Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb2986%20intr.htm&yr=2005&sesstype=RS&i=2986
Timestamp: 2018-04-20 10:00:50
Document Index: 98088762

Matched Legal Cases: ['§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17', '§17']

Introduced Version House Bill 2986 History
(By Delegates Boggs, Kominar, G. White, Craig, Michael and Cann)
A BILL to amend and reenact §17A-6-6 and §17A-6-18 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new article, designated §17A-6E-1, §17A-6E-2, §17A-6E-3, §17A-6E-4, §17A-6E-5, §17A-6E-6, §17A-6E-7, §17A-6E-8, §17A-6E-9, §17A-6E-10, §17A-6E-11, §17A-6E-12 and §17A-6E-13, all relating to the regulation of selling new or used vehicles, providing for the comprehensive regulation and licensing of persons who sell new or used vehicles by requiring these persons to obtain licenses as salespersons.
That §17A-6-6 and §17A-6-18 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a new article, designated §17A-6E-1, §17A-6E-2, §17A-6E-3, §17A-6E-4, §17A-6E-5, §17A-6E-6, §17A-6E-7, §17A-6E-8, §17A-6E-9, §17A-6E-10, §17A-6E-11, §17A-6E-12 and §17A-6E-13, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 6. LICENSING OF DEALERS AND WRECKERS OR DISMANTLERS;
SPECIAL PLATES; TEMPORARY PLATES OR MARKERS, ETC.
(a) Upon the basis review of the application and all other information before him or her, the Commissioner shall may make and enter an order denying the an application for a license certificate and refusing refuse the license certificate sought. which A denial and refusal are final and conclusive unless an appeal is taken made in accordance with the provisions of section twenty-one of this article rules proposed for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The Commissioner shall make and enter an order denying or refusing a license, if the Commissioner finds that the applicant (individually, if an individual, or the partners, if a copartnership, or the officers and directors, if a corporation):
(5) Has been convicted of a felony: Provided, That upon appeal, the Motor Vehicle Dealers Advisory Board established pursuant to the provisions of section eighteen-a of this article may grant as an exemption of this restriction if the felony did not involve financial matters, the motor vehicle industry or matters of moral turpitude;
(11) Is delinquent in the payment of any taxes owed to the United States, the State of West Virginia or any political subdivision thereof of the state;
(14) Has failed to pay any civil penalty assessed by this state or any other state; or
Otherwise, the Commissioner shall issue to the applicant the appropriate license certificate which entitles the licensee to engage in the business of new motor vehicle dealer, used motor vehicle dealer, house trailer dealer, trailer dealer, recreational vehicle dealer, motorcycle dealer, used parts dealer, or wrecker or dismantler, as the case may be. during the period, unless sooner suspended or revoked, for which the license certificate is issued
PART V. SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSE
CERTIFICATES; SURRENDER OF PLATES, ETC.
(a) The Commissioner may conduct an investigation to determine whether any provisions of this chapter have been or are about to be violated by a licensee. Any investigation shall be kept in strictest confidence confidential by the Commissioner and the Division, the licensee, any complainant and all other persons, unless and until the Commissioner suspends or revokes the license certificate of the licensee involved or fines the licensee: Provided, That the Commissioner may advise the Motor Vehicle Dealers Advisory Board of pending actions and may disclose to the Motor Vehicle Dealers Advisory Board any information that enables it to perform its advisory function in imposing penalties. The Commissioner may suspend or revoke a license certificate, suspend a special dealer plate or plates, impose a fine or take any combination of these actions if the Commissioner finds that the licensee:
(18) Has misrepresented a customer's credit or financial status to obtain financing; or
(19) Has failed to reimburse, when ordered, any claim against the dealer recovery fund as prescribed in section two-a of this article or
(20) Has employed unlicensed salespersons in violation of article six-e of this chapter on or after the first day of January, two thousand seven.
The Commissioner shall also suspend or revoke the license certificate of a licensee if he or she finds the existence of any ground upon which the license certificate could have been refused or any ground which would be cause for refusing a license certificate to the licensee were he or she then applying for the license certificate.
(b) Whenever a licensee fails to keep the bond, unless exempt from the requirement pursuant to section two-a of this article or liability insurance required by section four of this article, in full force and effect, or fails to provide evidence of the bond or liability insurance, the Commissioner shall automatically suspend the license certificate of the licensee unless and until a bond or certificate of insurance as required by section four of this article is furnished to the Commissioner. When the licensee furnishes the bond or certificate of insurance to the Commissioner and pays all reinstatement fees, the Commissioner shall vacate the suspension.
(c) Suspensions under this section shall continue until the cause for the suspension has been eliminated or corrected. Revocation of a license certificate shall does not preclude application for a new license certificate. The Commissioner shall process the application for a new license certificate in the same manner and issue or refuse to issue the license certificate on the same grounds as any other application for a license certificate is processed, considered and passed upon, except that the Commissioner may give any previous suspension and the revocation such weight in deciding whether to issue or refuse the license certificate as is correct and proper under all of the circumstances.
It is the purpose of this article to protect retail motor vehicle customers, motor vehicle dealers, banks and the state from sustaining losses due to the fraudulent activity of persons engaged in the business of selling vehicles. Some persons engaged in this business lack the knowledge or aptitude to properly prepare documents related to vehicle purchases, make false and deceptive claims concerning motor vehicles to customers and have engaged in fraud and other illegal conduct which has resulted in customers, motor vehicle dealers, banks and the state sustaining financial losses. This article establishes minimum competency and ethical standards for persons engaged in the business of selling motor vehicles to the general public.
