Small dollar loans: finder duties and compensation.

Existing law, the California Finance Lenders Law, provides for the licensure and regulation of finance lenders by the Commissioner of Business Oversight and makes a willful violation of its provisions a crime. Existing law establishes, until January 1, 2018, the Pilot Program for Increased Access to Responsible Small Dollar Loans for the purpose of allowing greater access for responsible installment loans in principal amounts of at least $300 and less than $2,500 administered by the commissioner. Existing law authorizes a licensee in the program to use the services of finders, as defined, to bring licensees and prospective borrowers together, at the finder's place of business, for the purpose of negotiating loan contracts, subject to a written agreement meeting specified requirements. This bill would expand the services that a finder, licensed or regulated under prescribed provisions of law, is authorized to perform to include, among other things, disbursement of loan proceeds to, and receipt of loan payments from, the borrower. This bill would require the licensee to develop and implement policies and procedures designed to respond to questions raised by applicants and borrowers regarding their loans, including those involving finders. Existing law establishes a maximum finder's fee of $45 per loan for the first 40 loans originated at the finder's location per month, and $40 per loan for loans thereafter during that month. This bill would delete those maximums and would authorize payment of finder compensation for certain services pursuant to a schedule that is mutually agreed to by the licensee and the finder, not to exceed $65 per loan, plus $2 per payment received by the finder on behalf of the licensee for the duration of the loan when the finder receives borrower loan payments on the licensee's behalf, as specified. The bill would require, if a loan applicant has questions that the finder is not permitted to answer, the finder to assist an applicant in making direct contact with the lender before the loan is consummated, and would require the licensee to ensure that a loan is not consummated until the licensee completes a 2-way communication, as defined, with the applicant. The bill would require a licensee to provide the commissioner with prescribed information relating to each finder, including, but not limited to, the finder's delinquency rate and default rate, and would authorize the commissioner to take prescribed action against a finder upon determination that it would be warranted by reported data, including, but not limited to, disqualifying the finder from providing services under the pilot program. Because a willful violation of these provisions would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.