§5-26-6. Issuance of license.

The supervisor shall not issue a mortgage loan originator license unless the Supervisor makes at a minimum the following findings:

(1) NO LICENSE REVOCATION. The applicant has never had a mortgage loan originator license revoked in any governmental jurisdiction, except that a subsequent formal vacation of such revocation shall not be deemed a revocation.

(2) NO FELONY CONVICTION. The applicant has not been convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony in a domestic, foreign, or military court:

(a) During the seven-year period preceding the date of the application for licensing and registration; or

(b) At any time preceding such date of application, if such felony involved an act of fraud, dishonesty, or a breach of trust, or money laundering;

(c) Provided that any pardon of a conviction shall not be a conviction for purposes of this subsection.

(3) CHARACTER AND FITNESS. The applicant has demonstrated financial responsibility, character, and general fitness such as to command the confidence of the community and to warrant a determination that the mortgage loan originator will operate honestly, fairly, and efficiently within the purposes of this chapter. The supervisor shall not base a license denial, in whole or in part, on an applicant's credit score, nor shall the supervisor use a credit report as the sole basis for license denial.

(a) For purposes of this subsection a person has shown that he or she is not financially responsible when he or she has shown a disregard in the management of his or her own financial condition. A determination that an individual has not shown financial responsibility may include, but not be limited to:

(i) Current outstanding judgments, except judgments solely as a result of medical expenses;

(ii) Current outstanding tax liens or other government liens and filings;

(iii) Foreclosures within the past three years;

(iv) A pattern of seriously delinquent accounts within the past three years.

(4) PRE-LICENSING EDUCATION. The applicant has completed the pre-licensing education requirement described in Section 5-26-7.

(5) WRITTEN TEST. The applicant has passed a written test that meets the test requirement described in Section 5-26-8.

(6) NET WORTH, SURETY BOND, OR STATE FUND REQUIREMENT. The applicant has met the surety bond requirement as required pursuant to Section 5-26-14.

(Act 2009-627, p. 1907, §6.)