SENATE BILL No. 391

 

 

April 22, 2003, Introduced by Senator SCOTT and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1964 PA 265, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Uniform securities act,"                                                   

                                                                                

    by amending sections 202 and 305 (MCL 451.602 and 451.705), as              

                                                                                

    amended by 2000 PA 494.                                                     

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 202.  (a) A broker-dealer, agent, or investment adviser                

                                                                                

2   may obtain an initial registration by filing with the                       

                                                                                

3   administrator an application together with a consent to service             

                                                                                

4   of process pursuant to section 414(g).  The application shall               

                                                                                

5   contain the information that the administrator by rule requires             

                                                                                

6   concerning any of the following:                                            

                                                                                

7       (1) The applicant's form and place of organization.                         

                                                                                

8       (2) The applicant's proposed method of doing business.                      

                                                                                

9       (3) The qualifications and business history of the applicant;               

                                                                                

10  in the case of a broker-dealer or investment adviser, the                   

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   qualifications and business history of any partner, officer, or             

                                                                                

2   director, any person occupying a similar status or performing               

                                                                                

3   similar functions, or any person directly or indirectly                     

                                                                                

4   controlling the broker-dealer or investment adviser; and, in the            

                                                                                

5   case of an investment adviser, the qualifications and business              

                                                                                

6   history of any employee.                                                    

                                                                                

7       (4) Any injunction or administrative order or conviction of a               

                                                                                

8   misdemeanor or of a felony.                                                 

                                                                                

9       (5) The applicant's financial condition and history.                        

                                                                                

10      (b) The administrator may by rule or order require an                       

                                                                                

11  applicant for initial registration to publish an announcement of            

                                                                                

12  the application in 1 or more specified newspapers published in              

                                                                                

13  this state.  Registration becomes effective upon order of the               

                                                                                

14  administrator.  The administrator may by rule or order establish            

                                                                                

15  classes of or otherwise condition the registration of                       

                                                                                

16  broker-dealers, agents, or investment advisers.                             

                                                                                

17      (c)  Every  Through September 30, 2003, every applicant for                 

                                                                                

18  registration shall pay a filing fee and every registrant shall              

                                                                                

19  pay an annual fee of $250.00 in the case of a broker-dealer,                

                                                                                

20  $30.00 in the case of an agent, and $150.00 in the case of an               

                                                                                

21  investment adviser.   Every  Through September 30, 2003, every              

                                                                                

22  applicant filing an application for registration of a successor             

                                                                                

23  pursuant to subsection (d) shall pay a filing fee of $100.00 for            

                                                                                

24  the unexpired portion of the year.   A  Through September 30,               

                                                                                

25  2003, a registered agent who has terminated his or her connection           

                                                                                

26  with a broker-dealer shall pay a transfer fee of $10.00 when                

                                                                                

27  transferring his or her connection to another broker-dealer.                


                                                                                

1   Beginning October 1, 2003, the amount of the fees paid to the               

                                                                                

2   administrator in any state fiscal year under this subsection                

                                                                                

3   shall be established by a fee schedule contained in an                      

                                                                                

4   appropriation act for that fiscal year.                                     

                                                                                

5       (d) A registered broker-dealer or investment adviser may file               

                                                                                

6   an application for registration of a successor, whether or not              

                                                                                

7   the successor is then in existence.  The administrator may grant            

                                                                                

8   or deny the application.                                                    

                                                                                

9       (e) An applicant for registration under this act or an issuer               

                                                                                

10  who offers or sells a security in this state through any person             

                                                                                

11  shall file with the administrator, in the form prescribed by the            

                                                                                

12  administrator by rule or order, an irrevocable consent to service           

                                                                                

13  of process.                                                                 

                                                                                

14      (f) Subject to the requirements of section 15  of title I  of               

                                                                                

15  the securities exchange act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78o, and section             

                                                                                

16  222 of the investment advisers act of 1940, 15 U.S.C. 80b-18a,              

                                                                                

17  the administrator may by rule or order require a minimum capital            

                                                                                

18  for registered broker-dealers and investment advisers and                   

                                                                                

19  prescribe a ratio between net capital and aggregate                         

                                                                                

20  indebtedness.  If the registrant fails to comply with the minimum           

                                                                                

21  net capital requirement, the registrant shall immediately cease             

                                                                                

22  all investment advisory or securities business operations and               

                                                                                

23  promptly notify the administrator of its failure to maintain the            

                                                                                

24  required net capital, of the steps to be taken to cure the net              

                                                                                

25  capital deficiency, and of its anticipated date of reopening                

                                                                                

26  business operations.  The registrant shall not reactivate its               

                                                                                

27  securities or investment advisory business operations without               


                                                                                

1   prior notification to the administrator.                                    

