<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gbo" article_name="Business Occupations and Professions" number="16-5B-17" title_number="16" title_name="Real Estate Appraisers, Appraisal Management Companies, and Home Inspectors" subtitle_number="5B" subtitle_name="Real Estate Appraisal Management Companies">
  <level label="a">
    <text>An appraisal management company may not remove an appraiser from its appraiser panel, or otherwise refuse to assign requests for real estate appraisal services to an appraiser, without:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>notifying the appraiser in writing of the reasons why the appraiser is being removed from the appraiser panel of the appraisal management company;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>identifying the illegal conduct, violation of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, violation of State licensing standards, or substandard performance or violations of contractual terms between the appraiser and the appraisal management company that the appraisal management company has a reasonable basis to believe that the appraiser has engaged in; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>providing an opportunity for the appraiser to respond.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An appraiser that is removed from the appraiser panel of an appraisal management company for alleged illegal conduct, a violation of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, or a violation of State licensing standards may file a complaint with the Commission for a review of the decision of the appraisal management company.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission’s review under paragraph (1) of this subsection is limited to determining whether:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the appraisal management company has complied with subsection (a) of this section; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the appraiser has committed a violation of:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>State law; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If an appraiser files a complaint against an appraisal management company under subsection (b) of this section, the Commission shall schedule a hearing within a reasonable time, not exceeding 1 year, after the complaint is filed.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The time specified under paragraph (1) of this subsection may be extended for good cause by the Commission on written notice to the parties.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>If after opportunity for hearing and review, the Commission determines that an appraisal management company acted improperly in removing an appraiser from the appraiser panel, or that an appraiser did not commit a violation of State law or a violation of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice, the Commission shall order that an appraiser be restored to the appraiser panel of the appraisal management company that was the subject of the complaint.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>If the Commission finds that the appraisal management company acted improperly in removing the appraiser from the appraiser panel, an appraisal management company may not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>reduce the number of real estate appraisal assignments the company gives to an appraiser; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>penalize the appraiser in any other manner.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
