9-509. Same; license; application; fingerprinting, when required; net worth requirement; deposit of security or bond; conditions; powers and duties of state bank commissioner. (a) No person shall engage in the business of selling, issuing or delivering its payment instrument, check, draft, money order, personal money order, bill of exchange, evidence of indebtedness or other instrument for the transmission or payment of money or otherwise engage in the business of money transmission with a resident of this state, or, except as provided in K.S.A. 9-510, and amendments thereto, act as agent for another in the transmission of money as a service or for a fee or other consideration, unless such person files a complete application and obtains a license from the commissioner.

(b) Each license shall expire December 31 of each year. A license shall be renewed by filing with the commissioner a complete application and nonrefundable application fee at least 30 days prior to expiration of the license. Renewal applications received between December 1 and December 31 of each year and incomplete renewal applications as of December 1 of each year shall be assessed a late fee. Expired licenses may be reinstated through the last day of February of each year by filing a reinstatement application and paying the appropriate application and late fees.

(c) It shall be unlawful for a person, acting directly or indirectly or through concert with one or more persons, to acquire control of any person engaged in money transmission through purchase, assignment, pledge or other disposition of voting shares of such money transmitter, except with the prior approval of the commissioner. Request for approval of the proposed acquisition shall be made by filing a complete application with the commissioner at least 60 days prior to the acquisition.

(d) All applications shall be submitted in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. Additionally, the following shall apply to all applications:

(1) The commissioner may use a nationwide multi-state licensing system and registry for processing applications, renewals, amendments, surrenders, and any other activity the commissioner deems appropriate. The commissioner may also use a nationwide multi-state licensing system and registry for requesting and distributing any information regarding money transmitter licensing to and from any source so directed by the commissioner. The commissioner may establish relationships or contracts with the nationwide multi-state licensing system and registry or other entities to collect and maintain records and process transaction fees or other fees related to applicants, licensees, as may be reasonably necessary to participate in the nationwide multi-state licensing system and registry. The commissioner may report violations of the law, as well as enforcement actions and other relevant information to the nationwide multi-state licensing system and registry. The commissioner may require any applicant or licensee to file reports with the nationwide multi-state licensing system and registry in the form prescribed by the commissioner.

(2) An application shall be accompanied by nonrefundable fees established by the commissioner for the license. The commissioner shall determine the amount of such fees to provide sufficient funds to meet the budget requirements of administering and enforcing the act for each fiscal year. Any person using the multi-state licensing system shall pay all associated costs.

(3) (A) The commissioner may require fingerprinting of any individual, officer, director, partner, member, shareholder or any other person related to the application deemed necessary by the commissioner. If the applicant is a publicly traded corporation or a subsidiary of a publicly traded corporation, no fingerprint check shall be required. Fingerprints may be submitted to the Kansas bureau of investigation and the federal bureau of investigation for a state and national criminal history record check. The fingerprints shall be used to identify the person and to determine whether the person has a record of arrests and convictions in this state or other jurisdiction.

(B) The commissioner may use information obtained from fingerprinting and the criminal history for purposes of verifying the identification of the person and in the official determination of the qualifications and fitness of the person, or in the case of an applicant company, the persons associated with the company.

(C) For purposes of this section and in order to reduce the points of contact which the federal bureau of investigation may have with the individual states, the commissioner may use a nationwide multi-state licensing system and registry for requesting information from and distributing information to the department of justice or any governmental agency.

(D) Whenever the commissioner requires fingerprinting, any associated costs shall be paid by the applicant or the parties to the application.

(4) Each application shall include audited financial statements for each of the two fiscal years immediately preceding the date of the application and an interim financial statement, as of a date not more than 90 days prior to the date of the filing of an application. The audited and interim financial statements shall be prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles or in any other form or manner approved by the commissioner. Any person not in business two years prior to the filing of the application shall submit a statement in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner sufficient to demonstrate compliance with subsection (e).