                                                                                

2       (g) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the                       

                                                                                

3   administrator may require a fidelity bond from a broker-dealer,             

                                                                                

4   agent, or investment adviser who is required to be registered               

                                                                                

5   under this act.  The administrator may not require a bond from a            

                                                                                

6   broker-dealer that is registered under the securities exchange              

                                                                                

7   act of 1934 or an investment adviser that maintains its principal           

                                                                                

8   place of business in a state other than this state if the                   

                                                                                

9   investment adviser is registered in that other state and is in              

                                                                                

10  compliance with that state's bonding requirements, if any.                  

                                                                                

11      (h) Unless the requirement is waived by rule or order of the                

                                                                                

12  administrator, all persons, including but not limited to                    

                                                                                

13  partners, officers, directors, and agents employed by a                     

                                                                                

14  broker-dealer or investment adviser who are regularly employed              

                                                                                

15  within this state shall, as a condition of employment, be                   

                                                                                

16  fingerprinted.  The administrator may process the fingerprint               

                                                                                

17  cards with the federal bureau of investigation and the department           

                                                                                

18  of state police either directly or through the national                     

                                                                                

19  association of securities dealers.  The fingerprints or                     

                                                                                

20  information relating to the fingerprints shall be used for the              

                                                                                

21  official use of the administrator only.                                     

                                                                                

22      Sec. 305.  (a) A registration statement may be filed by the                 

                                                                                

23  issuer, any other person on whose behalf the offering is to be              

                                                                                

24  made, or a registered broker-dealer.                                        

                                                                                

25      (b)  Every  Through September 30, 2003, every person filing a               

                                                                                

26  registration statement shall pay a filing fee of 1/10 of 1% of              

                                                                                

27  the maximum aggregate offering price at which the registered                


                                                                                

1   securities are to be offered in this state, but the fee shall in            

                                                                                

2   no case be less than $100.00 or more than $1,250.00.   When                 

                                                                                

3   Through September 30, 2003, when an application for registration            

                                                                                

4   is withdrawn before the effective date or a preeffective stop               

                                                                                

5   order is issued, the administrator shall retain a fee of $100.00            

                                                                                

6   if the initial review has not been commenced, and the full filing           

                                                                                

7   fee after review has been commenced.  Beginning October 1, 2003,            

                                                                                

8   the amount of the fees paid to the administrator in any state               

                                                                                

9   fiscal year under this subsection shall be established by a fee             

                                                                                

10  schedule contained in an appropriation act for that fiscal year.            

                                                                                

11      (c) Every registration statement shall specify all of the                   

                                                                                

12  following:                                                                  

                                                                                

13      (1) The amount of securities to be offered in this state.                   

                                                                                

14      (2) The states in which a registration statement or similar                 

                                                                                

15  document in connection with the offering has been or is to be               

                                                                                

16  filed.                                                                      

                                                                                

17      (3) Any withdrawal or any adverse order, judgment, or decree                

                                                                                

18  entered in connection with the offering by the regulatory                   

                                                                                

19  authorities in each state or by any court or the securities and             

                                                                                

20  exchange commission.                                                        

                                                                                

21      (d) Any document filed under this act or a predecessor act                  

                                                                                

22  within 5 years preceding the filing of a registration statement             

                                                                                

23  may be incorporated by reference in the registration statement to           

                                                                                

24  the extent that the document is currently accurate.                         

                                                                                

25      (e) The administrator may by rule or otherwise permit the                   

                                                                                

26  omission of any item of information or document from any                    

                                                                                

27  registration statement.                                                     


                                                                                

1       (f) The administrator may by rule or order require as a                     

                                                                                

2   condition of registration by qualification or coordination both             

                                                                                

3   of the following:                                                           

                                                                                

4       (1) That any security issued or to be issued to a promoter                  

                                                                                

5   for a consideration substantially different from the public                 

                                                                                

6   offering price, or to any person for a consideration other than             

                                                                                

7   cash, be deposited in escrow.                                               

                                                                                

8       (2) That the proceeds from the sale of the registered                       

                                                                                

9   security in this state be impounded until the issuer receives a             

                                                                                

10  specified amount from the sale of the security either in this               

                                                                                

11  state or elsewhere.  The administrator may by rule or order                 

                                                                                

12  determine the conditions of any escrow or impounding required               

                                                                                

13  under this subsection, and, after prior notice and opportunity              

                                                                                

14  for hearing, may order the cancellation in whole or in part of              

                                                                                

15  any security deposited in escrow if necessary for the protection            

                                                                                

16  of security holders.  The administrator may not reject a                    

                                                                                

17  depository solely because of location in another state.                     