(2) "Dealer" means any motor vehicle or auction business regulated under the provisions of articles six or six-c of this chapter;
(4) "Motor vehicle salesperson" or "salesperson" means any person employed by a dealer to sell, buy, display and offer for sale or deal in motor vehicles, recreational vehicles or trailers for a commission or other valuable consideration, but does not mean any public officer performing his or her official duties or the dealer licensee. A person employed by a dealer as a finance and insurance representative is for the purposes of this article a salesperson.
(a) Except as provided in section six of this article, no person may engage in business in this state as a motor vehicle salesperson on and after the first day of January, two thousand seven, without first obtaining a license as provided in this article.
(b) No class of vehicle dealer as defined in article six or six-c of this chapter may employ an unlicenced motor vehicle salesperson on or after the first day of January, two thousand seven. No person may sell vehicles for more than one vehicle dealer unless the Commissioner grants a written waiver.
(c) Any person employed by a dealer as a salesperson as of the first day of March, two thousand six, is exempt from the background investigation and payment of the fee for the background investigation provided in section four of this article.
(a) The Division may not issue any person a motor vehicle salesperson license unless the person:
(1) Is endorsed for employment by a West Virginia dealer; (2) Completes the application for a license on the form prescribed by the Division, fully completed, signed and attested to by the applicant, including, but not limited to, the applicant's:
(E) Statement as to whether the applicant has ever had any previous application for a dealer salesperson license refused in this or any other state or jurisdiction;
(3) Submits an employing salesperson notification form completed and endorsed by the employing dealer;
(5) Pays an initial nonrefundable application fee of five dollars for each year the license is valid. Payment of the fee entitles the applicant to one attempt at a written test prescribed by the Division. Successful completion of at least seventy percent of the written test is a passing score;
(6) Pays a nonrefundable background investigation fee of twenty-five dollars; and
(7) Successfully passes a background history check. investigation conducted by the Division.
(6) Has not been designated to act as a salesperson for a motor vehicle dealer licensed in accordance with article six or six-c of this chapter;
(7) Has acted as a salesperson for more than one motor vehicle dealer at the same time unless granted a waiver by the Commissioner; or
(8) Has an unfavorable background check.
(d) Any dealer who employs a salesperson shall notify the Division within ten days of the employment.
(e) Willful misrepresentation of any fact in any application or any document in support of the application is a violation of this chapter.
(b) A salesperson may renew a salesperson license in the manner prescribed by the Division upon completion of the application for renewal, endorsement by the employing dealer and payment of a renewal fee of ten dollars. The license shall be valid for a period of five years.
(1) Any licensee who fails to renew his or her salesperson license before the date of expiration shall pay an additional fee of five dollars.
(2) Any licensee who fails to renew his or her salesperson license within six months of expiration is not eligible for renewal and is required to complete the application process required of all new applicants, including the payment of all initial fees, completion of the written test and background investigation as if he or she never held a license.
(a) The dealer shall notify the Division in the manner prescribed by the Division within ten days upon the termination or cessation of employment of a salesperson for any reason. Upon termination or cessation of employment, the license of the salesperson becomes inactive. The person shall cease the selling of vehicles until the person becomes relicensed as a salesperson for the same dealer or another dealer.
(b) The dealer shall notify the Division in the manner prescribed by the Division within ten days upon hiring any person who possesses a valid salesperson license. The dealer shall complete an application for transfer of a salesperson license.
(c) The salesperson shall submit the completed transfer application, a fee of five dollars and obtain a new salesperson license in the name of the new employer within thirty days of employment. No transfer application or fee is required if the salesperson is reemployed by the previous employer, within six months of cessation of employment. However, the dealer shall notify the Division of the reemployment.
A salesperson shall notify the Division in the manner prescribed by the Division of the loss of any license and obtain a new license within twenty days of loss. The Division shall charge a fee of five dollars for issuing any duplicate license.
(a) Every salesperson licensee must have his or her salesperson license in his or her possession at all times when engaged in the business of selling vehicles, and shall display the license upon demand of any customer, law-enforcement official or Division employee.
(a) The Commissioner may revoke or suspend the license of any salesperson if he or she determines that the licensee has:
(2) "Revocation" means the privilege to sell vehicles is withdrawn permanently. However, the person retains the right to reapply for an original license with an explanation as to why the Commissioner should consider the applicant for relicensing.
(b) The appeal serves to stay the suspension or revocation of a salesperson license but does not serve to require the Commissioner to issue or renew a salesperson license.
The Commissioner may conduct any investigation necessary to determine whether any provision of this chapter has been violated or is about to be violated by a licensee or applicant. Any investigation shall be kept confidential by the Commissioner and the Division unless and until the Commissioner suspends, revokes or otherwise denies a license. However, the Commissioner may advise the Motor Vehicle Dealers Advisory Board of information that may enable it to perform its advisory functions.
(a) Whenever it appears to the Commissioner that any person or licensee has violated any provision of this article or any final order of the Commissioner, the Commissioner may petition, in the name of the state, in the circuit court of Kanawha County or in the circuit court of the county in which the violation occurred, for an injunction against the person or licensee. A violation or violations resulting in the prosecution or conviction under the provisions of article eleven of this chapter do not prohibit injunctive relief.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to protect retail motor vehicle customers, motor vehicle dealers, banks and the state from sustaining financial losses due to the fraudulent activity of some persons engaged in the business of selling vehicles. This bill establishes a system of regulating and licensing the persons who sell new or used vehicles by requiring these persons to obtain licensing as a salesperson with the Division of Motor Vehicles. The bill also adds authority for the Division to do a background check.
§17A-6E is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.