Mo. Rev. Stat. § 443.735 — MO Code / Chapter 443 / Section 443.735
443.735 Investigations and examinations, authority of director.
Status: in_force

443.735. Investigations and examinations, authority of director. — In addition to any authority allowed under sections 443.701 to 443.893 , the director shall have the authority to conduct investigations and examinations as follows:

(1) For purposes of initial licensing, license renewal, license suspension, license conditioning, license revocation or termination, or general or specific inquiry or investigation to determine compliance with sections 443.701 to 443.893 , the director shall have the authority to access, receive, and use any books, accounts, records, files, documents, information, or evidence, including but not limited to:

(a) Criminal, civil, and administrative history information, including nonconviction data; and

(b) Personal history and experience information including independent credit reports obtained from a consumer reporting agency described in Section 603(p) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. No applicant would be denied a license solely on the basis of a credit score; and

(c) Any other documents, information, or evidence the director deems relevant to the inquiry or investigation regardless of the location, possession, control, or custody of such documents, information, or evidence;

(2) For the purposes of investigating violations or complaints arising under sections 443.701 to 443.893 , or for the purposes of examination, the director may review, investigate, or examine any licensee, individual, or person subject to sections 443.701 to 443.893 as often as necessary to carry out the purposes of sections 443.701 to 443.893 . The director may direct, subpoena, or order the attendance of and examine under oath all persons whose testimony may be required about the loans or the business or subject matter of any such examination or investigation, and may direct, subpoena, or order such person to produce books, accounts, records, files, and any other documents as the director deems relevant to the inquiry;

(3) Each licensee, individual, or person subject to sections 443.701 to 443.893 shall make available to the director, upon request, the books and records relating to the operations of such licensee, individual, or person subject to sections 443.701 to 443.893 . The director shall have access to such books and records and may interview the officers, principals, mortgage loan originators, employees, independent contractors, agents, and customers of the licensee, individual, or person subject to sections 443.701 to 443.893 concerning their business;

(4) Each licensee, individual, or person subject to sections 443.701 to 443.893 shall make or compile reports or prepare other information as directed by the director to carry out the purposes of this section, including but not limited to:

(a) Accounting compilations;

(b) Information lists and data concerning loan transactions in a format prescribed by the director; or

(c) Such other information deemed necessary to carry out the purposes of this section;

(5) In making any examination or investigation authorized by sections 443.701 to 443.893 , the director may control access to any documents and records of the licensee or person under examination or investigation. The director may take possession of the documents and records or place a person in exclusive charge of the documents and records in the place where they are usually kept. During the period of control, no individual or person shall remove or attempt to remove any of the documents and records except under a court order or with the consent of the director. Unless the director has reasonable grounds to believe the documents or records of the licensee have been or are at risk of being altered or destroyed for purposes of concealing a violation by the licensee or owner of the documents and records, the licensee or owner shall have access to the documents or records as necessary to conduct its ordinary business affairs;

(6) To carry out the purposes of this section, the director may:

(a) Retain attorneys, accountants, or other professionals and specialists as examiners, auditors, or investigators to conduct or assist in the conduct of examinations or investigations;

(b) Enter into agreements or relationships with other government officials or regulatory associations in order to improve efficiencies and reduce regulatory burden by sharing resources, standardized or uniform methods or procedures, and documents, records, information, or evidence obtained under this section;

(c) Use, hire, contract, or employ public or privately available analytical systems, methods, or software to examine or investigate the licensee, individual, or person subject to sections 443.701 to 443.893 ;

(d) Accept and rely on examination or investigation reports made by other government officials within or without this state; or

(e) Accept audit reports made by an independent certified public accountant for the licensee, individual, or person subject to sections 443.701 to 443.893 in the course of that part of the examination covering the same general subject matter as the audit and may incorporate the audit report in the report of the examination, report of investigation, or other writing of the director;

(7) The authority of this section shall remain in effect whether such a licensee, individual, or person subject to sections 443.701 to 443.893 acts or claims to act under any licensing or registration law of this state or claims to act without such authority;

(8) No licensee, individual, or person subject to investigation or examination under this section may knowingly withhold, abstract, remove, mutilate, destroy, or secrete any books, records, computer records, or other information.

(L. 2009 H.B. 382) Effective 7-08-09