AN ACT Relating to
collection of debts; amending RCW 19.16.100, 19.16.110, 19.16.120, 19.16.140,
19.16.190, 19.16.230, 19.16.240, 19.16.260, 19.16.390, 19.16.430, 19.16.440,
and 19.16.920.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 19.16.100 and 1990 c
190 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
Unless a different
meaning is plainly required by the context, the following words and phrases as
hereinafter used in this chapter shall have the following meanings:
(1) "Person"
includes individual, firm, partnership, trust, joint venture, association, or
corporation.
(2) "Collection
agency" means and includes:
(a) Any person directly
or indirectly engaged in soliciting claims for collection, or collecting or
attempting to collect claims owed or due or asserted to be owed or due another
person;
(b) Any person who
directly or indirectly furnishes or attempts to furnish, sells, or offers to
sell forms represented to be a collection system or scheme intended or
calculated to be used to collect claims even though the forms direct the debtor
to make payment to the creditor and even though the forms may be or are
actually used by the creditor himself in his own name;
(c) Any person who in
attempting to collect or in collecting his own claim uses a fictitious name or
any name other than his own which would indicate to the debtor that a third
person is collecting or attempting to collect such claim.
(3) "Collection
agency" does not mean and does not include:
(a) Any individual
engaged in soliciting claims for collection, or collecting or attempting to
collect claims on behalf of a licensee under this chapter, if said individual
is an employee of the licensee;
(b) Any individual
collecting or attempting to collect claims for not more than one employer, if
all the collection efforts are carried on in the name of the employer and if
the individual is an employee of the employer;
(c) Any person whose
collection activities are carried on in his or its true name and are confined
and are directly related to the operation of a business other than that of a
collection agency, such as but not limited to trust companies, savings and loan
associations, building and loan associations, abstract companies doing an
escrow business, real estate brokers, public officers acting in their official
capacities, persons acting under court order, lawyers, insurance companies,
credit unions, loan or finance companies, mortgage banks, and banks; ((or))
(d) Any person who on
behalf of another person prepares or mails monthly or periodic statements of
accounts due if all payments are made to that other person and no other
collection efforts are made by the person preparing the statements of account;
or
(e) An
"out-of-state collection agency" as defined in this chapter.
(4) "Out-of-state
collection agency" means a person whose activities within this state are
limited to collecting debts from debtors located in this state by means of
interstate communications, including telephone, mail, or facsimile
transmission, from the person's location in another state on behalf of clients
located outside of this state.
(5)
"Claim" means any obligation for the payment of money or thing of
value arising out of any agreement or contract, express or implied.
(((5))) (6)
"Statement of account" means a report setting forth only amounts
billed, invoices, credits allowed, or aged balance due.
(((6))) (7)
"Director" means the director of licensing.
(((7))) (8)
"Client" or "customer" means any person authorizing or
employing a collection agency to collect a claim.
(((8))) (9)
"Licensee" means any person licensed under this chapter.
(((9))) (10)
"Board" means the Washington state collection agency board.
(((10))) (11)
"Debtor" means any person owing or alleged to owe a claim.
Sec. 2. RCW 19.16.110 and 1971
ex.s. c 253 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
No person shall act,
assume to act, or advertise as a collection agency or out-of-state
collection agency as defined in this chapter, except as authorized by this
chapter, without first having applied for and obtained a license from the
director.
Nothing contained in
this section shall be construed to require a regular employee of a collection
agency or out-of-state collection agency duly licensed under this
chapter to procure a collection agency license.
Sec. 3. RCW 19.16.120 and 1977
ex.s. c 194 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
In addition to other
provisions of this chapter, any license issued pursuant to this chapter or any
application therefor may be denied, not renewed, revoked, or suspended, or in
lieu of or in addition to suspension a licensee may be assessed a civil,
monetary penalty in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars:
(1) If an individual
applicant or licensee is less than eighteen years of age or is not a resident
of this state.
(2) If an applicant or
licensee is not authorized to do business in this state.
