Section 43-37-2. Registration procedure; felony conviction; fee; renewal

   (a) (1) The law enforcement officer designated to administer the provisions of this chapter and register dealers in precious metals or gems in each county shall be the sheriff, unless the county has a county police department, in which case it will be the chief of the county police department.

   (2) The law enforcement officer designated to administer the provisions of this chapter and register dealers in precious metals or gems in each municipality shall be the chief of police of the municipality.

(b) No person shall engage in business as a dealer in precious metals or gems until he has registered as a dealer in precious metals or gems for each separate place of business. The registration shall be in writing and shall be sworn to or affirmed by the dealer in precious metals or gems. If the dealer's place of business is located within a municipality, the dealer shall register with the chief of police of the municipality. If the dealer's place of business is not located within a municipality, the dealer shall register with the sheriff of the county unless the county has a county police department, in which event the dealer shall register with the county police department. As to any registration with the chief of police of a municipality or a county police department, a copy of each registration shall be transmitted by such chief of police to the sheriff of the county within seven days of the registration. The sheriff of the county shall maintain a record of all registrations, which record shall be available for public inspection.

(c) The registration shall contain the name, address, and age of the dealer together with the names, addresses, and ages of all other persons having an ownership interest or actually employed in the business other than publicly held corporations.

(d) No person shall be eligible to register as a dealer in precious metals or gems if any employee or stockholder, other than stockholders owning less than 10 percent of the outstanding shares of a publicly held corporation, has been convicted of a felony under the laws of this state or any other state or the United States. This subsection shall not apply to any person who has been convicted of a felony after ten years have expired from the date of completion of the felony sentence.

(e) All registrations shall contain the address of the premises upon which the business is conducted and the zoning and planning classification of the premises.

(f) Each dealer shall be required to notify the appropriate law enforcement officer of the county or the municipality in which the dealer is registered within seven calendar days of any change of address of the dealer or business or any change of ownership in the business. As to any notification of the chief of police of a municipality or a county police department, a copy of the change of address or ownership in the business shall be transmitted to the sheriff of the county within seven days of the notification.

(g) Each applicant for registration shall possess a current business license in the county or municipality or shall pay an initial registration fee of $25.00 to be retained by the county or municipality to cover the cost of registering such persons. The registration shall be renewed annually upon presentation of a current business license by the dealer or by payment of a renewal fee of $10.00.

(h) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed so as to authorize any person to transact business as a dealer in precious metals and gems without purchasing a current business license if so required by the county or municipality.

Ga. L. 1981, p. 1570, § 2; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 43; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1504, §§ 2, 6.