(a)(1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, no such license, and no renewal thereof, shall be granted unless the applicant has filed a surety bond with the commissioner written by a surety authorized to write such bonds in this state, provided any applicant that files applications for licenses for more than one location shall file a single bond. Except as provided in this subdivision, for every applicant, the principal amount of the bond shall be the greater of (A) forty thousand dollars, or (B) (i) twice the amount of the average daily balance of the payments received by the applicant from Connecticut debtors in connection with the applicant's debt adjustment activity during the preceding twelve months ending June thirtieth of each year, or (ii) in the case of an applicant that has acquired the business of a predecessor debt adjuster, the lesser of the amount of the predecessor's debt adjustment activity during such preceding period or one million dollars. The commissioner may require a larger bond if the commissioner determines that a licensee has engaged in a pattern of conduct resulting in bona fide consumer complaints of misconduct and that such increased bond is necessary for the protection of consumers, or may increase or decrease the amount of the bond based upon the applicant's or licensee's financial condition, business plan and the actual or estimated aggregate amount of payments and fees paid by Connecticut debtors to such applicant. To the extent not captured on a required report of condition on the system, each licensee shall submit to the commissioner, by September first of each year, in a form and manner as may be prescribed by the commissioner, a report containing information on the average daily balance of the payments received by the licensee from Connecticut debtors during the preceding twelve months ending June thirtieth of each such year.

(2) If a licensee or applicant for renewal of a license establishes that such licensee or applicant is unable to comply with the bond required by subdivision (1) of this subsection, it shall file a bond for the highest principal amount it can obtain, provided such amount shall be a minimum of forty thousand dollars, and the licensee or applicant for renewal shall, in lieu of the balance of the required amount of the bond, deposit a sum equal to the amount of the bond required by subdivision (1) of this subsection, less the amount of the bond filed with the commissioner, in cash or cash equivalents, with such bank, out-of-state bank that has a branch in this state, Connecticut credit union or federal credit union as such applicant or licensee may designate and the commissioner may approve, and subject to such conditions as the commissioner deems necessary for the protection of consumers and in the public interest. No licensee or applicant shall make such deposit until the depository institution and the licensee or applicant executes a deposit agreement satisfactory to the commissioner. The deposit agreement shall pledge the amount deposited to the commissioner and provide that the depository institution shall not release any of the moneys pledged without the authorization of the commissioner. The amount deposited shall secure the same obligation as would a surety bond filed under this section and shall be held at such banks or credit unions to cover claims during the period the license remains in full force and effect and the succeeding two years after such license has been surrendered, revoked or suspended or has expired. The licensee or applicant may collect interest on such deposit in accordance with its deposit agreement. The deposits made pursuant to this section shall be deemed, by operation of law, to be held in trust for the benefit of any debtor, who may be damaged by failure of a licensee or applicant to perform any written agreements or by the wrongful conversion of funds paid to a licensee in the event of the bankruptcy of the licensee, and shall be immune from attachment by creditors or judgment creditors.

(3) The form of any surety bond submitted pursuant to this section shall be approved by the Attorney General. Any surety bond filed under this section shall be conditioned upon the licensee faithfully performing any and all written agreements with debtors, truly and faithfully accounting for all funds received by the licensee in the licensee's capacity as a debt adjuster, and conducting such business consistent with the provisions of sections 36a-655 to 36a-665, inclusive. Any debtor who may be damaged by failure to perform any written agreements, or by the wrongful conversion of funds paid to a licensee, may proceed on any such surety bond against the principal or surety thereon, or both, to recover damages. The commissioner may proceed on any such surety bond against the principal or surety thereon, or both, to collect any civil penalty imposed upon the licensee pursuant to subsection (a) of section 36a-50. On and after April 1, 2019, the commissioner may also proceed on any restitution imposed pursuant to subsection (c) of section 36a-50, and any unpaid costs of examination of a license as determined pursuant to section 36a-65. The proceeds of any bond, even if commingled with other assets of the licensee, shall be deemed by operation of law to be held in trust for the benefit of such claimants against the licensee in the event of bankruptcy of the licensee and shall be immune from attachment by creditors and judgment creditors. Any bond required by this section shall be maintained during the entire period of the license granted to the applicant, and the aggregate liability under any such bond shall not exceed the principal amount of the bond or the limit of liability.