(3) If the application
or renewal forms required by this chapter are incomplete, fees required under
RCW 19.16.140 and 19.16.150, if applicable, have not been paid, and the
surety bond or cash deposit or other negotiable security acceptable to the
director required by RCW 19.16.190, if applicable, has not been filed or
renewed or is canceled.
(4) If any individual
applicant, owner, officer, director, or managing employee of a nonindividual
applicant or licensee:
(a) Shall have
knowingly made a false statement of a material fact in any application for a
collection agency license or an out-of-state collection agency license
or renewal thereof, or in any data attached thereto and two years have not
elapsed since the date of such statement;
(b) Shall have had a
license to engage in the business of a collection agency or out-of-state
collection agency denied, not renewed, suspended, or revoked by this state,
any other state, or foreign country, for any reason other than the nonpayment
of licensing fees or failure to meet bonding requirements: PROVIDED, That the
terms of this subsection shall not apply if:
(i) Two years have
elapsed since the time of any such denial, nonrenewal, or revocation; or
(ii) The terms of any
such suspension have been fulfilled;
(c) Has been convicted
in any court of any felony involving forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money
under false pretenses, larceny, extortion, or conspiracy to defraud and is
incarcerated for that offense or five years have not elapsed since the date of
such conviction;
(d) Has had any
judgment entered against him in any civil action involving forgery,
embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, larceny, extortion, or
conspiracy to defraud and five years have not elapsed since the date of the
entry of the final judgment in said action: PROVIDED, That in no event shall a
license be issued unless the judgment debt has been discharged;
(e) Has had his license
to practice law suspended or revoked and two years have not elapsed since the
date of such suspension or revocation, unless he has been relicensed to
practice law in this state;
(f) Has had any
judgment entered against him or it under the provisions of RCW 19.86.080 or
19.86.090 involving a violation or violations of RCW 19.86.020 and two years
have not elapsed since the entry of the final judgment: PROVIDED, That in no
event shall a license be issued unless the terms of such judgment, if any, have
been fully complied with: PROVIDED FURTHER, That said judgment shall not be
grounds for denial, suspension, nonrenewal, or revocation of a license unless
the judgment arises out of and is based on acts of the applicant, owner,
officer, director, managing employee, or licensee while acting for or as a
collection agency or an out-of-state collection agency;
(g) Has petitioned for
bankruptcy, and two years have not elapsed since the filing of said petition;
(h) Shall be insolvent
in the sense that his or its liabilities exceed his or its assets or in the
sense that he or it cannot meet his or its obligations as they mature;
(i) Has failed to pay
any civil, monetary penalty assessed in accordance with RCW 19.16.351 or
19.16.360 within ten days after the assessment becomes final; ((or))
(j) Has knowingly
failed to comply with, or violated any provisions of this chapter or any rule
or regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, and two years have not elapsed
since the occurrence of said noncompliance or violation; or
(k) Has been found
by a court of competent jurisdiction to have violated the federal fair debt
collection practices act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1692 et seq., or the Washington state
consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW, and two years have not elapsed
since that finding.
Any person who is
engaged in the collection agency business as of January 1, 1972 shall, upon
filing the application, paying the fees, and filing the surety bond or cash
deposit or other negotiable security in lieu of bond required by this chapter,
be issued a license hereunder.
Sec. 4. RCW 19.16.140 and 1985 c
7 s 81 are each amended to read as follows:
Each applicant when
submitting his application shall pay a licensing fee and an investigation fee
determined by the director as provided in RCW 43.24.086. The licensing fee
for an out-of-state collection agency shall not exceed fifty percent of the
licensing fee for a collection agency. An out-of-state collection agency is
exempt from the licensing fee if the agency is licensed or registered in a
state that does not require payment of an initial fee by any person who
collects debts in the state only by means of interstate communications from the
person's location in another state. If a license is not issued in response
to the application, the license fee shall be returned to the applicant.
