A. The Commission shall adopt such regulations as it deems appropriate to effect the purposes of this chapter. Before adopting any such regulations, the Commission shall give reasonable notice of their content and shall afford interested parties an opportunity to present evidence and be heard, in accordance with the Commission's Rules.

B. The Commission shall, to the extent practicable, include in any written memorandum of understanding or other written agreement between the Commission and the Registry provisions substantially similar to the following:

1. Any organization serving as the administrator of the Registry or any officer or employee of any such entity shall implement and maintain an information security program that meets or exceeds federal and state standards pursuant to § 18.2-186.6 and that complies with the regulation guidelines promulgated under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (15 U.S.C. § 6801 et seq.) for safeguarding personal information of mortgage loan originators and applicants;

2. The Registry shall not under any circumstances disclose to any third party any information pertaining to any pending or incompletely adjudicated regulatory matters;

3. The Registry shall develop, as requested by the Commission, a mortgage loan originator licensing test that may be limited to specific products and services; and

4. The Registry shall provide to the Commission summary statistical information by March 31 of each year relating to loan originator examinations taken by applicants for a mortgage loan originator license in the Commonwealth during the preceding calendar year.

C. Except as otherwise provided in the Act or this chapter, any requirement under federal or state law regarding the privacy or confidentiality of any information or material provided to the Registry, and any privilege arising under federal or state law, including the rules of any federal or state court, with respect to such information or material, shall continue to apply to such information or material after the information or material has been disclosed to the Registry. Such information and material may be shared with all state and federal regulatory officials with mortgage industry oversight authority without the loss of privilege or the loss of confidentiality protections provided by federal or state law. In addition:

1. Information or material that is subject to privilege or confidentiality under this subsection shall not be subject to: (i) disclosure under any federal or state law governing the disclosure to the public of information held by an officer or an agency of the federal government or the Commonwealth or (ii) subpoena or discovery, or admission into evidence, in any private civil action or administrative process, unless with respect to any privilege held by the Registry with respect to such information or material, the individual to whom such information or material pertains waives, in whole or in part, in the discretion of such individual, that privilege;

2. Any provision of the laws of the Commonwealth relating to the disclosure of confidential supervisory information or any information or material described in this subsection that is inconsistent with this subsection shall be superseded by the requirements of this subsection to the extent that such provision provides less confidentiality or a weaker privilege; and

3. This subsection shall not apply with respect to the information or material relating to the employment history of, and publicly adjudicated disciplinary and enforcement actions against, mortgage loan originators that is included in the Registry for access by the public.

D. The Commission shall:

1. Annually review the proposed budget, fees, and audited financial statements of the Registry;

2. Annually, to the extent practicable, report to the House and Senate Committees on Commerce and Labor on the operations of the Registry, including compliance with its established protocols for securing and safeguarding personal information in the Registry;

3. To the extent practicable, prepare, publicly announce, and publish a report, by no later than July 1 of each year, that summarizes statistical test results and demographic information to be prepared by the Registry or its test administrator; and

4. Report violations of this chapter, any enforcement actions thereunder, and other relevant information to the Registry on a regular basis.

2009, cc. 273, 453, § 6.1-431.21; 2010, c. 794; 2012, cc. 52, 187.