BILL REQ. #: H-4451.1
State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2010 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 01/25/10.
AN ACT Relating to money transmitters; and amending RCW 19.230.010, 19.230.020, 19.230.050, 19.230.060, 19.230.070, 19.230.110, 19.230.170, 19.230.180, 19.230.200, 19.230.210, 19.230.320, and 19.230.330.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 19.230.010 and 2003 c 287 s 3 are each amended to read
as follows:
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter
unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Affiliate" means any person who directly or indirectly through
one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under
common control with, another person.
(2) "Applicant" means a person that files an application for a
license under this chapter, including the applicant's proposed
responsible individual and executive officers, and persons in control
of the applicant.
(3) "Authorized delegate" means a person a licensee designates to
provide money services on behalf of the licensee. A person that is
exempt from licensing under this chapter cannot have an authorized
delegate.
(4) "Financial institution" means any person doing business under
the laws of any state or the United States relating to commercial
banks, bank holding companies, savings banks, savings and loan
associations, trust companies, or credit unions.
(5) "Control" means:
(a) Ownership of, or the power to vote, directly or indirectly, at
least twenty-five percent of a class of voting securities or voting
interests of a licensee or applicant, or person in control of a
licensee or applicant;
(b) Power to elect a majority of executive officers, managers,
directors, trustees, or other persons exercising managerial authority
of a licensee or applicant, or person in control of a licensee or
applicant; or
(c) Power to exercise directly or indirectly, a controlling
influence over the management or policies of a licensee or applicant,
or person in control of a licensee or applicant.
(6) "Currency exchange" means exchanging the money of one
government for money of another government, or holding oneself out as
able to exchange the money of one government for money of another
government. The following persons are not considered currency
exchangers:
(a) Affiliated businesses that engage in currency exchange for a
business purpose other than currency exchange;
(b) A person who provides currency exchange services for a person
acting primarily for a business, commercial, agricultural, or
investment purpose when the currency exchange is incidental to the
transaction;
(c) A person who deals in coins or a person who deals in money
whose value is primarily determined because it is rare, old, or
collectible; and
(d) A person who in the regular course of business chooses to
accept from a customer the currency of a country other than the United
States in order to complete the sale of a good or service other than
currency exchange, that may include cash back to the customer, and does
not otherwise trade in currencies or transmit money for compensation or
gain.
(7) "Executive officer" means a president, chairperson of the
executive committee, chief financial officer, responsible individual,
or other individual who performs similar functions.
(8) "Licensee" means a person licensed under this chapter.
(9) "Material litigation" means litigation that according to
generally accepted accounting principles is significant to an
applicant's or a licensee's financial health and would be required to
be disclosed in the applicant's or licensee's annual audited financial
statements, report to shareholders, or similar records.
(10) "Money" means a medium of exchange that is authorized or
adopted by the United States or a foreign government or other
recognized medium of exchange. "Money" includes a monetary unit of
account established by an intergovernmental organization or by
agreement between two or more governments.
(11) "Money services" means money transmission or currency
exchange.
(12) "Money transmission" means receiving money or its equivalent
value to transmit, deliver, or instruct to be delivered the money or
its equivalent value to another location, inside or outside the United
States, by any means including but not limited to by wire, facsimile,
or electronic transfer. "Money transmission" does not include the
provision solely of connection services to the internet,
telecommunications services, or network access. "Money transmission"
includes selling, issuing, or acting as an intermediary for open loop
stored value devices and payment instruments, but not closed loop
stored value devices.
(13) "Outstanding money transmission" means the value of all money
transmissions reported to the licensee for which the money transmitter
has received money or its equivalent value from the customer for
transmission, but has not yet completed the money transmission by
delivering the money or monetary value to the person designated by the
customer.
(14) "Payment instrument" means a check, draft, money order, or
traveler's check((, or other instrument)) for the transmission or
payment of money or its equivalent value, whether or not negotiable.