                                                                                

18      (g) The administrator may by rule or order impose conditions                

                                                                                

19  under which a security registered by qualification may be sold,             

                                                                                

20  if it finds that the conditions are reasonable and in the public            

                                                                                

21  interest.                                                                   

                                                                                

22      (h) Every registration statement is effective for 1 year from               

                                                                                

23  its effective date, except during the time a stop order is in               

                                                                                

24  effect under section 306.  A registration statement may be                  

                                                                                

25  extended by the administrator by rule or order.  All outstanding            

                                                                                

26  securities of the same class as a registered security are                   

                                                                                

27  considered to be registered for the purpose of any nonissuer                


                                                                                

1   transaction so long as the registration statement is effective or           

                                                                                

2   the issuer has a class of securities that have been subject to              

                                                                                

3   the reporting requirements of section 13 or 15(d)  of title I  of           

                                                                                

4   the securities exchange act of 1934, 15 U.S.C. 78m and 78o, for             

                                                                                

5   not less than 9 months before the transaction and all reports               

                                                                                

6   required by that act have been filed for that period.  A                    

                                                                                

7   registration statement may not be withdrawn for 1 year from its             

                                                                                

8   effective date if any securities of the same class are                      

                                                                                

9   outstanding.  A registration statement may be withdrawn otherwise           

                                                                                

10  only in the discretion of the administrator.                                

                                                                                

11      (i) For the period that the registration statement is                       

                                                                                

12  effective, the administrator may by rule or order require the               

                                                                                

13  person who filed the registration statement to file reports, not            

                                                                                

14  more often than quarterly, to keep reasonably current the                   

                                                                                

15  information contained in the registration statement and to                  

                                                                                

16  disclose the progress of the offering.                                      

                                                                                

17      (j) A registration statement relating to a security may be                  

                                                                                

18  amended after its effective date to increase the securities                 

                                                                                

19  specified as proposed to be offered.  As to securities not yet              

                                                                                

20  sold, an amendment becomes effective upon the administrator's               

                                                                                

21  order.  In the case of securities that are sold in an amount in             

                                                                                

22  excess of the amount or number of securities specified in an                

                                                                                

23  effective registration statement, as proposed to be offered, the            

                                                                                

24  person or persons who filed the registration statement may, in              

                                                                                

25  accordance with rules the administrator shall promulgate as                 

                                                                                

26  necessary or appropriate in the public interest and for the                 

                                                                                

27  protection of investors, elect to have the registration of those            


                                                                                

1   securities considered effective as of the time of their sale,               

                                                                                

2   upon payment to the administrator within 6 months after the sale            

                                                                                

3   of a registration fee equal to the difference between the                   

                                                                                

4   registration fee previously paid and the amount of the fee that             

                                                                                

5   would have otherwise been applicable to those additional                    

                                                                                

6   securities if they had been included in the registration                    

                                                                                

7   statement, if any, plus a late registration fee.  of  The amount            

                                                                                

8   of the late registration fee is $250.00 through September 30,               

                                                                                

9   2003Beginning October 1, 2003, the amount of the late                    

                                                                                

10  registration fee shall be established by a fee schedule contained           

                                                                                

11  in an appropriation act for that fiscal year. Upon the election             

                                                                                

12  and payment, the registration statement shall be considered to              

                                                                                

13  have been in effect with respect to those shares.  Every person             

                                                                                

14  filing an amendment under this subsection shall pay a filing fee,           

                                                                                

15  calculated in the manner specified in  determined under                    

                                                                                

16  subsection (b), with respect to the additional securities.                  

                                                                                

17      (k) Fees, expense reimbursements, and fines received under                  

                                                                                

18  this act shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit             

                                                                                

19  of the administrator, to be used pursuant to legislative                    

                                                                                

20  appropriation by the administrator in carrying out those duties             

                                                                                

21  required by law.  After the payment of the amounts appropriated             

                                                                                

22  by the legislature for the necessary expenses incurred in the               

                                                                                

23  administration of this act, the money remaining shall be credited           

                                                                                

24  to the general fund of this state.                                          

                                                                                

25                                                                               (l) Fees and fines received under this act shall not be                             

                                                                                

26  expended for partisan political activity.                                   

                                                                                

27      (m) This section does not apply to securities registered                    


                                                                                

1   under section 304a.