House of Representatives State of Utah




         UTAH STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX . 350 STATE CAPITOL

Figure

Graphic file number 0 named letter~1.jpg with height 78 p and width 81 p Left aligned
         P.O. BOX 145030 . SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84114-5030 . (801) 538-1029
        February 22, 2008

Mr. Speaker:

    The Business and Labor Committee reports a favorable recommendation on H.B. 466, TITLE INSURANCE RECOVERY, EDUCATION, AND RESEARCH FUND ACT, by Representative M. Morley, with the following amendments:

1.    Page 7, Lines 195 through 212 :    

             195          (2) Beginning January 1, 2009, an individual who applies for a license or renewal of a
             196      license as a title insurance producer, shall pay in addition to any other fee required by this title,
             197      an assessment

{   no   }        not       to exceed $20, as determined by the commission by rule made in accordance

             198      with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, except that if the individual
             199      holds more than one license, the total of all assessments under this Subsection (2) may not
             200      exceed $20 in a fiscal year.
             201          
{   (3) (a) Subject to Subsection (3)(b), a title insurance licensee licensed on July 1, 2008

             202      shall pay to the department an assessment equal to the greater of:
             203          (i) $1,000; or
             204          (ii) 2% of the balance as of July 1, 2008 in the title insurance licensee's reserve account
             205      required under Subsection 31A-23a-204 (3).
             206          (b) If the aggregate amount collected from title insurance licensees under Subsection
             207      (3)(a) exceeds $250,000, the commission may reduce the assessment by an equal percentage
             208      for all title insurance licensees required to pay the assessment under Subsection (3)(a).
             209          (c) A title insurance licensee required to pay an assessment under Subsection

(3)(a)
             210      shall pay the assessment to the department by no later than August 1, 2008.  
}

  (3)(a) To be licensed as a title insurance agency on or after July 1, 2008, a person shall pay to the department an assessment of $1,000 before the day on which the person is licensed as a title insurance agency.

(b)(i) By no later than July 15, 2008, the department shall assess on a title insurance agency licensed as of June 30, 2008, an amount equal to the greater of:
(A) $1,000; or
(B) subject to Subsection (3)(b)(ii), 2% of the balance as of December 31, 2007, in the title insurance agency's reserve account required under Subsection 31A-23a- 204(3).
(ii) The department may assess on a title insurance agency an amount less than 2% of the balance described in Subsection (3)(b)(i)(B) if:
(A) before issuing the assessments under this Subsection (3)(b) the department determines that the total of all assessments under Subsection (3)(b)(i) will exceed $250,000;
(B) the amount assessed on the title insurance agency is not less than $1,000; and
(C) the department reduces the assessment in a proportionate amount for title insurance agencies assessed on the basis of the 2% of the balance described in Subsection (3)(b)(i)(B).
(iii) A title insurance agency assessed under this Subsection (3)(b) shall pay the assessment by no later than August 1, 2008.  

             211          (4) The department may not assess a title insurance licensee an assessment for
             212      purposes of the fund if that assessment is not expressly provided for in this section.

2.    Page 8, Lines 216 through 228 :    

             216          (2) (a) Except as limited by Subsection (2)(b), monies in the fund in excess of
             217      $250,000 may be used by the commissioner, with the consent of the commission, to:
             218          (i) investigate violations of this chapter related to fraud by a title insurance licensee;
             219          (ii) conduct education and research in the field of title insurance; or
             220          (iii)
{   audit or review   }        examine       a title insurance licensee's:

             221          (A) escrow and trust account;
             222          
{   (B) financial condition;   }

             223          
{   (C)   }        (B)       search and examine procedures; or

             224          
{   (D)   }        (C)       compliance with applicable statutes and rules.


             225
         (b) The commissioner may not use more than 75% of monies collected under this
             226      chapter in a fiscal year from assessments and interest for the purposes outlined in this
             227      Subsection (2).
             228          (3)
{   An audit   }        The disclosure of an examination       conducted under this section is      {   confidential   }        governed by Section 31A-2-204       .


    Respectfully,

    Stephen D. Clark
    Committee Chair

Voting: 8-0-5
3 HB0466.HC1.wpd 2/22/08 9:00 am anicholson/AMN PO/AMN


Bill Number
Action Class
Action Code

*HB0466*
*H*
*HCRAMD*

HB0466
H
HCRAMD