DAR File No. 32720

Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources

R657-27

License Agent Procedures

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE

DAR File No.: 32720
Filed: 06/09/2009, 07:32
Received by: NL

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The purpose of this amendment is to add provisions allowing the division to remove the 30 business day response time and to allow the division to modify monthly reporting or payment requirements when a License Agent is in bankruptcy, insolvent, financially distressed, or unable to meet reporting and payment obligations; and makes technical corrections.

Summary of the rule or change:

Rule R657-27 is being amended to allow some flexibility in dealing with License Agents who find themselves in financial distress.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Section 23-19-15

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

The amendment gives the division greater flexibility in dealing with license agents. The Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) determines that there is not a cost or savings impact to the state budget or DWR's budget associated with this amendment.

local governments:

The amendment only allows for greater flexibility in dealing with the agents. This filing does not create any direct cost or savings impact to local governments because they are not directly affected by the rule. Nor are local governments indirectly impacted because the rule does not create a situation requiring services from local governments.

small businesses and persons other than businesses:

The amendment allows the division greater flexibility in dealing with license agents. This amendment does not impose any requirements on persons.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

Since the amendment only allows greater flexibility in dealing with license agents, DWR determines that there are no compliance costs associated with this amendment.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

The amendments to this rule do not create an impact on businesses. Michael R. Styler, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources
1594 W NORTH TEMPLE
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84116-3154

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

Staci Coons at the above address, by phone at 801-538-4718, by FAX at 801-538-4709, or by Internet E-mail at stacicoons@utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

07/31/2009

This rule may become effective on:

08/07/2009

Authorized by:

James F Karpowitz, Director

R657. Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources.

R657-27. License Agent Procedures.

R657-27-3. License Agent Application.

(1) License agent applications may be obtained from the Licensing Section in the Salt Lake Office or downloaded from the division's website.

(2) License agent applications shall be considered from any person located within Utah or in close proximity to Utah.

(3) Applications shall be processed within [30 business days]a reasonable timeframe.

(4) The applicant must:

(a) complete and return the application to the Licensing Section in the Salt Lake Office; and

(b) pay a non refundable application fee.

(5) A separate application and application fee must be submitted for each location where wildlife documents will be sold.

(6) The division may provide assistance to new and existing license agents as provided in Subsection R657-27-4(1)(b),(1)(c) or (1)(d).

 

R657-27-4. License Agent Eligibility - Reasons for Application Denial - Term of Authorization.

(1) A new license agent must meet the criteria provided in Subsection (a), except as provided in Subsection (b) or (c).

(a) A license agent must:

(i) successfully complete a division-sponsored training session;

(ii) provide and maintain approved computer hardware capable of processing and printing licenses and permits in a permanent, clear, and a legible manner; and

[(iii) sign a supplemental wildlife documents sales agreement as provided in Section R657-27-16.

](b) The division may provide a printer as required in Subsection (a)(ii) provided the license agent's projected sales is estimated to be at least one-thousand dollars per year or a satisfactory volume per year as determined by the division.

(c) The division may provide assistance up to one-thousand dollars for computer hardware required in Subsection (a)(ii) provided:

(i) there is not a current, eligible license agent within 45 miles, or a convenient distance as determined by the division, of the proposed license agent location; and

(ii) the estimated sales revenue from the proposed location will recover the cost of the computer hardware within six months of providing the computer hardware.

(d) The division may provide assistance for a data line connection and the associated ongoing expense of the data line connection provided:

(i) there is not a current, eligible license agent within 45 miles, or a convenient distance as determined by the division, of the proposed license agent location; and

(ii) the division anticipates the monthly cost for the data line connection to be less than 20 percent of the estimated monthly collection from the license agent.

(e) The division shall annually review the ongoing expenses for a data line connection to ensure the license agent is eligible for the assistance allowed in Subsection (d).

(f) A license agent must remain a license agent for the division for at least six months to retain the computer hardware or printer as provided in Subsections (b) or (c).

(2) Use of the agent hunting and fishing licenses online system must be used in compliance with the users manual provided by the division.

(3) The division shall send the applicant a written notice stating the reason for denial.

(4) If the division approves the license agent application, a license agent authorization shall be sent to the applicant.

(5) The license agent authorization is not effective until:

(a) it is signed[ and notarized] by the applicant; and

(b) signed by the director or designee.

(6)(a) The license agent authorization must be received by the Licensing Section in the Salt Lake Office within [30 business days]a reasonable timeframe of being mailed to the applicant.