"Payment instrument" does not include a credit card voucher, letter of
credit, or instrument that is redeemable by the issuer in goods or
services.
(15) "Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust,
estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association,
joint venture; government, governmental subdivision, agency, or
instrumentality; public corporation; or any other legal or commercial
entity.
(16) "Record" means information that is inscribed on a tangible
medium, or that is stored in an electronic or other medium, and is
retrievable in perceivable form.
(17) "Responsible individual" means an individual who is employed
by a licensee and has principal managerial authority over the provision
of money services by the licensee in this state.
(18) "State" means a state of the United States, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any
territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the
United States.
(19) "Director" means the director of financial institutions.
(20) "Unsafe or unsound practice" means a practice or conduct by a
person licensed to provide money services, or an authorized delegate of
such a person, which creates the likelihood of material loss,
insolvency, or dissipation of the licensee's assets, or otherwise
materially prejudices the financial condition of the licensee or the
interests of its customers.
(21) "Board director" means a member of the applicant's or
licensee's board of directors if the applicant is a corporation or
limited liability company, or a partner if the applicant or licensee is
a partnership.
(22) "Annual ((license)) assessment due date" means the date
specified in rule by the director upon which the annual ((license))
assessment is due.
(23) "Currency exchanger" means a person that is engaged in
currency exchange.
(24) "Money transmitter" means a person that is engaged in money
transmission.
(25) "Mobile location" means a vehicle or movable facility where
money services are provided.
(26) "Closed loop stored value device" means ((the recognition of
value or credit to the account of persons)) a stored value device, when
that value or credit is primarily intended to be redeemed for a limited
universe of goods, intangibles, services, or other items provided by
the issuer of the stored value, its affiliates, or others involved in
transactions functionally related to the issuer or its affiliates.
(27) "Open loop stored value device" means a stored value device
redeemable at multiple, unaffiliated merchants or service providers, or
automated teller machines.
(28) "Stored value device" means a card or other device that
electronically stores or provides access to funds and is available for
making payments to others.
(29) "Tangible net worth" means the physical worth of a licensee,
calculated by taking a licensee's assets and subtracting its
liabilities and its intangible assets, such as copyrights, patents,
intellectual property, and goodwill.
Sec. 2 RCW 19.230.020 and 2003 c 287 s 4 are each amended to read
as follows:
This chapter does not apply to:
(1) The United States or a department, agency, or instrumentality
thereof;
(2) Money transmission by the United States postal service or by a
contractor on behalf of the United States postal service;
(3) A state, county, city, or a department, agency, or
instrumentality thereof;
(4) A financial institution or its subsidiaries, affiliates, and
service corporations, or any office of an international banking
corporation, branch of a foreign bank, or corporation organized
pursuant to the Bank Service Corporation Act (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1861-1867)
or a corporation organized under the Edge Act (12 U.S.C. Sec. 611-633);
(5) Electronic funds transfer of governmental benefits for a
federal, state, county, or governmental agency by a contractor on
behalf of the United States or a department, agency, or instrumentality
thereof, or a state or governmental subdivision, agency, or
instrumentality thereof;
(6) A board of trade designated as a contract market under the
federal Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. Sec. 1-25) or a person that,
in the ordinary course of business, provides clearance and settlement
services for a board of trade to the extent of its operation as, or
for, a board of trade;
(7) A registered futures commission merchant under the federal
commodities laws to the extent of its operation as such a merchant;
(8) A person that provides clearance or settlement services under
a registration as a clearing agency, or an exemption from that
registration granted under the federal securities laws, to the extent
of its operation as such a provider;
(9) An operator of a payment system only to the extent that it
provides processing, clearing, or settlement services, between or among
persons who are all excluded by this section, in connection with wire
transfers, credit card transactions, debit card transactions, stored-value transactions, automated clearinghouse transfers, or similar funds
transfers;
(10) A person registered as a securities broker-dealer or
investment advisor under federal or state securities laws to the extent
of its operation as such a broker-dealer or investment advisor;
(11) An insurance company, title insurance company, or escrow agent
to the extent that such an entity is lawfully authorized to conduct
business in this state as an insurance company, title insurance
company, or escrow agent and to the extent that they engage in money
transmission or currency exchange as an ancillary service when
conducting insurance, title insurance, or escrow activity;
(12) The issuance, sale, use, redemption, or exchange of closed
loop stored value devices or of payment instruments by a person
licensed under chapter 31.45 RCW; ((or))
(13) An attorney, to the extent that the attorney is lawfully
authorized to practice law in this state and to the extent that the
attorney engages in money transmission or currency exchange as an
ancillary service to the practice of law; or
(14) A stored value device seller or issuer when the funds on the
device are covered by federal deposit insurance immediately upon sale
or issue.
