§ 34-27-51 — Acts Constituting Violation of Article - Sell, Etc.; Without License; Failure to Provide Certain Documents at Time of Registration; Failure to Follow Rules of Advertising

It shall be a violation of this article for any seller of vacation time-sharing plans to:
(1) Sell, lease, encumber, or convey in any manner or to solicit or advertise such transactions unless the seller has been duly licensed under the provisions of Section 34-27-66 and unless the vacation time-sharing plan and the units thereby affected have first been registered with the commission. Provided, however, that the registration requirements of this article shall not apply to nor restrict the listing and resale of any vacation time-sharing plan when:
a. The vacation time-sharing plan to be resold is within an existing time-sharing facility currently registered with the commission pursuant to the requirements of this article; and
b. The vacation time-sharing plan to be resold is subject to the identical rules, regulations, conditions, or limitations on the use of the accommodations or facilities which affect all other vacation time-sharing plans within that time-sharing facility.
(2) Fail to provide, at the time of registration, to the commission the following materials, or fail to provide any amendments or changes therein made while sales continue:
a. A copy of the contract by which the rights and obligations of the parties are established.
b. Copies of promotional brochures, pamphlets, advertisements, or other material disseminated to the public in connection with the sale of the vacation time-sharing plan and verbatim scripts of all radio and television advertising in connection therewith.
c. A statement of the name and type of business entity through which the business of selling vacation time-sharing plans is carried out, including a list of the names and addresses of all of its directors, principal officers, and/or partners, as well as the names and addresses of any sales personnel soliciting in or from the State of Alabama, and the name and address of the business agent for service of process within the State of Alabama.
d. Copies of all rules, regulations, conditions, or limitations on use of the accommodations or facilities available pursuant to the vacation time-sharing plan.
e. Copies of all liens, mortgages, or other encumbrances on the accommodations or facilities which could affect the rights of the purchaser or his or her assignee, together with the location, date, and filing books and page number where such documents are recorded.
f. A synopsis of any sales presentation made or to be made by the seller to the purchaser over the telephone or other electronic device.
g. A projected budget of all recurring expenses which may become the responsibility of time-sharing purchasers.
h. A copy of the public offering statement to be provided to each prospective purchaser.
i. Evidence that the time-sharing plan owner or his agent shall furnish a surety bond payable to the State of Alabama in the amount of $100,000 with a surety company authorized to do business in Alabama, which bond shall provide that the obligor therein shall pay up to $100,000 the aggregate sum of all judgments which may be recovered against the vacation time-sharing plan owner or seller for any actual loss or damage arising against such vacation time-sharing plan owner or seller from the activities of the time-sharing plan owner or seller, or their agents or representatives, related to the time-sharing plan. Such bond must remain in effect for as long as the time-sharing plan shall be registered. In the event such bond is revoked by the surety company, the time-sharing owner shall have 10 days in which to obtain a new bond and file such with the commission. The lack of a bond shall be grounds for the suspension of the registration of the time-sharing plan.
Upon receipt of all items required by this section, the commission shall determine the sufficiency thereof and upon satisfactory compliance with this article, shall issue its order approving their use. The vacation time-sharing plan shall then be deemed registered. Promotional or advertising material developed after the initial registration of a time-sharing plan may be used without prior approval of the commission provided that such material is in compliance with this article and further provided that it is submitted to the commission within 10 days after its initial public use.
(3) Fail to include in all advertising of any vacation time-sharing plan a statement which clearly states that the seller is offering a time-sharing interest.
(4) Fail to include in all advertising of any vacation time-sharing plan which offers a time-sharing interest of less than fee simple a statement which clearly states that the interest being offered is less than a fee simple ownership interest.
(5) Effective October 1, 1985, fail to provide each prospective purchaser a public offering statement in such form and under such terms as shall be required by commission rules and regulations.

Legislative History

(Acts 1983, No. 83-670, p. 1035, §2; Acts 1984, No. 84-282, p. 472, §1; Acts 1985, No. 85-750, p. 1204, §1.)