Subdivision 1. Powers of commissioner. (a) The commissioner may by order take any or all of the following actions:

(1) bar a person from serving as an officer, director, partner, controlling person, or any similar role at an appraisal management company, if such person has ever been the subject of a final order suspending, revoking, or denying a certification, registration, or license as a real estate agent, broker, or appraiser, or a final order barring involvement in any industry or profession issued by this or another state or federal regulatory agency;

(2) deny, suspend, or revoke an appraisal management company license;

(3) censure an appraisal management company license; and

(4) impose a civil penalty as provided for in chapter 45.027.

(b) In order to take the action in paragraph (a), the commissioner must find:

(1) that the order is in the public interest; and

(2) that an officer, director, partner, employee, agent, controlling person or persons, or any person occupying a similar status or performing similar functions, has:

(i) violated any provision of this chapter;

(ii) filed an application for a license that is incomplete in any material respect or contains a statement that, in light of the circumstances under which it is made, is false or misleading with respect to a material fact;

(iii) failed to maintain compliance with the affirmations made under section 82C.03, subdivision 5;

(iv) violated a standard of conduct or engaged in a fraudulent, coercive, deceptive, or dishonest act or practice, whether or not the act or practice involves the appraisal management company;

(v) engaged in an act or practice, whether or not the act or practice involves the business of appraisal management, appraisal assignments, or real estate mortgage related practices, that demonstrates untrustworthiness, financial irresponsibility, or incompetence;

(vi) pled guilty, with or without explicitly admitting guilt, pled nolo contendere, or been convicted of a felony, gross misdemeanor, or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;

(vii) paid a civil penalty or been the subject of disciplinary action by the commissioner, or an order of suspension or revocation, cease and desist order, or injunction order, or an order barring involvement in an industry or profession issued by this or any other state or federal regulatory agency or government-sponsored enterprise, or by the secretary of Housing and Urban Development;

(viii) been found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have engaged in conduct evidencing gross negligence, fraud, misrepresentation, or deceit;

(ix) refused to cooperate with an investigation or examination by the commissioner;

(x) failed to pay any fee or assessment imposed by the commissioner; or

(xi) failed to comply with state and federal tax obligations.

Subd. 2. Orders of the commissioner. To begin a proceeding under this section, the commissioner shall issue an order requiring the subject of the proceeding to show cause why action should not be taken against the licensee according to this section. The order must be calculated to give reasonable notice of the time and place for the hearing and must state the reasons for entry of the order. The commissioner may by order summarily suspend a license pending a final determination of an order to show cause. If a license is summarily suspended, pending final determination of an order to show cause, a hearing on the merits must be held within 30 days of the issuance of the order of summary suspension. All hearings must be conducted under chapter 14. After the hearing, the commissioner shall enter an order disposing of the matter as the facts require. If the subject of the order fails to appear at a hearing after having been duly notified of it, the subject is considered in default, and the proceeding may be determined against the subject of the order upon consideration of the order to show cause, the allegations of which may be considered to be true.

Subd. 3. Actions against lapsed license. If a license lapses, is surrendered, withdrawn, terminated, or otherwise becomes ineffective, the commissioner may institute a proceeding under this subdivision within two years after the license was last effective and enter a revocation or suspension order as of the last date which the license was in effect, and may impose a civil penalty as provided for in this section or section 45.027.

History: 2010 c 347 art 6 s 24; 2013 c 135 art 1 s 8