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<section article="gfi" article_name="Financial Institutions" number="11-615" title_number="11" title_name="Consumer Credit" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Mortgage Loan Originators">
  <level label="a">
    <text>Subject to the hearing provisions of § 11–616 of this subtitle, and except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, the Commissioner may suspend or revoke the license of any licensee if the licensee:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Makes any material misstatement in an application for a license;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Is convicted under the laws of the United States or of any state of a felony or a misdemeanor that is directly related to the fitness and qualification of the individual to act as a mortgage loan originator;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>In connection with any mortgage loan or loan application transaction:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Commits any fraud;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Engages in any illegal or dishonest activities; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Misrepresents or fails to disclose any material facts to a person entitled to that information;</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Violates any provision of this subtitle, any regulation adopted under this subtitle, or any other law regulating mortgage lending or mortgage origination in the State; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Otherwise demonstrates unworthiness, bad faith, dishonesty, or any other quality that indicates that the business of the licensee has not been or will not be conducted honestly.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>In determining whether a license shall be suspended or revoked for a reason described in subsection (a)(2) of this section, the Commissioner shall consider:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The nature of the crime;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The relationship of the crime to the activities authorized by the license;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>With respect to a felony, the relevance of the conviction to the fitness and qualification of the licensee to engage in the mortgage lending or mortgage origination business;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The length of time since the conviction; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The behavior and activities of the licensee since the conviction.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Commissioner may enforce the provisions of this subtitle, regulations adopted under this subtitle, and the applicable provisions of Title 12 of the Commercial Law Article by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Issuing an order:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>To cease and desist from the violation and any further similar violations; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Requiring the violator to take affirmative action to correct the violation, including the restitution of money or property to any person aggrieved by the violation; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Imposing a civil penalty not exceeding $10,000 for each violation.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a violator fails to comply with an order issued under paragraph (1)(i) of this subsection, the Commissioner may impose a civil penalty not exceeding $25,000 for each violation from which the violator failed to cease and desist or for which the violator failed to take affirmative action to correct.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Commissioner may file a petition in the circuit court for a county seeking enforcement of an order issued under this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>In determining the amount of a civil penalty imposed under subsection (c) of this section, the Commissioner shall consider:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>The seriousness of the violation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The good faith of the violator;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The violator’s history of previous violations;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The deleterious effect of the violation on the public and mortgage industry;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The assets of the violator; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Any other factors relevant to the determination of the civil penalty.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Commissioner shall revoke the license of the licensee if the Commissioner determines that a licensee, while licensed, has:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Been convicted of a felony; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Had a mortgage loan originator license revoked in any governmental jurisdiction.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
