65-59. Application for a change of control; filing fee.

A person who proposes to acquire control of an existing cemetery company, whether by purchasing the capital stock of the company, purchasing an owner's interest in the company, or otherwise acting to effectively change the control of the company, shall first make application on a form supplied by the Commission for a certificate of approval of the proposed change of control. The application shall contain the name and address of each proposed new owner. The Commission shall issue a certificate of approval only after it determines that the proposed new owners are qualified by character, experience, and financial responsibility to control and operate the cemetery company in a legal and proper manner, and that the interest of the public generally will not be jeopardized by the proposed change in control. An application for approval of a change of control must be completed and accompanied by a filing fee to be set by the Commission in an amount not to exceed one thousand six hundred dollars ($1,600). The Commission shall not approve any change of control until the applicant has provided sufficient evidence that any trust account required under G.S. 65-66(b) and G.S. 65-70(b) is maintained and funded in the required amount. If the cemetery company posted a performance bond in lieu of any trust account required under G.S. 65-66(b) and G.S. 65-70(b), then the Commission shall not approve any change of control until the applicant has provided sufficient evidence that the performance bond is being appropriately maintained and in an amount sufficient to cover all payments made directly or indirectly by or on account of purchasers who have not received the purchased property and services.