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<section article="gfi" article_name="Financial Institutions" number="12-1014" title_number="12" title_name="Miscellaneous Institutions and Activities" subtitle_number="10" subtitle_name="Maryland Debt Settlement Services Act">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A registrant that establishes a dedicated account in accordance with § 12–1010(d) of this subtitle shall file a surety bond with the Commissioner at the time the dedicated account is established.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The bond shall run to the Commissioner, as obligee, for the benefit of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The State; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Any consumer who is injured by a violation of this subtitle committed by a registrant.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The bond shall be:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>In the amount of $50,000;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Issued by a surety company that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Is authorized to do business in the State; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Holds a certificate of authority issued by the Maryland Insurance Commissioner; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Conditioned that the registrant shall comply with all State and federal laws and regulations governing the business of providing debt settlement services.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The liability of the surety:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Shall be continuous;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>May not be aggregated or cumulative, whether or not the bond is renewed, continued, replaced, or modified;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>May not be determined by adding together the penal sum of the bond, or any part of the penal sum of the bond, in existence at any two or more points in time;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Shall be considered to be one continuous obligation, regardless of increases or decreases in the penal sum of the bond;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>May not be affected by:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The insolvency or bankruptcy of the registrant;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Any misrepresentation, breach of warranty, failure to pay a premium, or any other act or omission of the registrant or an agent of the registrant; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>The suspension of the registrant’s registration;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>May not require an administrative enforcement action by the Commissioner as a prerequisite to liability; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>Shall continue for 3 years after the later of the date on which:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>The bond is canceled; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>The registrant, for any reason, ceases to be registered.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A bond may be canceled by the surety or the registrant by giving notice of cancellation to the Commissioner.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Notice under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph shall:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Be in writing; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A cancellation of a bond under this paragraph is not effective until 90 days after receipt of a notice of cancellation by the Commissioner.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>A claim against the bond may be filed with the surety by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A claimant; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The Commissioner for the benefit of a claimant or the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>If the amount of claims against a bond exceeds the amount of the bond, the surety:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Shall pay the amount of the bond to the Commissioner for pro rata distribution to claimants; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Is relieved of liability under the bond.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>If the penal amount of a bond is reduced by payment of a claim or judgment, the registrant shall file a new or additional bond with the Commissioner.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="8">
      <text>A penalty imposed against a registrant under § 2–115(b) of this article or § 13–410 of the Commercial Law Article may be collected and paid from the proceeds of a bond required under this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
