HOUSE BILL No. 4067

 

January 22, 2009, Introduced by Rep. Gregory and referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Services.

 

     A bill to amend 1981 PA 125, entitled

 

"The secondary mortgage loan act,"

 

by amending section 24 (MCL 493.74), as amended by 2002 PA 392, and

 

by adding section 24a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 24. (1) A licensee or registrant shall not transfer or

 

assign a secondary mortgage loan or a security directly

 

representing an interest in 1 or more secondary mortgage loans

 

before the disbursement of 75% or more of the proceeds of the

 

secondary mortgage loan to, or for the benefit of, the borrower.

 

This subsection shall not apply to any of the following:

 

     (a) A land contract not considered to be an equitable

 

secondary mortgage.


 

     (b) A loan made under a state or federal government program

 

that allows the lender to escrow more than 25% of the proceeds for

 

a limited period of time.

 

     (c) A construction loan.

 

     (d) A secondary mortgage loan that provides in writing that

 

the loan proceeds shall be disbursed to or for the benefit of the

 

borrower in installments or upon the request of the borrower or

 

upon the completion of renovations or repairs to the dwelling

 

situated on the real property subject to the secondary mortgage

 

loan.

 

     (2) It is a violation of this act for a A licensee or

 

registrant to shall not do any of the following:

 

     (a) Suppress or withhold from the commissioner any information

 

that the licensee or registrant possesses that would make the

 

licensee or registrant ineligible for licensing or registration

 

under this act or would warrant the commissioner's denial of a

 

license or registration application.

 

     (b) Violate any provisions of 1966 PA 125, MCL 565.161 to

 

565.164, regulating the handling of mortgage escrow accounts by

 

mortgagees.

 

     (c) Until proper disbursement is made, fail to place in a

 

trust or escrow account held by a depository financial institution

 

in a manner approved by the commissioner any money, funds,

 

deposits, checks, drafts, or other negotiable instruments received

 

by a broker, lender, or servicer that is the portion of a payment

 

on a secondary mortgage loan that the person is obligated to pay to

 

a third party. The deposits shall include amounts paid to the


 

holder of the secondary mortgage loan, amounts for property taxes

 

and insurance premiums, and amounts paid under an agreement that

 

requires, if the secondary mortgage loan is not closed, the amounts

 

paid shall be refunded to the prospective borrower, or if the

 

secondary mortgage loan is closed, the amounts paid shall be

 

applied to fees and costs incurred at the time the secondary

 

mortgage loan is closed. Fees and costs include, but are not

 

limited to, title insurance premiums and recording fees. Fees and

 

costs do not include amounts paid to cover costs incurred to

 

process the secondary mortgage loan application, to obtain an

 

appraisal, or to receive a credit report.

 

     (d) Refuse to permit an examination or investigation by the

 

commissioner of the books and affairs of the licensee or

 

registrant, or refuse or fail, within a reasonable time, to furnish

 

any information or make a report that may be required by the

 

commissioner under this act.

 

     (e) Be convicted of a felony, or any misdemeanor of which an

 

essential element is fraud.

 

     (f) Refuse or fail to pay within a reasonable time expenses

 

assessed under this act.

 

     (g) Fail to make restitution after having been ordered to do

 

so by the commissioner or an administrative agency, or fail to make

 

restitution or pay damages to persons injured by the licensee's or

 

registrant's business transactions after having been ordered to do

 

so by a court.

 

     (h) Fail to make a secondary mortgage loan pursuant to, and in

 

accordance with, a written commitment to make a secondary mortgage


 

loan issued to, and accepted by, a person when the person has

 

timely and completely satisfied all the conditions of the

 

commitment prior to the expiration of the commitment.

 

     (i) Require a prospective borrower to deal exclusively with

 

the licensee or registrant in regard to a secondary mortgage loan

 

application.

 

     (j) Take a security interest in real property before closing

 

the secondary mortgage loan to secure payment of fees assessed in

 

connection with a secondary mortgage loan application.

 

     (k) Except as otherwise provided under section 14e, knowingly

 

permit a person to violate an order that has been issued under this

 

act or any other financial licensing act that prohibits that person

 

from being employed by, an agent of, or a control person of the

 

licensee or registrant.

 

     (3) A licensee or registrant shall not fail or neglect to do

 

any of the following in connection with the brokering, servicing,

 

or making of any secondary mortgage loan:

 

     (a) Act in good faith and with fair dealing in any

 

transaction, practice, or course of business.

 

     (b) Safeguard and account for any money handled for the

 

borrower.

 

     (c) Follow reasonable and lawful instructions from the

 

borrower.

 

     (d) Use reasonable skill, care, and diligence.

 

     (e) Timely and clearly disclose to the borrower material

 

information that might reasonably affect the borrower's rights,

 

interests, or ability to receive the borrower's intended benefit


 

from the secondary mortgage loan, including, but not limited to,

 

the total compensation the broker would receive from any of the

 

loan options the licensee or registrant presents to the borrower.

 

     (f) Make reasonable efforts to secure a secondary mortgage

 

loan that is reasonably advantageous to the borrower considering

 

all the circumstances, including, but not limited to, the rates,

 

charges, and repayment terms of the loan.

 

     (4) The duties and standards of care created in subsection (3)

 

cannot be waived or modified.  

 

     Sec. 24a. (1) The home loan protection act applies to a

 

licensee or registrant. A licensee or registrant shall comply with

 

the requirements of that act in connection with any home loans.

 

     (2) In addition to any penalties and remedies provided by this

 

act, a licensee or registrant is also subject to the remedy and

 

penalty provisions of the home loan protection act for a violation

 

of subsection (1).

 

     (3) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Home loan" means that term as defined in section 2 of the

 

home loan protection act, MCL 445.1632.

 

     (b) "Home loan protection act" means the home loan protection

 

act, 2002 PA 660, MCL 445.1631 to 445.1642.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4065(request no.

 

00953'09) of the 95th Legislature is enacted into law.