The director may, at his or her discretion, waive applicability of
the licensing provisions of this chapter when the director determines
it necessary to facilitate commerce and protect consumers. The
director may adopt rules to implement this section.
Sec. 3 RCW 19.230.050 and 2003 c 287 s 7 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Each money transmitter licensee shall maintain a surety bond,
or other similar security acceptable to the director, in ((the)) an
amount ((of)) based on the previous year's money transmission dollar
volume; and the previous year's payment instrument dollar volume. The
minimum surety bond must be at least ten thousand dollars, and not
((exceeding)) to exceed five hundred fifty thousand dollars((, as
defined in rule by the director, plus ten thousand dollars per
location, including locations of authorized delegates, not exceeding a
total addition of five hundred thousand dollars)). The director may
adopt rules to implement this section.
(2) The surety bond shall run to the state of Washington as
obligee, and shall run to the benefit of the state and any person or
persons who suffer loss by reason of a licensee's or licensee's
authorized delegate's violation of this chapter or the rules adopted
under this chapter. A claimant against a money transmitter licensee
may maintain an action on the bond, or the director may maintain an
action on behalf of the claimant.
(3) The surety bond shall be continuous and may be canceled by the
surety upon the surety giving written notice to the director of its
intent to cancel the bond. The cancellation is effective thirty days
after the notice of cancellation is received by the director or the
director's designee. Whether or not the bond is renewed, continued,
replaced, or modified, including increases or decreases in the penal
sum, it is considered one continuous obligation, and the surety upon
the bond is not liable in an aggregate or cumulative amount exceeding
the penal sum set forth on the face of the bond. In no event may the
penal sum, or any portion thereof, at two or more points in time, be
added together in determining the surety's liability.
(4) A surety bond or other security must cover claims for at least
five years after the date of a money transmitter licensee's violation
of this chapter, or at least five years after the date the money
transmitter licensee ceases to provide money services in this state,
whichever is longer. However, the director may permit the amount of
the surety bond or other security to be reduced or eliminated before
the expiration of that time to the extent the amount of the licensee's
obligations outstanding in this state are reduced.
(5) In the event that a money transmitter licensee does not
maintain a surety bond or other form of security satisfactory to the
director in the amount required under subsection (1) of this section,
the director may issue a temporary cease and desist order under RCW
19.230.260.
(6) The director may increase the amount of security required to a
maximum of one million dollars if the financial condition of a money
transmitter licensee so requires, as evidenced by reduction of net
worth, financial losses, potential losses as a result of violations of
this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter, or other relevant
criteria specified by the director in rule.
Sec. 4 RCW 19.230.060 and 2003 c 287 s 8 are each amended to read
as follows:
A money transmitter licensed under this chapter shall maintain a
tangible net worth, determined in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles, as determined in rule by the director. The
director shall require a tangible net worth of at least ten thousand
dollars and not more than ((fifty thousand)) three million dollars. In
the event that a licensee's tangible net worth, as determined in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, falls below
the amount required in rule, the director or the director's designee
may initiate action under RCW 19.230.230 and 19.230.260. The licensee
may request a hearing on such an action under chapter 34.05 RCW.
