Section 43-17-7. Denial, suspension, or revocation of registration; other disciplinary actions; financial statements

   (a) The Secretary of State, by order, may deny, suspend, or revoke a registration, limit the fundraising activities that an applicant or registered person may perform in this state, bar an applicant or registered person from association with a paid solicitor or charitable organization, or bar a person who is a partner, officer, director, or employee of, or a member of a limited liability company which is, an applicant or registered person from employment with a paid solicitor or charitable organization if the Secretary of State finds that the order is in the public interest and that the applicant, registered person, or such other person:

   (1) Has filed an application for registration with the Secretary of State which, as of its effective date or any date after filing in the case of an order denying effectiveness, was incomplete in a material respect or contained a statement that was, in light of the circumstances under which it was made, false or misleading with respect to a material fact;

   (2) Has willfully violated or failed to comply with this chapter, a prior enactment, or a rule promulgated by the Secretary of State under this chapter or a prior enactment;

   (3) Is the subject of an adjudication or determination, after notice and opportunity for hearing, within the last five years by a state or federal agency or a court of competent jurisdiction that the person has violated the charitable organizations regulatory act or the unfair and deceptive acts and practices law of any state, but only if the acts constituting the violation of that state's law would constitute a violation of this chapter had the acts occurred in this state;

   (4) Within the last ten years has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor which the Secretary of State finds:

      (A) Involves the solicitation or acceptance of charitable contributions or the making of a false oath, the making of a false report, bribery, perjury, burglary, or conspiracy to commit any of the foregoing offenses;

      (B) Arises out of the conduct of solicitation of contributions for a charitable organization;

      (C) Involves the larceny, theft, robbery, extortion, forgery, counterfeiting, fraudulent concealment, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, or misappropriation of funds;

      (D) Involves murder or rape; or

      (E) Involves assault or battery if such person proposes to be engaged in counseling, advising, housing, or sheltering individuals;

   (5) Is permanently or temporarily enjoined by a court of competent jurisdiction from acting as a charitable organization, paid solicitor, or as an affiliated person or employee of such;

   (6) Is the subject of an order of the Secretary of State denying, suspending, or revoking the person's registration as a charitable organization or paid solicitor;

   (7) Has violated a law or any rule or regulation of this state, any other state, the United States, or any other lawful authority (without regard to whether the violation is criminally punishable), which law or rule or regulation relates to or in part regulates charitable organizations or paid solicitors regulated under this chapter, when the charitable organization or paid solicitor knows or should know that such action is in violation of such law, rule, or regulation;

   (8) Has failed to pay the proper filing fee within 30 days after being notified by the Secretary of State of a deficiency, but the Secretary of State may provide for the reinstatement of the registration or the suspension of a fine or penalty at such time as the deficiency is corrected; or

   (9) Has failed to comply with a subpoena or order issued by the Secretary of State.

(b) The Secretary of State may not begin a proceeding solely on the basis of a fact or transaction known to the Secretary of State when the registration became effective unless the proceeding is begun within 90 days after effectiveness of the registration.

(c) If the Secretary of State finds that an applicant or registered person is no longer in existence; has ceased to do business as a paid solicitor or charitable organization; is adjudicated mentally incompetent or subjected to the control of a committee, conservator, or guardian; or cannot be located after reasonable search, the Secretary of State, by order, may deny the application or revoke the registration.

(d) The Secretary of State may at any time require a charitable organization or paid solicitor to file with him a financial statement showing its financial condition as of the most recent practicable date, but such financial statement need not be certified.

Code 1981, § 43-17-7, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 490, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 123, § 37; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1657, § 7; Ga. L. 2008, p. 683, § 5/HB 1104.