(a) A broker-dealer licensed under this chapter shall not effect any transaction in, or induce or attempt to induce the purchase or sale of, any security in this state unless that broker-dealer and all agents employed by that broker-dealer meet specified and appropriate standards with respect to training, experience, supervision, terms of employment, and other qualifications as the commissioner finds necessary or desirable. The commissioner may establish those standards by rules, which may: (1) appropriately classify broker-dealers and agents (taking into account relevant matters, including types of business done and nature of securities sold); (2) specify that all or any portion of those standards shall be applicable to any class; (3) require persons in any class to pass examinations prescribed in accordance with those rules; and (4) provide that persons in any class, other than a broker-dealer and partners, officers and supervisory employees (which term may be defined by the commissioner’s rules and as so defined shall include branch managers of broker-dealers) of broker-dealers, may be qualified solely on the basis of compliance with such specified standards of training and such other qualifications as the commissioner finds appropriate.

(b) In addition to the fees imposed by Section 25608, the commissioner may prescribe by rule reasonable fees and charges to defray the cost of any examination administered by the commissioner or under the commissioner’s direction. The commissioner may cooperate with national securities associations and national securities exchanges and with the Securities and Exchange Commission in administering examinations and may require broker-dealers and agents to pass examinations administered by or on behalf of any association or exchange or by the Securities and Exchange Commission and to pay to that association or exchange or that commission reasonable fees or charges to defray the costs incurred by that association or exchange or commission in administering the examinations.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 143, Sec. 48. (SB 251) Effective January 1, 2020.)