Sec. 5 RCW 19.230.070 and 2003 c 287 s 9 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) When an application for a money transmitter license is filed
under this chapter, the director or the director's designee shall
investigate the applicant's financial condition and responsibility,
financial and business experience, competence, character, and general
fitness. The director or the director's designee may conduct an on-site investigation of the applicant, the cost of which must be paid by
the applicant as specified in RCW 19.230.320 or rules adopted under
this chapter. The director shall issue a money transmitter license to
an applicant under this chapter if the director or the director's
designee finds that all of the following conditions have been
fulfilled:
(a) The applicant has complied with RCW 19.230.040, 19.230.050, and
19.230.060;
(b) The financial condition and responsibility, financial and
business experience, competence, character, and general fitness of the
applicant; and the competence, financial and business experience,
character, and general fitness of the executive officers, proposed
responsible individual, board directors, and persons in control of the
applicant; indicate that it is in the interest of the public to permit
the applicant to engage in the business of providing money transmission
services; and
(c) Neither the applicant, nor any executive officer, nor person
who exercises control over the applicant, nor the proposed responsible
individual is listed on the specially designated nationals and blocked
persons list prepared by the United States department of the treasury
or department of state under Presidential Executive Order No. 13224.
(2) The director may for good cause extend the application review
period.
(3) An applicant whose application is denied by the director under
this chapter may appeal under chapter 34.05 RCW.
(4) A money transmitter license issued under this chapter is valid
from the date of issuance and remains in effect with no fixed date of
expiration unless otherwise suspended or revoked by the director or
unless the license expires for nonpayment of the annual ((license))
assessment and any late fee, if applicable.
(5) A money transmitter licensee may surrender a license by
delivering the original license to the director along with a written
notice of surrender. The written notice of surrender must include
notice of where the records of the licensee will be stored and the
name, address, telephone number, and other contact information of a
responsible party who is authorized to provide access to the records.
The surrender of a license does not reduce or eliminate the licensee's
civil or criminal liability arising from acts or omissions occurring
prior to the surrender of the license, including any administrative
actions undertaken by the director or the director's designee to revoke
or suspend a license, to assess fines, to order payment of restitution,
or to exercise any other authority authorized under this chapter.
Sec. 6 RCW 19.230.110 and 2003 c 287 s 13 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) A licensee shall pay an annual ((license)) assessment as
established in rule by the director no later than the annual
((license)) assessment due date or, if the annual ((license))
assessment due date is not a business day, on the next business day.
A licensee shall pay an annual assessment based on the previous year's
dollar volume in Washington state of: (a) Money transmissions; (b)
payment instruments; (c) currency exchanges; and (d) stored value
sales.
(2) A licensee shall submit an accurate annual report with the
annual ((license)) assessment, in a form and in a medium prescribed by
the director in rule. The annual report must state or contain:
(a) If the licensee is a money transmitter, a copy of the
licensee's most recent audited annual financial statement or, if the
licensee is a wholly owned subsidiary of another corporation, the most
recent audited consolidated annual financial statement of the parent
corporation or the licensee's most recent audited consolidated annual
financial statement;
(b) A description of each material change, as defined in rule by
the director, to information submitted by the licensee in its original
license application which has not been previously reported to the
director on any required report;
(c) If the licensee is a money transmitter, a list of the
licensee's permissible investments and a certification that the
licensee continues to maintain permissible investments according to the
requirements set forth in RCW 19.230.200 and 19.230.210;
(d) If the licensee is a money transmitter, proof that the licensee
continues to maintain adequate security as required by RCW 19.230.050;
and
(e) A list of the locations in this state where the licensee or an
authorized delegate of the licensee engages in or provides money
services.
