(a) The commissioner may, after appropriate notice and opportunity for hearing, by order, censure or suspend for a period not exceeding 12 months, or bar from any position of employment, management, or control any escrow agent, or any other person, if the commissioner finds either of the following:

(1) That the censure, suspension, or bar is in the public interest and that the person has committed or caused a violation of this division or rule or order of the commissioner, which violation was either known or should have been known by the person committing or causing it or has caused material damage to the escrow agent or to the public.

(2) That the person has been convicted of or pleaded nolo contendere to any crime, or has been held liable in any civil action by final judgment, or any administrative judgment by any public agency, if that crime or civil or administrative judgment involved any offense specified in subdivision (b) of Section 17414.1, or any other offense reasonably related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a person engaged in the business in accordance with the provisions of this division.

(b) Within 15 days from the date of a notice of intention to issue an order pursuant to subdivision (a), the person may request a hearing under the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code). Upon receipt of a request, the matter shall be set for hearing to commence within 30 days after such receipt unless the person subject to this division consents to a later date. If no hearing is requested within 15 days after the mailing or service of such notice and none is ordered by the commissioner, the failure to request a hearing shall constitute a waiver of the right to a hearing.

(c) Upon receipt of a notice of intention to issue an order pursuant to this section, the person who is the subject of the proposed order is immediately prohibited from engaging in any escrow processing activities, including disbursing any trust funds in the escrow agent’s possession, custody or control, and the financial institution holding trust funds shall be so notified by service of the notice, accusation and other administrative pleadings. The prohibition against disbursement of trust funds may be set aside, in whole or in part, by the commissioner for good cause.

(d) Fidelity Corporation shall disclose to all licensees the identity of persons who have been censured, suspended, or barred from any position of employment, management, or control.

(e) Persons suspended or barred under this section are prohibited from participating in any business activity of a licensed escrow agent and from engaging in any business activity on the premises where a licensed escrow agent is conducting escrow business. This subdivision shall not be construed to prohibit suspended or barred persons from having their personal escrow transactions processed by a licensed escrow agent.

(f) This section shall apply to any violation, conviction, plea, or judgment occurring at any time prior to and after the enactment of this section.

(g) The provisions of Section 17414.1 exempting convictions for which a person has obtained a certificate of rehabilitation from the prohibition against serving as an officer, director, stockholder, trustee, agent, or employee of an escrow agent, or in any position involving any duties with an escrow agent, shall not apply to permit the reinstatement of any person barred by the commissioner pursuant to this section, nor to prohibit the commissioner from bringing any action pursuant to this section.

(h) If any provision of this section or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this section which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this section are severable.

(Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 625, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 1994.)