Sec. 156.501. RECOVERY FUND. (a) The commissioner shall establish, administer, and maintain a recovery fund as provided by Section 13.016 and this subchapter. The amounts received by the commissioner for deposit in the fund shall be held by the commissioner in trust for carrying out the purposes of the fund.

(b) Subject to this subsection, the recovery fund shall be used to reimburse residential mortgage loan applicants for actual damages incurred because of acts committed by a residential mortgage loan originator who was licensed under Chapter 157 when the act was committed. The use of the fund is limited to reimbursement for out-of-pocket losses caused by an act by a residential mortgage loan originator licensed under Chapter 157 that constitutes a violation of Section 157.024(a)(2), (3), (5), (7), (8), (9), (10), (13), (16), (17), or (18) or 156.304(b).

(b-1) Payments from the recovery fund may not be made to a lender who makes a residential mortgage loan originated by the residential mortgage loan originator or who acquires a residential mortgage loan originated by the residential mortgage loan originator.

(c) Amounts in the recovery fund may be invested and reinvested in the same manner as funds of the Employees Retirement System of Texas, and the interest from these investments shall be deposited to the credit of the fund. An investment may not be made under this subsection if the investment will impair the necessary liquidity required to satisfy judgment payments awarded under this subchapter.

(d) The recovery fund may be used at the discretion of the commissioner to reimburse expenses incurred to secure and destroy residential mortgage loan documents that have been abandoned by a current or former individual or entity under the regulatory authority of the department.

(e) Payments from the recovery fund shall be reduced by the amount of any recovery from the residential mortgage loan originator or from any surety, insurer, or other person or entity making restitution to the applicant on behalf of the residential mortgage loan originator.

(f) The commissioner, as manager of the recovery fund, is entitled to reimbursement for reasonable and necessary costs and expenses incurred in the management of the fund, including costs and expenses incurred with regard to applications filed under Section 156.504.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1254, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1018 (H.B. 955), Sec. 6.18, eff. September 1, 2005.

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1317 (H.B. 2774), Sec. 19, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 655 (S.B. 1124), Sec. 38, eff. September 1, 2011.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 160 (S.B. 1004), Sec. 40, eff. September 1, 2013.