2023 Connecticut General Statutes › Title 36a - The Banking Law of Connecticut › Chapter 669 - Regulated Activities › Section 36a-658. (Formerly Sec. 36-370). - License required. Change in control persons, name or place of business. Use of name. Automatic suspension of license. Surrender of license. Required system filing or notice to commissioner. Unique identifier of license. Advertising of license.

(a) Each license shall state the location at which the business is to be conducted and shall state fully the name of the licensee. If the licensee desires to engage in the business of debt adjustment in more than one location, the licensee shall procure a license for each location where the business is to be conducted. A license issued under section 36a-656 shall not be transferable or assignable. Any change in any control person of the licensee, except a change of a director, general partner or executive officer that is not the result of an acquisition or change of control of the licensee, shall be the subject of an advance change notice filed on the system at least thirty days prior to the effective date of such change and no such change shall occur without the commissioner's approval. For purposes of this section, “change of control” means any change causing the majority ownership, voting rights or control of a licensee to be held by a different control person or group of control persons.
(b) No licensee shall use any name or address other than the name and address stated on the license issued by the commissioner. No licensee may use any name other than its legal name or a fictitious name approved by the commissioner, provided such licensee may not use its legal name if the commissioner disapproves use of such name. A licensee may change the name of the licensee or address of the office specified on the most recent filing with the system if (1) at least thirty calendar days prior to such change, the licensee files such change with the system and provides to the commissioner a bond rider, endorsement or addendum, as applicable; and (2) the commissioner does not disapprove such change, in writing, or request further information from the licensee within such thirty-day period.
(c) The commissioner may automatically suspend any license for a violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section. After a license has been automatically suspended pursuant to this subsection, the commissioner shall (1) give the licensee notice of such automatic suspension pending proceedings for revocation of or refusal to renew the license pursuant to section 36a-657 and an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with section 36a-51, and (2) require the licensee to take or refrain from taking action as the commissioner deems necessary to effectuate the purpose of this section.
(d) Not later than fifteen days after the date a licensee ceases to engage in this state in the business of debt adjustment for any reason, including a business decision to terminate operations in this state, license revocation, bankruptcy or voluntary dissolution, such licensee shall surrender to the commissioner its license for each location in which such licensee has ceased to engage in such business in accordance with subsection (c) of section 36a-51.
(e) Except as otherwise specified in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, each debt adjuster applicant or licensee, and each control person, qualified individual or branch manager of such applicant or licensee shall file on the system or, if the information cannot be filed on the system, notify the commissioner, in writing, of any change in the information such applicant, licensee, control person, qualified individual or branch manager most recently submitted to the system in connection with the application or license not later than fifteen days after the date such applicant, licensee, control person, qualified individual or branch manager had reason to know of the change.
(f) A debt adjuster licensee shall file on the system or, if the information cannot be filed on the system, notify the commissioner, in writing, of the occurrence of any of the following developments not later than fifteen days after the date the licensee had reason to know of the occurrence of any of the following developments:
(1) Filing for bankruptcy or the consummation of a corporate restructuring of the licensee;
(2) Filing of a criminal indictment against the licensee in any way related to the debt adjuster activities of the licensee, or receiving notification of the filing of any criminal felony indictment or felony conviction of any control person, branch manager or qualified individual of the licensee;
(3) Receiving notification of the institution of license denial, cease and desist, suspension or revocation procedures, or other formal or informal action by any governmental agency against the licensee or any control person, branch manager or qualified individual of the licensee and the reasons therefor;
(4) Receiving notification of the initiation of any action against the licensee or any control person, branch manager or qualified individual of the licensee by the Attorney General or the attorney general of any other state and the reasons therefor; or
(5) Receiving notification of filing for bankruptcy of any control person, branch manager or qualified individual of the licensee.
(g) Any person filing or submitting any information on the system shall do so in accordance with the procedures and requirements of the system and shall pay the applicable fees or charges to the system. Each debt adjuster licensee, to the extent required by the system, shall timely submit to the system accurate reports of condition that shall be in such form and shall contain such information as the system may require. Failure by a licensee to submit a timely and accurate report of condition shall constitute a violation of this provision.
(h) The unique identifier of any person licensed under section 36a-656 shall be clearly shown on all solicitations and advertisements, including business cards and Internet web sites, and any other documents as established by rule, regulation or order of the commissioner, and shall be clearly stated in all audio solicitations and advertisements. The solicitations or advertisements of any person licensed under section 36a-656: (1) Shall not include any statement that such person is endorsed in any way by this state, except that such solicitations and advertisements may include a statement that such person is licensed in this state; (2) shall not include any statement or claim that is deceptive, false or misleading; (3) shall otherwise conform to the requirements of sections 36a-655 to 36a-665, inclusive, any regulations issued thereunder and any other applicable law; and (4) shall be retained for two years from the date of use of such solicitation or advertisement.
(1967, P.A. 882, S. 7; P.A. 79-160, S. 4; P.A. 02-111, S. 43; P.A. 08-119, S. 14; P.A. 18-173, S. 65; P.A. 21-138, S. 12.)
History: P.A. 79-160 rephrased prior provisions, authorized conduct of business which does not conflict with interests of clients or business of debt adjustment and deleted provision prohibiting change in office location unless authorized by commissioner; Sec. 36-370 transferred to Sec. 36a-658 in 1995; P.A. 02-111 replaced former provisions with provisions re license to specify location at which business is conducted and name of licensee, procurement of license for each business location, license maintenance and availability for public inspection, license not transferable or assignable and licensee's use of stated name; P.A. 08-119 added requirement for surrender of license when licensee ceases to engage in the business of debt adjustment; P.A. 18-173 designated existing provisions re license requirements as Subsec. (a) and amended same by deleting provision re license to be made available for public inspection, adding reference to Sec. 36a-656, deleting provision re prior written notice to commissioner to change location of licensee, adding provision re filing of advance change notice on the system, designated existing provision prohibiting use of any name other than name stated on license as Subsec. (b) and amended same by adding provisions re use of name or address of licensee and requirements to change the same, added Subsec. (c) re commissioner's authority to automatically suspend a license, designated existing provisions re surrender of license as Subsec. (d) and amended same by deleting “in person or by registered or certified mail” and adding reference to Sec. 36a-51(c), added Subsec. (e) requiring system filing or notification to commissioner of change in information most recently submitted to the system in connection with application or license, added Subsec. (f) requiring system filing or notification of commissioner of certain developments, added Subsec. (g) re submission of timely and accurate report on system, added Subsec. (h) re unique identifier of licensee and solicitation or advertisements by licensee, and made technical and conforming changes; P.A. 21-138 defined “change of control” in Subsec. (a).