licensing

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To understand the regulatory requirements for cryptocurrency, one must first ask the question what is money.  This question is of paramount importance because the federal law definition of “money transmitting” depends in large part on state law definitions and regulator interpretations, and there is no uniform legislation that defines cryptocurrency as money for the purposes of state licensing requirements. … Continue Reading

To help financial services companies manage the federal approvals, state licenses, and foreign “doing business” registrations they are required to maintain—and avoid penalties for non-compliance—Ballard Spahr has launched Ballard360 LicenSync.  LicenSync was created by the firm’s Client Value and Innovation Team working in partnership with the firm’s Consumer Financial Services Group.… Continue Reading

As discussed in an earlier blog post, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (“DFPI”) issued an Invitation for Comments on the Proposed Second Rulemaking under the Debt Collection Licensing Act (“DCLA”) on August 19, 2021.  The Commissioner is now considering draft regulations related to the DCLA’s scope, annual report, and document retention requirements, and has issued an “Invitation for Comments on Draft Text for Proposed Second Rulemaking Under the Debt Collection Licensing Act.”… Continue Reading

On June 27, the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services’ (“Department”) Division of Financial Regulation (“Division”) finalized new regulations implementing Senate Bill 485, which requires companies to obtain a license from the Division in order to service student loans in Oregon, unless an exemption applies.  The new regulations also establish related servicer requirements and prohibited acts, the supervisory authority of the Director of the Department (“Director”), and the obligations of a student loan ombudsman appointed or designated by the Department pursuant to Senate Bill 485. … Continue Reading

In an announcement to its subscribers sent electronically on May 23, 2022, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (“DFPI”) notified applicants – and prospective applicants – for a license under California’s Debt Collection Licensing Act (the “Act”) that changes mandated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI’) to state agency protocols for requesting federal background checks have caused “unforeseen” and unavoidable processing delays.… Continue Reading

Kentucky recently enacted HB 494, titled the “Student Education Loan Servicing, Licensing, and Protection Act of 2022,” which will require student loan servicers to be licensed in Kentucky.  The Act applies to servicers of private student loans and federal student loans.

Servicers of private student loans must submit a licensing application to the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions that includes certain specified information, including the name of at least one managing officer who has a minimum of at least two years’ experience in the student education loan servicing industry. … Continue Reading

We previously blogged about Virginia’s enactment last month of a law requiring student loan servicers to be licensed by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (“Commission”). As promised, we are providing a more detailed summary of HB 10/SB 77, which is undoubtedly one of the most sweeping laws we’ve seem to date targeted at regulating student loan servicer conduct.… Continue Reading

One Wednesday, Virginia enacted a law that requires student loan servicers to be licensed.  While Virginia opened its “Office of the Qualified Education Loan Ombudsman” in 2019, efforts to require licensure of student loan servicers had previously failed.

Identical bills HB 10/SB 77 had been sent to Governor Northam’s desk on March 12, but were not signed. … Continue Reading

The Colorado Attorney General’s Office recently published licensing applications for entities that are engaged in servicing student loans owed by Colorado residents.

There are two types of applications available: (1) a short “form” for “Federal Contractors” who hold a contract awarded by the U.S. Secretary of Education to service federal student loans; and (2) a longer “application” for all “Other Servicers” who are not federal student loan servicing contractors.… Continue Reading

We can add Maine to the list of states to have enacted a “Student Loan Bill of Rights” that requires student loan servicers to be licensed. On June 20th, Maine Governor Janet Mills signed into law LD 995, “An Act To Establish a Student Loan Bill of Rights To License and Regulate Student Loan Servicers,” a bill which the legislature had passed unanimously.… Continue Reading