30-14-1404. Registration of sellers or telemarketers. (1) (a) Unless exempt under 30-14-1405, a person may not act as a seller or telemarketer without first having registered with the department.
     (b) The initial application for registration must be approved by the department prior to a seller or telemarketer offering or offering for sale consumer goods or services through any medium.
     (c) A registered seller or telemarketer shall submit an application for renewal of registration annually to the department.
     (d) The application for a certificate of registration or renewal must include but is not limited to the following information:
     (i) the true name, current address, telephone number, and location of the seller or telemarketer, including each name under which the seller or telemarketer intends to engage in telemarketing;
     (ii) each occupation or business that the seller's or telemarketer's principal owner has engaged in for the 2 years immediately preceding the date of the application;
     (iii) whether any principal or manager has been convicted or pleaded guilty to or is being prosecuted by indictment for racketeering, violations of state or federal securities laws, or a theft offense;
     (iv) whether there has been entered against any principal or manager an injunction, a temporary restraining order, or a final judgment in any civil or administrative action involving fraud, theft, racketeering, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, misappropriation of property, or violation of any federal or state consumer protection law. The information must include any pending litigation against the applicant.
     (v) whether the seller, at any time during the previous 7 years, has filed for bankruptcy, been adjudged bankrupt, or been reorganized because of insolvency;
     (vi) the true name, current home address, date of birth, social security number, and all other names of the following:
     (A) each telemarketer or other person to be employed by the seller;
     (B) each person participating in or responsible for the management of the seller's business; and
     (C) each person, office manager, or supervisor principally responsible for the management of the seller's business;
     (vii) the name, address, and account number of every institution where banking or any other monetary transactions are conducted by the seller; and
     (viii) a copy of all scripts, outlines, or presentation material that the seller will require a telemarketer to use when soliciting, as well as all sales information to be provided by the seller to a purchaser in connection with any solicitation.
     (2) (a) The application for registration or renewal must be accompanied by a surety bond in the amount of $50,000. The bond must provide for indemnification to the state of Montana for any person suffering a loss as the result of violation of this part.
     (b) The surety may for any cause cancel the bond upon giving a 60-day written notice by certified mail to the applicant and to the department. Unless the bond is replaced by that of another surety before the expiration of the 60-day notice of cancellation, the registration of the seller or telemarketer must be treated as lapsed.
     (c) The surety bond must remain in effect for 1 year from the period the telemarketing business ceases to operate in this state.
     (d) (i) Any business required under this part to file a bond with a registration application may file, in lieu of the bond, a certificate of deposit, cash, or a government bond in the amount of $50,000.
     (ii) The department shall hold the cash, certificate of deposit, or government bond for 1 year from the period the telemarketing business ceases to operate in this state or registration lapses in order to pay claims made against the telemarketing business for its activities during its period of operation in this state.
     (iii) For the purposes of this section, "government bond" means any United States bond, treasury note, or other public debt obligation of the United States that is unconditionally guaranteed as to both interest and principal by the United States.
     (e) The registration of a telemarketing business must be treated as lapsed if at any time the amount of the bond, cash, certificate of deposit, or government bond falls below the amount required by this section.
     (f) The aggregate liability of the surety company to the state of Montana for all persons injured by a seller's or telemarketer's violations may not exceed the amount of the bond.
     (3) The following constitute a violation of this part:
     (a) failure to register, maintain, or renew a registration if required;
     (b) failure to meet the surety bond requirement if required to provide a bond;
     (c) including any false or misleading information on a registration application; and
     (d) misrepresenting that a seller or telemarketer is registered.
     (4) A violation of subsection (3) of this section also constitutes a violation of 30-14-103 and is subject to the penalty provisions of 30-14-1414 and the Montana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act of 1973.

     History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 342, L. 1999.