Section 7-1-1009. Maintenance of books, accounts, and records; investigation and examination of licensees and registrants by department; confidentiality; exemptions from civil liability

   (a) Mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders required to be licensed or registered under this article shall maintain at their offices or such other location as the department shall permit such books, accounts, and records as the department may reasonably require in order to determine whether such mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders are complying with the provisions of this article and rules and regulations adopted in furtherance thereof. Such books, accounts, and records shall be maintained separately and distinctly from any other personal or unrelated business matters in which the mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders are involved.

(b) The department may, by its designated officers and employees, as often as it deems necessary, but at least once every 24 months, investigate and examine the affairs, business, premises, and records of any mortgage broker or mortgage lender required to be licensed or registered under this article insofar as such affairs, business, premises, and records pertain to any business for which a license or registration is required by this article. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, the department has the discretion to examine a mortgage broker or mortgage lender less frequently, provided that its record of complaints, comments, or other information demonstrates that mortgage broker's or mortgage lender's ability to meet the standards of Code Sections 7-1-1003, 7-1-1003.2, and 7-1-1004. In the case of registrants, the department shall not be required to conduct such examinations if it determines that the registrant has been adequately examined by another bank regulatory agency. In order to avoid unnecessary duplication of examinations, the department may accept examination reports performed and produced by other state or federal agencies, unless the department determines that the examinations are not available or do not provide information necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the department under this article.

(c) In addition to any authority allowed under this article, the department shall be authorized to conduct investigations and examinations of mortgage loan originators as follows:

   (1) For purposes of initial licensing, license renewal, license suspension, license conditioning, license revocation or termination, or general or specific inquiry or investigation to determine compliance with this article, the department shall have the authority to access, receive, and use any books, accounts, records, files, documents, information, or evidence, including, but not limited to:

      (A) Criminal, civil, and administrative history information, including nonconviction data;

      (B) Personal history and experience information, including independent credit reports obtained from a consumer reporting agency described in section 603(p) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 1681a(f); and

      (C) Any other documents, information, or evidence the department deems relevant to the inquiry or investigation regardless of the location, possession, control, or custody of such documents, information, or evidence;

   (2) For the purposes of investigating violations or complaints, or for the purposes of examination, the department may review, investigate, or examine any mortgage loan originator licensee, individual, or person subject to this article as often as necessary in order to carry out the purposes of this article. The department may direct, subpoena, or order the attendance of and examine under oath all persons whose testimony may be required about the loans or the business or subject matter of any such examination or investigation and may direct, subpoena, or order such person to produce books, accounts, records, files, and any other documents the department deems relevant to the inquiry;

   (3) Each mortgage loan originator licensee, individual, or person subject to this article shall make available to the department upon request the books and records relating to the activities of a mortgage loan originator;

   (4) Each mortgage loan originator subject to this article shall make or compile reports or prepare other information as directed by the commissioner in order to carry out the purposes of this subsection, including, but not limited to:

      (A) Accounting compilations;

      (B) Information lists and data concerning loan transactions in a format prescribed by the department; or

      (C) Use, hire, contract, or employ public or privately available analytical systems, methods, or software to examine or investigate a mortgage loan originator;

   (5) In making any examination or investigation authorized by this article, the department may control access to any documents and records of the licensee or person under investigation. In order to carry out the purposes of this Code section, the department may:

      (A) Enter into agreements or relationships with other government officials or regulatory associations in order to improve efficiencies and reduce regulatory burden by sharing resources, standardized or uniform methods or procedures, and documents, records, information, or evidence obtained under this Code section;

      (B) Accept and rely on examination or investigation reports made by other government officials, within or without this state; and

      (C) Accept audit reports made by an independent certified public accountant for the licensee, individual, or person subject to this article in the course of that part of the examination covering the same general subject matter as the audit and may incorporate the audit report in the report of examination, report of investigation, or other writing of the department;

   (6) The authority to investigate provided for in this subsection shall remain in effect whether such licensee, individual, or person subject to this article acts or claims to act under any licensing or registration law of this state or claims to act without such authority; and

   (7) No mortgage loan originator licensee, individual, or person subject to investigation or examination under this article shall knowingly withhold, abstract, remove, mutilate, destroy, or secrete any books, records, computer records, or other information.

