Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 3, September 1, 2024
RELATES TO:
KRS
45.345,
64.840,
150.175,
150.990
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:
KRS
150.195 requires the department to promulgate
administrative regulations governing the issuance of licenses and permits. This
administrative regulation establishes the requirements for issuing licenses and
permits, electronically reporting license and permit sale data and revenue, and
suspending or revoking license agent status.
Section 1. Issuing Licenses and Permits.
(1) A license agent shall issue a license or
permit to a person who completes the registration process with the agent and
pays the appropriate license or permit fee as established in
301 KAR 5:022 and applicable
agent fees as established in this administrative regulation.
(2) A license agent shall not knowingly enter
false information while processing a license, permit, or other
transaction.
Section 2.
Agent Fees and Depositing of Funds.
(1) If
applicable, a license agent shall be permitted to charge and retain:
(a) An agent commission of three (3) percent
of the product price; and
(b)
Payment processing fees consistently charged by license agents for non-cash
payments for all products, both department products and non-department
products, through the ordinary course of business, including those identified
in KRS
45.345(2) for state
agencies, KRS
64.840(3) for county
agencies, and any fees incurred by license agents that are private
entities.
(2) A license
agent shall deposit the full amount of the product price into the account
established in
301 KAR
5:010.
Section 3. Electronic Transfer of Funds to
the Department.
(1) The department or its
vendor shall provide each license agent with a schedule of dates when
electronic fund transfers will be initiated.
(2) On the day of a scheduled electronic fund
transfer, a license agent shall have sufficient funds in the account to cover
the amount of the transfer.
(3) A
license agent shall contact the department or its vendor prior to the day of a
scheduled electronic fund transfer if there are any discrepancies or concerns
that need to be resolved.
Section
4. Voiding Licenses and Permits.
(1) A license agent may, within four (4)
hours of issuing a license or permit, void a license or permit if the
purchaser:
(a) Discovers that the issued
license or permit is incorrect;
(b)
Will not pay for the license or permit; or
(c) Refuses to accept the license or
permit.
(2) An agent
shall:
(a) Ensure that a license or permit
established in subsection (1) of this section is voided in the system;
and
(b) Destroy all paper copies of
the voided license or permit.
(3) A license agent shall refund license or
permit cost as established in
301 KAR 5:030, Section
3(2)(a).
Section 5.
Suspensions and Revocation of Agent Status.
(1) In addition to any penalties provided by
KRS
150.990, and except as established in
subsection (2) of this section, the department shall suspend for one (1) to
five (5) years a license agent who twice in a twelve (12) month period:
(a) Causes an electronic fund transfer
failure; or
(b) Violates a
provision of:
1.
KRS
150.195; or
2. A requirement of KAR Title 301.
(2) The department shall
permanently revoke the agent status of a license agent who:
(a) Commits an offense for which the license
agent has been previously suspended;
(b) Does not deposit the required funds in
the agent bank account within twenty-four (24) hours of notification by the
department of insufficient funds;
(c) Fails to notify the department prior to
closing the agent bank account;
(d)
Closes the business seasonally without notifying the licensing section
supervisor in writing by surface mail, fax, or e-mail and settling the account;
or
(e) Knowingly issues a license
or permit containing false information.
(3) Before issuing a final order suspending
or revoking the status of an agent, the department shall:
(a) Notify the agent by registered mail that
the agent's status is under review; and
(b) Afford the agent the opportunity for an
informal meeting with the commissioner or the commissioner's designee to show
cause why the agent status should not be suspended or revoked.
(4) A suspension or revocation
shall become effective upon receipt of notification from the
department.
(5) A suspended or
revoked agent shall:
(a) Allow the department
access to financial records dealing with license and permit sales;
and
(b) Immediately pay all funds
owed to the department.
Section 6. Appeal of Suspension or Revocation
of Agent Status.
(1) A license agent who
wishes to appeal a suspension or revocation shall request a hearing in writing,
postmarked or delivered in person to the department no later than ten (10) days
after notification of suspension or revocation.
(2) Upon receipt of the request for a
hearing, the department shall conduct a suspension or revocation hearing
pursuant to KRS Chapter 13B and
KRS
150.195.
(3) The hearing officer's findings of fact,
conclusions of law, and recommended order shall be considered by the
department's commission at the commission meeting immediately following the
deadline for the parties' exceptions pursuant to KRS Chapter 13B. If the
suspension or revocation decision is upheld by the commission, the agent may
then appeal the decision to the Franklin Circuit Court. An appeal shall be in
accordance with KRS Chapter 13B and
KRS
150.195.
(4) The department's commission shall issue a
final order pursuant to KRS Chapter 13B.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY:
KRS
150.195