(e) In addition, each person submitting an application shall meet the following requirements:

(1) The tangible net worth of such person shall be at all times not less than $250,000, as shown by an audited financial statement and certified to by an owner, a partner or officer of the corporation or other entity filed in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. A consolidated financial statement from an applicant's holding company may be accepted by the commissioner. The commissioner may require any person to file a statement at any other time upon request;

(2) such person shall deposit and at all times keep on deposit with a bank in this state approved by the commissioner, cash or securities satisfactory to the commissioner in an amount not less than $200,000. The commissioner may increase the amount of cash or securities required up to a maximum of $1,000,000 upon the basis of:

(A) The volume of money transmission business transacted in this state by such person; or

(B) the impaired financial condition of a licensee, as evidenced by a reduction in net worth or financial losses;

(3) in lieu of the deposit of cash or securities required by this subsection, such person may give a surety bond in an amount equal to that required for the deposit of cash or securities, in a form satisfactory to the commissioner and issued by a company authorized to do business in this state, which bond shall be payable to the office of the state bank commissioner and be filed with the commissioner; and

(4) such person shall submit a list to the commissioner of the names and addresses of other persons who are authorized to act as agents for transactions with Kansas residents.

(f) The commissioner has the discretion to determine the completeness of any application submitted pursuant to this act. In making the determination, the commissioner shall take into consideration compliance with all requirements set out in this section and any other facts and circumstances that the commissioner deems appropriate.

(1) If the applicant fails to complete the application for a new license or for a change of control of a license within 60 days after the commissioner provides written notice of the incomplete application, the application will be considered abandoned and the application fee will not be refunded. An applicant whose application is abandoned under this section may reapply to obtain a license.

(2) If the applicant fails to file a complete renewal application on or before December 31 of the year, the license will be deemed to expire on December 31 of the year.

(g) The deposit of cash, securities or surety bond required by this section shall be subject to:

(1) Payment to the commissioner for the protection and benefit of purchasers of money transmission services, purchasers or holders of payment instruments furnished by such person, and those for whom such person has agreed to act as agent in transmission of monetary value and to secure the faithful performance of the obligations of such person in respect to the receipt, handling, transmission and payment of monetary value; and

(2) payment to the commissioner for satisfaction of any expenses, fines, fees or refunds due pursuant to this act, levied by the commissioner or that become lawfully due pursuant to a final judgment or order.

(h) The aggregate liability of the surety for all breaches of the conditions of the bond, in no event, shall exceed the amount of such bond. The surety on the bond shall have the right to cancel such bond upon giving 30 days' notice to the commissioner and thereafter shall be relieved of liability for any breach of condition occurring after the effective date of the cancellation. The commissioner or any aggrieved party may enforce claims against such deposit of cash or securities or surety bond. So long as the depositing person is not in violation of this act, such person shall be permitted to receive all interest and dividends on the deposit and shall have the right to substitute other securities satisfactory to the commissioner. If the deposit is made with a bank, any custodial fees shall be paid by such person.

(i) (1) The commissioner shall have the authority to examine the books and records of any person operating in accordance with the provisions of this act, at such person's expense, to verify compliance with state and federal law.

(2) The commissioner may require any person operating in accordance with the provisions of this act to maintain such documents and records as necessary to verify compliance with this act, or any other applicable state or federal law or regulation.

(3) For purposes of investigation, examination or other proceeding under this act, the commissioner may administer or cause to be administered oaths, subpoena witnesses and documents, compel the attendance of witnesses, take evidence and require the production of any document that the commissioner determines to be relevant to the inquiry.

(j) Except as authorized with regard to the appointment of agents, a licensee is prohibited from transferring, assigning, allowing another person to use the licensee's license, or aiding any person who does not hold a valid license under this act in engaging in the business of money transmission.

History: L. 1967, ch. 73, § 2; L. 1986, ch. 55, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 62, § 1; L. 2006, ch. 113, § 6; L. 2012, ch. 161, § 5; L. 2013, ch. 45, § 2; L. 2014, ch. 120, § 3; L. 2015, ch. 33, § 2; L. 2017, ch. 52, § 6; July 1.