(A) From the effective date of this chapter until the time the department determines that all approved claims against the debtor as defined in Section 46-40-20(4) have been paid and that all monies received from the Insurance Reserve Fund or state general fund under Section 46-40-50 have been repaid in full with interest as required, all monies in the fund must be used only to pay claims against this debtor. At this time, the fund shall continue in the manner provided in this section, for the benefit of grain dealers who suffer losses against other debtors as a result of bankruptcy, embezzlement, or fraud with the monies in the fund at this time to be retained therein for this purpose. However, when all monies received from the Insurance Reserve Fund or state general fund under Section 46-40-50 have been repaid, the rate of assessment shall drop from two cents each bushel to one cent each bushel.

(B) The assessments provided for in this chapter after the fund becomes available for the payment of claims against other debtors shall continue until the fund reaches three million dollars. If the three million dollar balance is attained prior to the end of harvest season, the assessments shall continue until the end of that season. However, a grain dealer who has not paid assessments into the fund, or forfeited collateral, in an amount at least equal to loss payments he has received, shall continue to pay assessments until the assessments equal the loss payments he received. The assessments shall be reinstated as necessary to maintain a balance of three million dollars in the fund.

(C) Claims shall be paid in the order in which they are verified and approved by the department. If there is an insufficient amount of money in the fund to cover all claims, in the manner provided in this section, payments must be made on a pro rata basis up to one hundred percent of the total loss of each grain dealer. If payment is not received in the amount of one hundred percent of total loss, then additional amounts must be paid as funds become available until payment of one hundred percent of total loss is attained. However, a grain dealer may only receive payments for losses in an amount that does not exceed the total of the assessments he has paid into the fund and the value of collateral used to secure repayment of the loss payment. If, however, additional monies are deposited into the fund from grants or any other source, each grain dealer shall have his amount of outstanding debt reduced pro rata using these additional funds. If at any time a grain dealer receives payment for more than one hundred percent of total loss, such excess shall immediately be returned to the fund.

(D) For purposes of paying claims, grain dealers must file their claims with the department within ninety days after their date of loss and the term "debtor" under this section means any grain dealer who has filed a petition for bankruptcy or who has committed embezzlement or fraud. Date of loss means the date the debtor filed a petition for bankruptcy or the date the department determined an embezzlement or fraud occurred, and the term "loss" does not include any monetary losses for grain delivered to the debtor more than one year before the date of loss. The department in pursuing claims subrogated by grain dealers who have received payments from the fund may hire independent attorneys to pursue these subrogated claims to be paid from any recovery or from monies in the fund. For losses resulting from an embezzlement or fraud, unless the grain dealer who occasioned the loss has been convicted of embezzlement or fraud pursuant to judicial proceedings, the department, in conjunction with the State Auditor's Office, shall conduct a financial audit of the grain dealer to verify the loss before it may request payment from the fund. The fund must bear all expenses incurred in conducting the audit. Otherwise, except as modified by the provisions of this section, the payment of assessments, claims, and the administration of the fund shall be as provided in this chapter and the provisions of this chapter shall apply to such transactions mutatis mutandis.

HISTORY: 2000 Act No. 381, Part I, Section 1, eff June 14, 2000; 2005 Act No. 100, Section 1, eff June 1, 2005.