An annual license fee
determined by the director as provided in RCW 43.24.086 shall be paid to the
director on or before January first of each year. The annual license fee
for an out-of-state collection agency shall not exceed fifty percent of the
annual license fee for a collection agency. An out-of-state collection agency
is exempt from the annual license fee if the agency is licensed or registered
in a state that does not require payment of an annual fee by any person who
collects debts in the state only by means of interstate communications from the
person's location in another state. If the annual license fee is not paid
on or before January first, the licensee shall be assessed a penalty for late
payment in an amount determined by the director as provided in RCW 43.24.086.
If the fee and penalty are not paid by January thirty-first, it will be
necessary for the licensee to submit a new application for a license:
PROVIDED, That no license shall be issued upon such new application unless and
until all fees and penalties previously accrued under this section have been
paid.
Any license or branch
office certificate issued under the provisions of this chapter shall expire on
December thirty-first following the issuance thereof.
Sec. 5. RCW 19.16.190 and 1971
ex.s. c 253 s 10 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Except as
limited by subsection (7) of this section, each applicant shall, at the
time of applying for a license, file with the director a surety bond in the sum
of five thousand dollars. The bond shall be annually renewable on January
first of each year, shall be approved by the director as to form and content,
and shall be executed by the applicant as principal and by a surety company
authorized to do business in this state as surety. Such bond shall run to the
state of Washington as obligee for the benefit of the state and conditioned
that the licensee shall faithfully and truly perform all agreements entered
into with the licensee's clients or customers and shall, within thirty days
after the close of each calendar month, account to and pay to his client or
customer the net proceeds of all collections made during the preceding calendar
month and due to each client or customer less any offsets due licensee under
RCW 19.16.210 and 19.16.220. The bond required by this section shall remain in
effect until canceled by action of the surety or the licensee or the director.
(2) An applicant for a
license under this chapter may furnish, file, and deposit with the director, in
lieu of the surety bond provided for herein, a cash deposit or other negotiable
security acceptable to the director. The security deposited with the director
in lieu of the surety bond shall be returned to the licensee at the expiration
of one year after the collection agency's license has expired or been revoked
if no legal action has been instituted against the licensee or on said security
deposit at the expiration of said one year.
(3) A surety may file
with the director notice of his or its withdrawal on the bond of the licensee.
Upon filing a new bond or upon the revocation of the collection agency license
or upon the expiration of sixty days after the filing of notice of withdrawal
as surety by the surety, the liability of the former surety for all future acts
of the licensee shall terminate.
(4) The director shall
immediately cancel the bond given by a surety company upon being advised that
the surety company's license to transact business in this state has been
revoked.
(5) Upon the filing
with the director of notice by a surety of his withdrawal as the surety on the
bond of a licensee or upon the cancellation by the director of the bond of a
surety as provided in this section, the director shall immediately give notice
to the licensee of the withdrawal or cancellation. The notice shall be sent to
the licensee by registered or certified mail with request for a return receipt
and addressed to the licensee at his or its main office as shown by the records
of the director. At the expiration of thirty days from the date of mailing the
notice, the license of the licensee shall be terminated, unless the licensee
has filed a new bond with a surety satisfactory to the director.
(6) All bonds given
under this chapter shall be filed and held in the office of the director.
(7) An out-of-state
collection agency need not fulfill the bonding requirements under this section
if the out-of-state collection agency maintains an adequate bond or legal
alternative as required by the state in which the out-of-state collection
agency is located.
Sec. 6. RCW 19.16.230 and 1987 c
85 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Every licensee
required to keep and maintain records pursuant to this section, other than
an out-of-state collection agency, shall establish and maintain a regular
active business office in the state of Washington for the purpose of conducting
his or its collection agency business. Said office must be open to the public
during reasonable stated business hours, and must be managed by a resident of
the state of Washington.
(2) Every licensee
shall keep a record of all sums collected by him or it and all disbursements
made by him or it. All such records shall be kept at the business office
referred to in subsection (1) of this section, unless the licensee is an
out-of-state collection agency, in which case the record shall be kept at the
business office listed on the licensee's license.
(3) Licensees shall
maintain and preserve accounting records of collections and payments to customers
for a period of four years from the date of the last entry thereon.