(b) The surety shall have the right to cancel any bond filed under subsection (a) of this section at any time by a written notice to the licensee and the commissioner, stating the date cancellation shall take effect. If such bond is issued electronically on the system, written notice of cancellation may be provided by the surety to the principal and the commissioner through the system at least thirty days prior to the date of cancellation. Any notice of cancellation not provided through the system shall be sent by certified mail to the licensee and the commissioner at least thirty days prior to the date of cancellation. No such bond shall be cancelled unless the surety notifies the commissioner in writing not less than thirty days prior to the effective date of cancellation. After receipt of such notification from the surety, the commissioner shall give written notice to the licensee of the date such bond cancellation shall take effect. The commissioner shall automatically suspend the license on such date, unless prior to such date the licensee submits a letter of reinstatement of the bond from the surety or a new bond or the licensee has surrendered the license. After a license has been automatically suspended, the commissioner shall (1) give the licensee notice of the automatic suspension pending proceedings for revocation or refusal to renew and an opportunity for a hearing on such actions in accordance with section 36a-51, and (2) require the licensee to take or refrain from taking such action as the commissioner deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section.

(c) No licensee shall use, attempt to use or make reference to, either directly or indirectly, any word or phrase which states or implies that the licensee is endorsed, sponsored, recommended or bonded by the state.

(1967, P.A. 882, S. 17; P.A. 94-122, S. 302, 340; P.A. 02-111, S. 45; P.A. 04-69, S. 25; P.A. 06-35, S. 10; P.A. 09-23, S. 1; P.A. 09-208, S. 28; P.A. 11-216, S. 39; P.A. 18-173, S. 66.)

History: P.A. 94-122 changed “he” to “the licensee”, effective January 1, 1995; Sec. 36-380 transferred to Sec. 36a-664 in 1995; P.A. 02-111 added new Subsec. (a) re surety bond, designated existing provisions as Subsec. (b) and, in said Subsec., changed “bonded, approved, bonded by the state or approved by the state” to “endorsed, sponsored, recommended or bonded by the state”; P.A. 04-69 amended Subsec. (a) by designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and amending same to add exception for provisions of Subdiv. (2) and reference to “surety” bond, to delete provision re approval of form by Attorney General, to replace “July thirty-first” with “March thirty-first” and provision re submission of bond or renewal thereof with provision re submission of evidence that bond complies with subdivision, to delete former requirements for bond and proceeding thereon and to make technical changes, and by adding Subdiv. (2) re supplemental bond or insurance policy and Subdiv. (3) re requirements for bond or insurance policy and proceeding thereon, added new Subsec. (b) re cancellation of bond or insurance policy and automatic suspension of license, redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (c) and amended same by adding “or insured”; P.A. 06-35 amended Subsec. (a)(1)(B) to substitute July thirty-first for March thirty-first of each year as date marking end of 12-month period, effective May 8, 2006; P.A. 09-23 amended Subsec. (a)(1)(B) by designating existing provision as Subsec. (a)(1)(B)(i) and replacing “highest total payments” with “average daily balance of the payments” therein, by adding Subpara. (B)(ii) re applicants that acquired business of a predecessor debt adjuster and providing that commissioner may require larger bond upon certain findings and may increase or decrease amount of bond, and by replacing requirement that licensees submit evidence that bond complies with subdivision with requirement that licensees submit annual report containing the average daily balance of payments received from Connecticut debtors, amended Subsec. (a)(2) by adding provision re depositing cash or cash equivalents with certain depository institutions and making conforming changes, and amended Subsecs. (a)(3), (b) and (c) by removing provisions re insurance policies, effective July 1, 2009; P.A. 09-208 amended Subsec. (b) by requiring commissioner to provide written notice to licensee of date a bond or insurance policy cancellation shall take effect, by providing that commissioner shall automatically suspend a license unless licensee submits letter of reinstatement prior to date on which license suspension takes effect, authorizing commissioner to require licensee to take or refrain from taking certain actions, and by making technical changes, effective July 7, 2009; P.A. 11-216 amended Subsec. (b) to delete references to insurance company and insurance policy, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 18-173 amended Subsec. (a)(1) by replacing “July thirty-first” with “June thirtieth”, adding “To the extent not captured on a required report of condition on the system,”, adding “in a form and manner as may be prescribed by the commissioner,”, deleting provision re report to be subscribed and affirmed as true and in form prescribed by commissioner, amended Subsec. (a)(3) by adding provision re commissioner's authority to proceed on restitution imposed pursuant to Sec. 36a-50(c) and certain unpaid costs, amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re written notice to commissioner for cancellation of bond, adding provisions re cancellation of bond issued electronically on the system, designating existing provisions re notice of automatic suspension as Subdiv. (1), designating existing provision re requiring licensee to take or refrain from taking action as Subdiv. (2), and amending same by replacing “action as in the opinion of the commissioner will effectuate the purposes of this section” with “action as the commissioner deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section”, and made technical and conforming changes.