(3) If a licensee does not file an annual report or pay its annual
((license)) assessment by the annual ((license)) assessment due date,
the director or the director's designee shall send the licensee a
notice of suspension and assess the licensee a late fee not to exceed
twenty-five percent of the annual ((license)) assessment as established
in rule by the director. The licensee's annual report and payment of
both the annual ((license)) assessment and the late fee must arrive in
the department's offices by 5:00 p.m. on the thirtieth day after the
assessment due date or any extension of time granted by the director,
unless that date is not a business day, in which case the licensee's
annual report and payment of both the annual ((license)) assessment and
the late fee must arrive in the department's offices by 5:00 p.m. on
the next occurring business day. If the licensee's annual report and
payment of both the annual ((license)) assessment and late fee do not
arrive by such date, the expiration of the licensee's license is
effective at 5:00 p.m. on the thirtieth day after the assessment due
date, unless that date is not a business day, in which case the
expiration of the licensee's license is effective at 5:00 p.m. on the
next occurring business day. The director, or the director's designee,
may reinstate the license if, within twenty days after its effective
date, the licensee:
(a) Files the annual report and pays both the annual ((license))
assessment and the late fee; and
(b) ((The licensee)) Did not engage in or provide money services
during the period its license was expired.
Sec. 7 RCW 19.230.170 and 2003 c 287 s 19 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) A licensee shall maintain the following records for determining
its compliance with this chapter for at least five years:
(a) A general ledger posted at least monthly containing all assets,
liabilities, capital, income, and expense accounts;
(b) Bank statements and bank reconciliation records;
(c) Monthly reports about permissible investments;
(d) A list of the last known names and addresses of all of the
licensee's authorized delegates;
(((d))) (e) Copies of all currency transaction reports and
suspicious activity reports filed in compliance with RCW 19.230.180;
and
(((e))) (f) Any other records required in rule by the director.
(2) The items specified in subsection (1) of this section may be
maintained in any form of record that is readily accessible to the
director or the director's designee upon request.
(3) Records may be maintained outside this state if they are made
accessible to the director on seven business days' notice that is sent
in writing.
(4) All records maintained by the licensee are open to inspection
by the director or the director's designee.
Sec. 8 RCW 19.230.180 and 2003 c 287 s 20 are each amended to
read as follows:
(((1))) Every licensee and its authorized delegates shall file
((with the director or the director's designee)) all reports required
by federal currency reporting, recordkeeping, and suspicious
transaction reporting requirements with the appropriate federal agency
as set forth in 31 U.S.C. Sec. 5311, 31 C.F.R. Sec. 103 (2000), and
other federal and state laws pertaining to money laundering. Every
licensee and its authorized delegates shall maintain copies of these
reports in its records in compliance with RCW 19.230.170.
(((2) The timely filing of a complete and accurate report required
under subsection (1) of this section with the appropriate federal
agency is compliance with the requirements of subsection (1) of this
section, unless the director notifies the licensee that reports of this
type are not being regularly and comprehensively transmitted by the
federal agency.))
Sec. 9 RCW 19.230.200 and 2003 c 287 s 22 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) A money transmitter licensee shall maintain, at all times,
permissible investments that have a market value computed in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles of not less than the
((aggregate)) amount of ((all)) the licensee's average outstanding
money transmission liability. For the purposes of this section,
average outstanding money transmission liability means the sum of the
daily amounts of a licensee's money transmissions, as computed each day
of the month divided by the number of days in the month.
(2) The director, with respect to any money transmitter licensee,
may limit the extent to which a type of investment within a class of
permissible investments may be considered a permissible investment,
except for money, time deposits, savings deposits, demand deposits, and
certificates of deposit issued by a federally insured financial
institution. The director may prescribe in rule, or by order allow,
other types of investments that the director determines to have a
safety substantially equivalent to other permissible investments.