Sec. 7. RCW 19.16.240 and 1971
ex.s. c 253 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:
Each licensee, other
than an out-of-state collection agency, shall at all times maintain a
separate bank account in this state in which all moneys collected by the
licensee shall be deposited except that negotiable instruments received may be
forwarded directly to a customer. Moneys received must be deposited within ten
days after posting to the book of accounts. In no event shall moneys received
be disposed of in any manner other than to deposit such moneys in said account
or as provided in this section.
The bank account shall
bear some title sufficient to distinguish it from the licensee's personal or
general checking account, such as "Customer's Trust Fund Account".
There shall be sufficient funds in said trust account at all times to pay all
moneys due or owing to all customers and no disbursements shall be made from
such account except to customers or to remit moneys collected from debtors on
assigned claims and due licensee's attorney or to refund over payments except
that a licensee may periodically withdraw therefrom such moneys as may accrue
to licensee.
Any money in such trust
account belonging to a licensee may be withdrawn for the purpose of
transferring the same into the possession of licensee or into a personal or
general account of licensee.
Sec. 8. RCW 19.16.260 and 1971 ex.s.
c 253 s 17 are each amended to read as follows:
No collection agency or
out-of-state collection agency may bring or maintain an action in any court
of this state involving the collection of a claim of any third party without
alleging and proving that he or it is duly licensed under this chapter and has
satisfied the bonding requirements hereof, if applicable: PROVIDED,
That in any case where judgment is to be entered by default, it shall not be
necessary for the collection agency or out-of-state collection agency to
prove such matters.
A copy of the current
collection agency license or out-of-state collection agency license,
certified by the director to be a true and correct copy of the original, shall
be prima facie evidence of the licensing and bonding of such collection agency or
out-of-state collection agency as required by this chapter.
Sec. 9. RCW 19.16.390 and 1971
ex.s. c 253 s 30 are each amended to read as follows:
Personal service of any
process in an action under this chapter may be made upon any person outside the
state if such person has engaged in conduct in violation of this chapter which
has had the impact in this state which this chapter reprehends. Such persons
shall be deemed to have thereby submitted themselves to the jurisdiction of the
courts of this state within the meaning of RCW 4.28.180 and 4.28.185. A
holder of an out-of-state collection agency license is deemed to have appointed
the director or the director's designee to be the licensee's true and lawful
agent upon whom may be served any legal process against that licensee arising
or growing out of any violation of this chapter.
Sec. 10. RCW 19.16.430 and 1973
1st ex.s. c 20 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Any person who
knowingly operates as a collection agency or out-of-state collection agency
without a license or knowingly aids and abets such violation is punishable by a
fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding one
year or both.
(2) Any person who
operates as a collection agency or out-of-state collection agency in the
state of Washington without a valid license issued pursuant to this chapter
shall not charge or receive any fee or compensation on any moneys received or
collected while operating without a license or on any moneys received or
collected while operating with a license but received or collected as a result
of his or its acts as a collection agency or out-of-state collection agency
while not licensed hereunder. All such moneys collected or received shall be
forthwith returned to the owners of the accounts on which the moneys were paid.
Sec. 11. RCW 19.16.440 and 1973
1st ex.s. c 20 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
The operation of a
collection agency or out-of-state collection agency without a license as
prohibited by RCW 19.16.110 and the commission by a licensee or an employee of
a licensee of an act or practice prohibited by RCW 19.16.250 are declared to be
unfair acts or practices or unfair methods of competition in the conduct of
trade or commerce for the purpose of the application of the Consumer Protection
Act found in chapter 19.86 RCW.
Sec. 12. RCW 19.16.920 and 1971
ex.s. c 253 s 42 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) The provisions of
this chapter relating to the licensing and regulation of collection agencies and
out-of-state collection agencies shall be exclusive and no county, city, or
other political subdivision of this state shall enact any laws or rules and
regulations licensing or regulating collection agencies.
(2) This section shall
not be construed to prevent a political subdivision of this state from levying
a business and occupation tax upon collection agencies or out-of-state
collection agencies maintaining an office within that political subdivision
if a business and occupation tax is levied by it upon other types of businesses
within its boundaries.
