the director written notice of the surrender, but a surrender shall not affect civil or criminal liability for acts committed before the surrender or liability for any fines which may be levied against the licensee or any of its officers, directors, shareholders, partners, or members pursuant to section 45-743 for acts committed before the surrender. The director's approval of such license surrender shall not be required unless the director has commenced an examination or investigation pursuant to section 45-741 or has commenced a proceeding to revoke or suspend the licensee's license or impose an administrative fine pursuant to this section.

(4)(a) If a licensee fails to (i) renew its license as required by sections 45-706 and 45-732 and does not voluntarily surrender the license pursuant to this section or (ii) pay the required fee for renewal of the license, the department may issue a notice of expiration of the license to the licensee in lieu of revocation proceedings.

(b) The director may adopt by rule, regulation, or order procedures for the reinstatement of licenses for which a notice of expiration was issued in accordance with subdivision (a) of this subsection. Such procedures shall be consistent with standards established by the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry. The fee for reinstatement shall be the same fee as the fee for the initial license application.

(c) If a licensee fails to maintain a surety bond as required by section 45-724, the department may issue a notice of cancellation of the license in lieu of revocation proceedings.

(5) Revocation, suspension, surrender, cancellation, or expiration of a license shall not impair or affect the obligation of a preexisting lawful contract between the licensee and any person, including a borrower.

(6) Revocation, suspension, cancellation, or expiration of a license shall not affect civil or criminal liability for acts committed before the revocation, suspension, cancellation, or expiration or liability for any fines which may be levied against the licensee or any of its officers, directors, shareholders, partners, or members pursuant to section 45-743 for acts committed before the revocation, suspension, cancellation, or expiration.

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