2023 Florida Statutes › Title XIV - Taxation and Finance › Chapter 206 - Motor and Other Fuel Taxes › Part I - Motor Fuels (Ss. 206.01-206.64) › 206.026 - Certain persons prohibited from holding a terminal supplier, importer, exporter, blender, carrier, terminal operator, or wholesaler license; suspension and revocation.

206.026 Certain persons prohibited from holding a terminal supplier, importer, exporter, blender, carrier, terminal operator, or wholesaler license; suspension and revocation.—
(1) No corporation, except a publicly held corporation regularly traded on a national securities exchange and not over the counter, general or limited partnership, sole proprietorship, business trust, joint venture or unincorporated association, or other business entity shall hold a terminal supplier, importer, exporter, blender, carrier, terminal operator, or wholesaler license in this state if any one of the persons or entities specified in paragraph (a) has been determined by the department not to be of good moral character or has been convicted of any offense specified in paragraph (b):
(a)1. The licenseholder.
2. The sole proprietor of the licenseholder.
3. A corporate officer or director of the licenseholder.
4. A general or limited partner of the licenseholder.
5. A trustee of the licenseholder.
6. A member of an unincorporated association licenseholder.
7. A joint venturer of the licenseholder.
8. The owner of any equity interest in the licenseholder, whether as a common shareholder, general or limited partner, voting trustee, or trust beneficiary.
9. An owner of any interest in the license or licenseholder, including any immediate family member of the owner, or holder of any debt, mortgage, contract, or concession from the licenseholder, who by virtue thereof is able to control the business of the licenseholder.
(b)1. A felony in this state.
2. Any felony in any other state which would be a felony if committed in this state under the laws of Florida.
3. Any felony under the laws of the United States.
4. A felony under the Florida Motor Fuel Tax Relief Act of 2004.
(2)(a) If the applicant for a license as specified under subsection (1) or a licenseholder as specified in paragraph (1)(a) has received a full pardon or a restoration of civil rights with respect to the conviction specified in paragraph (1)(b), then the conviction shall not constitute an absolute bar to the issuance or renewal of a license or ground for the revocation or suspension of a license.
(b) A corporation which has been convicted of a felony shall be entitled to apply for and receive a restoration of its civil rights in the same manner and on the same grounds as an individual.
(3) After notice and hearing, the department shall refuse to issue or renew, or shall suspend, as appropriate, any license found in violation of subsection (1). The order shall become effective 120 days after service of the order upon the licenseholder and shall be amended to constitute a final order of revocation unless the licenseholder has, within that period of time, either caused the divestiture, or agreed with the convicted person upon a complete immediate divestiture, of his or her holding, or has petitioned the circuit court as provided in subsection (4), or, in the case of corporate officers or directors of the holder or employees of the holder, has terminated the relationship between the licenseholder and those persons mentioned. If no action has been taken by the licenseholder within the 120-day period following the issuance of the order of suspension, the department shall, without further notice or hearing, enter a final order of revocation of the license.
(4) The circuit courts shall have jurisdiction to decide a petition brought by a holder of a license who shows that the holder’s license is in jeopardy of suspension or revocation under subsection (3) and that such licenseholder is unable to agree upon the terms of divestiture of interest with the person specified in subparagraphs (1)(a)3.-9. who has been convicted of an offense specified in paragraph (1)(b). The court shall determine the reasonable value of the interest of the convicted person and order a divestiture upon such terms and conditions as it finds just. In determining the value of the interest of the convicted person, the court may consider, among other matters, the value of the assets of the licenseholder, its good will and value as a going concern, recent and expected future earnings, and other criteria usual and customary in the sale of like enterprises.
(5) The department shall obtain the fingerprints and personal data from persons described in paragraph (1)(a) for purposes of determining whether such persons have a criminal background and shall obtain data regarding the business entities described in subsection (1) to effectuate the provisions of this section. Such fingerprints shall be used for statewide criminal and juvenile records checks through the Department of Law Enforcement and federal criminal records checks through the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
History.—s. 78, ch. 85-342; s. 47, ch. 87-224; s. 1062, ch. 95-147; s. 4, ch. 95-417; s. 2, ch. 97-54; s. 11, ch. 2003-254; s. 9, ch. 2004-73.