Sec. 10 RCW 19.230.210 and 2003 c 287 s 23 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Except to the extent otherwise limited by the director under
RCW 19.230.200, the following investments are permissible for a money
transmitter licensee under RCW 19.230.200:
(a) Cash, time deposits, savings deposits, demand deposits, a
certificate of deposit, or senior debt obligation of an insured
depositary institution as defined in section 3 of the federal Deposit
Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1813) or as defined under the federal
Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1781);
(b) Banker's acceptance or bill of exchange that is eligible for
purchase upon endorsement by a member bank of the federal reserve
system and is eligible for purchase by a federal reserve bank;
(c) An investment bearing a rating of one of the three highest
grades as defined by a nationally recognized organization that rates
securities;
(d) An investment security that is an obligation of the United
States or a department, agency, or instrumentality thereof; an
investment in an obligation that is guaranteed fully as to principal
and interest by the United States; or an investment in an obligation of
a state or a governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality
thereof;
(e) Receivables that are payable to a licensee from its authorized
delegates, in the ordinary course of business, pursuant to contracts
which are not past due or doubtful of collection, if the aggregate
amount of receivables under this subsection (1)(e) does not exceed
((twenty)) thirty percent of the total permissible investments of a
licensee and the licensee does not hold, at one time, receivables under
this subsection (1)(e) in any one person aggregating more than ten
percent of the licensee's total permissible investments; and
(f) A share or a certificate issued by an open-end management
investment company that is registered with the United States securities
and exchange commission under the Investment Companies Act of 1940 (15
U.S.C. Sec. 80(a)(1) through (64), and whose portfolio is restricted by
the management company's investment policy to investments specified in
(a) through (d) of this subsection.
(2) The following investments are permissible under RCW 19.230.200,
but only to the extent specified as follows:
(a) An interest-bearing bill, note, bond, or debenture of a person
whose equity shares are traded on a national securities exchange or on
a national over-the-counter market, if the aggregate of investments
under this subsection (2)(a) does not exceed twenty percent of the
total permissible investments of a licensee and the licensee does not,
at one time, hold investments under this subsection (2)(a) in any one
person aggregating more than ten percent of the licensee's total
permissible investments;
(b) A share of a person traded on a national securities exchange or
a national over-the-counter market or a share or a certificate issued
by an open-end management investment company that is registered with
the United States securities and exchange commission under the
Investment Companies Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. Sec. 80(a)(1) through (64),
and whose portfolio is restricted by the management company's
investment policy to shares of a person traded on a national securities
exchange or a national over-the-counter market, if the aggregate of
investments under this subsection (2)(b) does not exceed twenty percent
of the total permissible investments of a licensee and the licensee
does not, at one time, hold investments under this subsection (2)(b) in
any one person aggregating more than ten percent of the licensee's
total permissible investments;
(c) A demand-borrowing agreement made to a corporation or a
subsidiary of a corporation whose securities are traded on a national
securities exchange, if the aggregate of the amount of principal and
interest outstanding under demand-borrowing agreements under this
subsection (2)(c) does not exceed twenty percent of the total
permissible investments of a licensee and the licensee does not, at one
time, hold principal and interest outstanding under demand-borrowing
agreements under this subsection (2)(c) with any one person aggregating
more than ten percent of the licensee's total permissible investments;
and
(d) Any other investment the director designates, to the extent
specified in rule by the director.
(3) The aggregate of investments under subsection (2) of this
section may not exceed fifty percent of the total permissible
investments of a licensee.
(4) A licensee may not use any portion of a restricted asset as a
permissible investment. Restricted assets include, but are not limited
to, surety bonds or any other assets pledged to other persons or
entities. The director may establish by rule other restricted assets.
Sec. 11 RCW 19.230.320 and 2003 c 287 s 34 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) The director shall establish fees by rule sufficient to cover
the costs of administering this chapter. The director may establish
different fees for each type of license authorized under this chapter.