(d) The department, at its discretion, may:

   (1) Make such public or private investigations within or outside of this state as it deems necessary to determine whether any person has violated or is about to violate this article or any rule, regulation, or order under this article, to aid in the enforcement of this article, or to assist in the prescribing of rules and regulations pursuant to this article;

   (2) Require or permit any person to file a statement in writing, under oath or otherwise as the department determines, as to all the facts and circumstances concerning the matter to be investigated;

   (3) Disclose information concerning any violation of this article or any rule, regulation, or order under this article, provided the information is derived from a final order of the department; and

   (4) Disclose the imposition of an administrative fine or penalty under this article.

(e) (1) For the purpose of conducting any investigation as provided in this Code section, the department shall have the power to administer oaths, to call any party to testify under oath in the course of such investigations, to require the attendance of witnesses, to require the production of books, records, and papers, and to take the depositions of witnesses; and for such purposes, the department is authorized to issue a subpoena for any witness or for the production of documentary evidence. Such subpoenas may be served by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, return receipt requested, to the addressee's business mailing address, by examiners appointed by the department, or shall be directed for service to the sheriff of the county where such witness resides or is found or where the person in custody of any books, records, or paper resides or is found. The required fees and mileage of the sheriff, witness, or person shall be paid from the funds in the state treasury for the use of the department in the same manner that other expenses of the department are paid.

   (2) The department may issue and apply to enforce subpoenas in this state at the request of a government agency regulating mortgage lenders or brokers of another state if the activities constituting the alleged violation for which the information is sought would be a violation of this article if the activities had occurred in this state.

(f) In case of refusal to obey a subpoena issued under this article to any person, a superior court of appropriate jurisdiction, upon application by the department, may issue to the person an order requiring him or her to appear before the court to show cause why he or she should not be held in contempt for refusal to obey the subpoena. Failure to obey a subpoena may be punished as contempt by the court.

(g) Examinations and investigations conducted under this article and information obtained by the department in the course of its duties under this article are confidential, except as provided in this subsection, pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 7-1-70. In addition to the exceptions set forth in subsection (b) of Code Section 7-1-70 and in paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (d) of this Code section, the department is authorized to share information obtained under this article with other state and federal regulatory agencies or law enforcement authorities. In the case of such sharing, the safeguards to confidentiality already in place within such agencies or authorities shall be deemed adequate. The commissioner or an examiner specifically designated may disclose such limited information as is necessary to conduct a civil or administrative investigation or proceeding. Information contained in the records of the department which is not confidential and may be made available to the public either on the department's website or upon receipt by the department of a written request shall include:

   (1) For mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders, the name, business address, and telephone, facsimile, and license numbers of a licensee or registrant;

   (2) For mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders, the names and titles of the principal officers;

   (3) For mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders, the name of the owner or owners thereof;

   (4) For mortgage brokers and mortgage lenders, the business address of a licensee's or registrant's agent for service; and

   (5) The terms of or a copy of any bond filed by a licensee or registrant.

(h) In the absence of malice, fraud, or bad faith, a person shall not be subject to civil liability arising from the filing of a complaint with the department or furnishing other information required by this Code section or required by the department under the authority granted in this article. No civil cause of action of any nature shall arise against such person:

   (1) For any information relating to suspected prohibited acts furnished to or received from law enforcement officials, their agents, or employees or to or from other regulatory or licensing authorities;

   (2) For any such information furnished to or received from other persons subject to the provisions of this title; or

   (3) For any such information furnished in complaints filed with the department.

(i) The commissioner or any employee or agent shall not be subject to civil liability, and no civil cause of action of any nature exists against such persons arising out of the performance of activities or duties under this article or by publication of any report of activities under this Code section.

Code 1981, § 7-1-1009, enacted by Ga. L. 1993, p. 543, § 1; Ga. L. 1996, p. 848, § 18; Ga. L. 1998, p. 795, § 30; Ga. L. 1999, p. 674, § 36; Ga. L. 2000, p. 174, § 30; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 3; Ga. L. 2001, p. 970, § 14; Ga. L. 2003, p. 843, § 20; Ga. L. 2007, p. 502, § 37/SB 70; Ga. L. 2009, p. 252, § 1/HB 312; Ga. L. 2010, p. 878, § 7/HB 1387.