On May 1, the Texas Finance Commission adopted amendments related to application procedures for regulated residential mortgage loan originator. The amendments are intended to reduce costs for residential MLOs and to ensure consistency with current licensing procedures and processes. Among other things, the amendments lower MLO application and annual renewal fees from $300 to $200, and implement statutory changes from HB 1342 (enacted last year) related to criminal background checks for residential MLOs. Specifically, the amendments (i) repeal a provision that allowed for the “denial, suspension, or revocation for any offense occurring in the five years preceding the application”; (ii) add provisions requiring an agency to consider the correlation between the element of a crime and a licensed occupation’s duties and responsibilities; and (iii) remove language related to letters of recommendation provided on behalf of an MLO applicant. The amendments are effective as of May 7.
This content originally appeared in the InfoBytes blog, a collection of news and alerts covering legal and regulatory developments for the financial services industry. To read more or have the InfoBytes weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox, please visit infobytesblog.com.