These fees may include:
(a) An annual ((license)) assessment specified in rule by the
director paid by each licensee on or before the annual ((license))
assessment due date;
(b) A late fee for late payment of the annual ((license))
assessment as specified in rule by the director;
(c) An hourly ((examination or)) investigation fee to cover the
costs of any ((examination or)) investigation of the books and records
of a licensee or other person subject to this chapter;
(d) A nonrefundable application fee to cover the costs of
processing license applications made to the director under this
chapter;
(e) An initial license fee to cover the period from the date of
licensure to the end of the calendar year in which the license is
initially granted; and
(f) A transaction fee or set of transaction fees to cover the
administrative costs associated with processing changes in control,
changes of address, and other administrative changes as specified in
rule by the director.
(2) The director shall ensure that when an examination or
investigation, or any part of the examination or investigation, of any
licensee applicant or person subject to licensing under this chapter,
requires travel and services outside this state by the director or
designee, the licensee applicant or person subject to licensing under
this chapter that is the subject of the examination or investigation
shall pay the actual travel expenses incurred by the director or
designee conducting the examination or investigation.
(3) All moneys, fees, and penalties collected under this chapter
shall be deposited into the financial services regulation account.
Sec. 12 RCW 19.230.330 and 2003 c 287 s 35 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) Every money transmitter licensee and its authorized delegates
shall transmit the monetary equivalent of all money or equivalent value
received from a customer for transmission, net of any fees, or issue
instructions committing the money or its monetary equivalent, to the
person designated by the customer within ten business days after
receiving the money or equivalent value, unless otherwise ordered by
the customer or unless the licensee or its authorized delegate has
reason to believe that a crime has occurred, is occurring, or may occur
as a result of transmitting the money. For purposes of this
subsection, money is considered to have been transmitted when it is
available to the person designated by the customer and a reasonable
effort has been made to inform this designated person that the money is
available, whether or not the designated person has taken possession of
the money. As used in this subsection, "monetary equivalent," when
used in connection with a money transmission in which the customer
provides the licensee or its authorized delegate with the money of one
government, and the designated recipient is to receive the money of
another government, means the amount of money, in the currency of the
government that the designated recipient is to receive, as converted at
the retail exchange rate offered by the licensee or its authorized
delegate to the customer in connection with the transaction.
(2) Every money transmitter licensee and its authorized delegates
shall provide a receipt to the customer that clearly states the amount
of money presented for transmission and the total of any fees charged
by the licensee. If the rate of exchange for a money transmission to
be paid in the currency of another country is fixed by the licensee for
that transaction at the time the money transmission is initiated, then
the receipt provided to the customer shall disclose the rate of
exchange for that transaction, and the duration, if any, for the
payment to be made at the fixed rate of exchange so specified. If the
rate of exchange for a money transmission to be paid in the currency of
another country is not fixed at the time the money transmission is
sent, the receipt provided to the customer shall disclose that the rate
of exchange for that transaction will be set at the time the recipient
of the money transmission picks up the funds in the foreign country.
The receipt shall also contain the licensee name, address, and phone
number. As used in this section, "fees" does not include revenue that
a licensee or its authorized delegate generates, in connection with a
money transmission, in the conversion of the money of one government
into the money of another government.
(3) Every money transmitter licensee and its authorized delegates
shall refund to the customer all moneys received for transmittal within
ten days of receipt of a written request for a refund unless any of the
following occurs:
(a) The moneys have been transmitted and delivered to the person
designated by the customer prior to receipt of the written request for
a refund;
(b) Instructions have been given committing an equivalent amount of
money to the person designated by the customer prior to receipt of a
written request for a refund;
(c) The licensee or its authorized delegate has reason to believe
that a crime has occurred, is occurring, or may potentially occur as a
result of transmitting the money as requested by the customer or
refunding the money as requested by the customer; or
(d) The licensee is otherwise barred by law from making a refund.