(b) A separate application, application fee, and license agent authorization is required for each location where wildlife documents will be sold.

(7) Each license agent authorization shall be established for a term of [five]ten years.

(8) The division may deny a license agent application for any of the following reasons:

(a) A sufficient number of license agents already exist in the area;

(b) The applicant does not have adequate security including a safe or locking cabinet in which to store wildlife documents or license paper;

(c) The applicant has previously been authorized to sell wildlife documents or possess license paper and the applicant:

(i) failed to comply with the license agent authorization or any provision of statute or rule governing license agents; or

(ii) was deactivated or revoked by the division as a license agent;

(d) The applicant provided false information on the license agent application; or

(e) The applicant has been convicted[ of a wildlife related violation; or

(f) The applicant has been convicted], pleaded guilty, pleaded no contest, or entered into a plea in abeyance to a criminal offense that bears a reasonable relationship to the license agent's ability to competently and responsibly perform the functions of a license agent.

 

R657-27-6. License Agent Obligations.

(1) Each license agent must:

(a) comply with the requirement and provisions provided in Section 23-19-15;

(b) keep wildlife documents or license paper secure and out of the public view during business hours;

(c) keep wildlife documents or license paper in a safe or locked cabinet after business hours;

(d) display all signs and distribute proclamations provided by the division;

(e) have all sales clerks and management staff available for sales training;

(f) maintain a License Agent Manual provided by the division and make it available to the license agent's staff, including supplemental manuals and addendums; and

(g) retain agent copies of licenses and permits for 12 months following the month of sale, at which time agent copies of licenses and permits must be destroyed by burning, shredding or submitting to the division.

(2) If a license agent becomes delinquent on reporting or remission of proceeds Subsection (2)(a), (2)(b) or (2)(c) shall apply.

(a) The license agent must immediately submit all reports when due along with the remission of required proceeds.

(b) If the license sales report is submitted in accordance with Subsection (1)(a) but funds are not submitted with the report then the following applies:

(i) A repayment plan may be structured in an agreement that will allow repayment in equal monthly installments for up to six months at a payment level that will provide repayment of the principal along with an annual percentage interest rate (APR) of 12 percent. This APR shall be calculated back to the date that the payment should have been received in accordance with Subsection (1)(a);

(ii) If the ongoing monthly report and proceed submissions are not received for the future months, from the month of the agreement in accordance with Subsection (1)(a), then any agreement made in Subsection (2)(b)(i) may be terminated and all outstanding balances and accrued interest shall become due immediately, along with a penalty of 20 percent of the unpaid balance. Interest shall continue to accumulate on any unpaid balance, including the penalty, at the APR;

(iii) Activate the bond and collect all remaining funds in accordance with Section R657-27-5 and hold any remaining unpaid balances of penalty, ongoing interest, and principle amounts as a receivable from the license agent; or

(iv) If the license agent enters into an agreement with the division as provided in Subsection (2)(b)(i), and then violates the terms of that agreement, the division may begin the revocation process in accordance with Section R657-27-11.

(c) Nothing in this rule shall be construed as requiring the division to offer a repayment agreement to a license agent delinquent on report submissions or proceeds remissions before taking action to revoke license agent status.

(d) If the license agent does not submit a monthly report as provided in Subsection (1)(a), or if the license agent does not immediately pay the delinquent funds or fails to execute and abide by the terms of a repayment agreement as provided in Subsection (2)(b), the division may:

(i) change the license agent's status to deactivated;

(ii) withhold issuing additional wildlife document inventory;

(iii) withhold access to the agent hunting and fishing licenses online sales system;

(iv) collect the license agent's inventory of wildlife documents and license paper, and determine unaccounted inventory of wildlife documents and license paper;

(v) assess a monetary penalty for each wildlife document and piece of license paper unaccounted for as provided in Subsection R657-27-7(2);

(vi) take action to revoke license agent status;

(vii) create a receivable from the license agent that equals the amount due as determined in Subsection (1)(a) and charge a 20 percent late penalty on the entire balance, and accumulate the unpaid balance, included penalties, at a 12 percent APR from the due date of the earliest date in which a license agent failed to submit a report in accordance with Subsection (1)(a); or

(viii) activate the bond and collect all available funds remaining in accordance with Section R657-27-5 and hold any remaining unpaid balances of penalty, ongoing interest, and principle amounts as a receivable from the license agent.

