Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 81 - BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (§§ 81-1-1 — 81-29-3) › Chapter 18 - MISSISSIPPI S.A.F.E. MORTGAGE ACT (§§ 81-18-1 — 81-18-63) › IN GENERAL (§§ 81-18-1 — 81-18-55) › Section 81-18-43 - Penalties for violations; report of violations; hearing on amount of penalty; judicial review

(1)
In order to ensure the effective supervision and enforcement of this chapter, the commissioner may:
(a)
Deny, suspend, revoke, condition or decline to renew a license for a violation of this chapter, rules or regulations issued under this chapter or order or directive entered under this chapter.
(b)
Deny, suspend, revoke, condition or decline to renew a license if an applicant or licensee fails at any time to meet the requirements of Section
81-18-9(4)
or
81-18-15(2)
, or withholds information or makes a material misstatement in an application for a license or renewal of a license.
(c)
Order restitution against persons subject to this chapter for violations of this chapter.
(d)
Impose civil penalties on persons subject to this chapter under subsections (2) and (3) of this section.
(e)
Issue orders or directives under this chapter as follows:
(i)
Order or direct persons subject to this chapter to cease and desist from conducting business, including immediate temporary orders to cease and desist.
(ii)
Order or direct persons subject to this chapter to cease any harmful activities or violations of this chapter, including immediate temporary orders to cease and desist.
(iii)
Enter immediate temporary orders to cease business under a license issued under the authority granted under Section
81-18-7(6)
if the commissioner determines that the license was erroneously granted or the licensee is currently in violation of this chapter.
(iv)
Order or direct such other affirmative action as the commissioner deems necessary.
(2)
The commissioner may impose a civil penalty on a mortgage loan originator or person subject to this chapter, if the commissioner finds, on the record after notice and opportunity for hearing, that the mortgage loan originator or person subject to this chapter has violated or failed to comply with any requirement of this chapter or any regulation prescribed by the commissioner under this chapter or order issued under authority of this chapter. The maximum amount of penalty for each act or omission described in this subsection shall be Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00).
(3)
Each violation or failure to comply with any directive or order of the commissioner is a separate and distinct violation or failure.
(4)
For a first offense, the licensee, person required to be licensed, or employee may be found guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one (1) year.
(5)
For a second or subsequent offense, the licensee, person required to be licensed, or employee shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, may be punished by imprisonment in the custody of the State Department of Corrections for a term not less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years.
(6)
Compliance with the criminal provisions of this section shall be enforced by the appropriate law enforcement agency, which may exercise for that purpose any authority conferred upon the agency by law.
(7)
The commissioner shall report regularly violations of this chapter, as well as enforcement actions and other relevant information, to the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System and Registry subject to the provisions contained in Section
81-18-63
.
(8)
The state may enforce its rights under the surety bond as required in Section
81-18-11
as an available remedy for the collection of any civil penalties, criminal fines or costs of investigation and/or prosecution incurred.
(9)
Any person assessed a penalty as provided in this section shall have the right to request a hearing on the amount of the penalty within ten (10) days after receiving notification of the assessment. If no hearing is requested within ten (10) days of the receipt of the notice, the penalty shall be final except as to judicial review in the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County. Upon the filing of a petition for judicial review, the court shall issue an order to the licensee requiring the licensee to show cause why it should not be entered. If the court determines, after a hearing upon the merits or after failure of the person to appear when so ordered, that the order of the department was properly issued, it shall grant the penalty sought by the department.
Laws, 2000, ch. 579, § 22; reenacted without change, Laws, 2002, ch. 500, § 24; reenacted and amended, Laws, 2004, ch. 364, § 24; reenacted and amended, Laws, 2007, ch. 581, § 25; Laws, 2009, ch. 544, § 19; reenacted without change, Laws, 2010, ch. 462, § 27; reenacted without change, Laws, 2012, ch. 571, § 26, eff. 7/1/2012.
Reenacted without change by Laws, 2020, ch. 310, SB 2427,§ 27, eff. 7/1/2020.
Reenacted by Laws, 2016, ch. 360, SB 2504, 27, eff. 7/1/2016.