Section 7-1-682. Qualifications of licensees; investments required; obtaining conviction data; background checks

   (a) In order to qualify for a license under this article, an applicant shall:

   (1) Satisfy the department that it is financially sound and responsible and appears able to conduct the business of selling checks in an honest and efficient manner and with confidence and trust of the community; and

   (2) Comply with the bonding requirements, furnish the statements, and pay the fees prescribed in this article. In the case of a money transmitter, the department may in its discretion require only a bond.

(b) In addition to the qualifications set forth in subsection (a) of this Code section, the department may require a licensee to maintain investments having an aggregate market value at least equal to the amount of outstanding checks issued or sold. The department may promulgate regulations establishing those investments which shall be deemed permissible investments for the purpose of complying with this subsection. Permissible investments, even if commingled with other assets of the licensee, shall be deemed by operation of law to be held in trust for the benefit of the purchasers and holders of the licensee's outstanding checks in the event of bankruptcy of the licensee.

(c) The department shall not issue such license or may revoke a license if it finds that the applicant or licensee, any person who is a director, officer, partner, agent, employee, or ultimate equitable owner of 10 percent or more of the applicant or licensee, or any individual who directs the affairs or establishes policy for the applicant or licensee has been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude in any jurisdiction or of a crime which, if committed within this state, would constitute a felony involving moral turpitude under the laws of this state. For the purposes of this article, a person shall be deemed to have been convicted of a crime if such person shall have pleaded guilty to a charge thereof before a court or federal magistrate or shall have been found guilty thereof by the decision or judgment of a court or federal magistrate or by the verdict of a jury, irrespective of the pronouncement of sentence or the suspension thereof, unless such plea of guilty or such decision, judgment, or verdict shall have been set aside, reversed, or otherwise abrogated by lawful judicial process and regardless of whether first offender treatment without adjudication of guilt pursuant to the charge was entered, unless and until such plea of guilty or such decision, judgment, or verdict shall have been set aside, reversed, or otherwise abrogated by lawful judicial process or until probation, sentence, or both probation and sentence of a first offender have been successfully completed and documented or unless the person convicted of the crime shall have received a pardon therefor from the President of the United States or the governor or other pardoning authority in the jurisdiction where the conviction was had, or shall have received an official certification or pardon granted by the State Board of Pardons and Paroles which removes the legal disabilities resulting from such conviction and restores civil and political rights in this state.

(d) The department shall be authorized to obtain conviction data with respect to any applicant or any person who is a director, officer, partner, agent, employee, or ultimate equitable owner of 10 percent or more of the applicant or licensee or any individual who directs the affairs or establishes policy for the applicant or licensee. Upon receipt of information from the Georgia Crime Information Center that is incomplete or that indicates an applicant or any person who is a director, officer, partner, agent, employee, or ultimate equitable owner of 10 percent or more of the applicant or licensee or any individual who directs the affairs or establishes policy for the applicant or licensee has a criminal record in a state other than Georgia, the department shall submit to the Georgia Crime Information Center two complete sets of fingerprints of such applicant or such person, the required records search fees, and such other information as may be required. Fees for background checks that the department administers shall be submitted to the department by applicants and licensees together with two completed sets of fingerprint cards. Upon receipt thereof, the Georgia Crime Information Center shall promptly transmit one set of fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a search of bureau records and an appropriate report and shall retain the other set and promptly conduct a search of its own records and records to which it has access. The Georgia Crime Information Center shall notify the department in writing of any derogatory finding, including, but not limited to, any conviction data regarding the fingerprint records check, or if there is no such finding. All conviction data received by the department shall be used by the department for the exclusive purpose of carrying out its responsibilities under this article, shall not be a public record, shall be privileged, and shall not be disclosed to any other person or agency except to any person or agency which otherwise has a legal right to inspect the file. All such records shall be maintained by the department pursuant to laws regarding such records and the rules and regulations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Crime Information Center, as applicable. As used in this subsection, "conviction data" means a record of a finding, verdict, or plea of guilty or a plea of nolo contendere with regard to any crime, regardless of whether an appeal of the conviction has been sought.

(e) Every applicant and licensee shall be authorized and required to obtain and maintain the results of background checks on employees and agents working in or for the applicant or licensee. Such background checks shall be handled by the Georgia Crime Information Center pursuant to Code Section 35-3-34 and the rules and regulations of the Georgia Crime Information Center. Applicants and licensees shall be responsible for any applicable fees charged by the Georgia Crime Information Center. An applicant or licensee shall only employ a person whose background data has been checked and been found to be satisfactory prior to the initial date of hire. This provision does not apply to directors, officers, partners, agents, or ultimate equitable owners of 10 percent or more or to persons who direct the company's affairs or establish policy, whose background must have been investigated through the department before taking office, beginning employment, or securing ownership. Upon receipt of information from the Georgia Crime Information Center that is incomplete or that indicates an employee has a criminal record in any state other than Georgia, the employer shall submit to the department two complete sets of fingerprints of such person, together with the applicable fees and any other required information. The department shall then submit such fingerprints as provided in subsection (d) of this Code section.

(f) Such license issued by the department shall be kept conspicuously posted in the place of business of the licensee. Such license shall not be transferable, assignable, or subject to a change of ownership.

Ga. L. 1965, p. 81, § 4; Code 1933, § 41A-3203, enacted by Ga. L. 1974, p. 705, § 1; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1780, § 3; Ga. L. 2000, p. 174, § 18; Ga. L. 2003, p. 843, § 11; Ga. L. 2004, p. 458, § 6; Ga. L. 2007, p. 502, § 18/SB 70.