(e) A deactivated license agent that has not been revoked may regain active status by paying all due balances in full, and providing a bond, provided the license agent is otherwise in compliance with this rule or any other laws or agreements regulating license agent activity.

(f)(i) The division reserves the right to unilaterally and immediately modify monthly reporting or payment requirements when any License Agent is:

(A) in bankruptcy;

(B) insolvent;

(C) financially distressed;

(D) unable to meet reporting or payment obligations; or

(E) otherwise experiencing events or conditions that may compromise their ability to comply with reporting and payment obligations.

(ii) The division may require license funds to be transferred to the division more frequently than monthly, and may require the use of Automated Clearing House payments, Electronic Funds Transfer payments, or other expedited methods of payment.

 

R657-27-11. Revocation of License Agent Authorization.

(1) The presiding officer may revoke a license agent authorization pursuant to Chapter 4, Title 63G, Utah Administrative Procedures Act, if the presiding officer determines that the license agent[ or the license agent's employee]:

(a) violated the terms of the license agent authorization;

[(b) violated the terms of any supplemental wildlife document sales agreements with the division;](b) fails to comply with reporting or payments obligations, becomes insolvent, declares bankruptcy, or shows indication of financial instability or any other sign that public funds are in jeopardy or potentially unrecoverable by the division.

(c) fails to maintain a bond in accordance with Section R657-27-5;

(d) is found to have committed fraud regarding wildlife documents or license paper;

(e) violated any provision of Title 23, Wildlife Resources Code;

(f) violated any rule promulgated under Title 23, Wildlife Resources Code; or

(g) has been convicted, pleaded guilty, pleaded no contest, or entered into a plea in abeyance to a criminal offense that bears a reasonable relationship to the license agent's ability to competently and responsibly perform the functions of a license agent.

(2) The presiding officer may hold a hearing to determine matters relating to the license agent revocation if the license agent makes a written request for a hearing within 20 days after the notice of agency action is issued.

 

R657-27-14. Violation.

(1) It is unlawful for a license agent to sell wildlife documents in violation of[:] the License Agent Authorization.[

(1) the License Agent Authorization; or

(2) any supplemental wildlife document sales agreements executed with the division.]

 

R657-27-15. [Distribution of Preprinted Licenses and Permits.

(1) The division shall determine, in its sole discretion, the types and numbers of preprinted licenses and permits issued to a license agent.

(2) Certain licenses or permits may not be available for sale by a license agent.

 

R657-27-16. Supplemental Wildlife Document Sales Agreement.

(1) Upon approval of a license agent authorization, the division may enter into a supplemental wildlife document sales agreement with the license agent.

(2)(a) The license agent must:

(i) complete all information indicated in the agreement; and

(ii) sign and date the agreement.

(b) The agreement must be returned by mail or hand-delivery to any division office and must be received no later than the date indicated under the terms on the agreement form. Facsimiles will not be accepted.

(c) Agreements received after the date indicated on the agreement form may be returned.

(4)(a) The division may not enter into an agreement with any license agent who was given reasonable notice of the time period for entering into the agreement and fails to return a complete agreement to the division.

(b) The division may notify a license agent who has made an error in completing the agreement form and may afford an opportunity for correction. However, if the division is unable to contact the license agent within two weeks following the filing date indicated on the agreement and correct the error, the agreement shall be void and the license agent may not receive authorization to sell the wildlife documents covered by the supplemental agreement.

(5) By signing the agreement, the license agent agrees to abide by the terms of the agreement.

 

R657-27-17. License Agent Authorization and Supplemental Agreements]License Agent Authorization Subject to Change.

(1) A license agent authorization[ or supplemental agreement] issued or renewed by the division under this rule is a privilege and not a right. The license agent authorization[ or supplemental agreement] authorizes the license agent to sell wildlife documents subject to all present and future conditions, restrictions, and regulations imposed on such activities by the division, the Wildlife Board, or the State of Utah.

(2) A license agent authorization[ or supplemental agreement] does not guarantee or otherwise legally entitle the license agent to any of the following:

(a) a minimum number of wildlife documents;

(b) a particular type or types of wildlife documents;

(c) access to any particular wildlife document distribution system; or

(d) any other right or opportunity advantageous to the license agent.

(3) The procedures, processes and opportunities outlined in this rule regulating license agents and the distribution of wildlife documents are all subject to future change, including discontinuation, by the division and the Wildlife Board.

 

KEY: licensing, wildlife, wildlife law, rules and procedures

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [May 8, 2007]2009

Notice of Continuation: April 4, 2007

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 23-19-15