§ 9-571 — Change of control of license; application; approval or denial by the commissioner

(a) When any person or group of persons acting in concert are seeking to acquire control of a licensee, the licensee shall obtain the written approval of the commissioner prior to the change of control. An individual is not deemed to acquire control of a licensee and is not subject to this section when that individual becomes a key individual in the ordinary course of business.
(b) A person or group of persons acting in concert that seeks to acquire control of a licensee in cooperation with such licensee shall submit an application in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. Such application shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee set by the commissioner.
(c) Upon request, the commissioner may permit a licensee, the person or group of persons acting in concert to submit some or all information required by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (b) without using the nationwide multistate licensing system and registry.
(d) The application required by subsection (b) shall include all information required by K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 9-565, and amendments thereto, for any new key individuals who have not previously completed the requirements of K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 9-565, and amendments thereto, for a licensee.
(e) (1) When an application for acquisition of control under this section appears to include all the items and addresses all of the matters that are required, the application shall be deemed complete and the commissioner shall promptly notify the applicant of the date on which the application was so deemed, and the commissioner shall approve or deny the application within 60 days after the completion date.
(2) If the application is not approved or denied within 60 days after the completion date:
(A) The application shall be deemed approved; and
(B) the person or group of persons acting in concert shall not be prohibited from acquiring control.
(3) The commissioner may extend the application period for good cause.
(f) A determination by the commissioner that an application is complete and is accepted for processing means only that the application, on its face, appears to include all of the items and addresses all of the matters that are required. A determination of completion by the commissioner shall not be deemed to be an assessment of the substance of the application or of the sufficiency of the information provided.
(g) When an application is filed and considered complete under subsection (e), the commissioner shall investigate the financial condition and responsibility, financial and business experience, character and general fitness of the person or group of persons acting in concert who seek to acquire control. The commissioner shall approve an acquisition of control pursuant to this section if the commissioner finds that all of the following conditions have been fulfilled:
(1) The requirements of subsections (b) and (d) have been met, as applicable; and
(2) the financial condition and responsibility, financial and business experience, competence, character and general fitness of the person or group of persons acting in concert seeking to acquire control and the key individuals and persons that would be in control of the licensee after the acquisition of control indicate that it is in the interest of the public to permit the person or group of persons acting in concert to control the licensee.
(h) If an applicant avails itself or is otherwise subject to a multistate licensing process:
(1) The commissioner shall be authorized to accept the investigation results of a lead investigative state for the purposes of subsection (g) if the lead investigative state has sufficient staffing, expertise and minimum standards; or
(2) if Kansas is a lead investigative state, the commissioner shall be authorized to investigate the applicant pursuant to subsection (g) and the timeframes established by agreement through the multistate licensing process.
(i) The commissioner shall issue a formal written notice of the denial of an application to acquire control within 30 days of the decision to deny the application. The commissioner shall state in the notice of denial the specific reasons for the denial of the application. An applicant whose application is denied by the commissioner under this subsection may appeal within 14 days and request a hearing in accordance with the Kansas administrative procedure act, K.S.A. 77-501 et seq., and amendments thereto.
(j) The requirements of subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to any of the following:
(1) A person that acts as a proxy for the sole purpose of voting at a designated meeting of the shareholders or holders of voting shares or voting interests of a licensee or a person in control of a licensee;
(2) a person that acquires control of a licensee by devise or descent;
(3) a person that acquires control of a licensee as a personal representative, custodian, guardian, conservator or trustee or as an officer appointed by a court of competent jurisdiction or by operation of law;
(4) a person that is exempt under subsection (l);
(5) a person that the commissioner determines is not subject to subsection (a) based on the public interest;
(6) a public offering of securities of a licensee or a person in control of a licensee; or
(7) an internal reorganization of a person in control of the licensee if the ultimate person in control of the licensee remains the same.
(k) Persons meeting the requirements of subsections (j)(2), (j)(3), (j)(4), (j)(6) or (j)(7) in cooperation with the licensee shall notify the commissioner within 15 days after the acquisition of control.
(l) (1) The requirements of subsections (a) and (b) shall not apply to a person that has complied with and received approval to engage in money transmission under this act or was identified as a person in control in a prior application filed with and approved by the commissioner or by a money service business-accredited state pursuant to a multistate licensing process, if:
(A) The person has not had a license revoked or suspended or controlled a licensee that has had a license revoked or suspended while the person was in control of the licensee in the previous five years;
(B) the person is a licensee, such person is well managed and has received at least a satisfactory rating for compliance at such person's most recent examination by an money service business accredited state if such rating was given;
(C) the licensee to be acquired is expected to meet the requirements of K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 9-586, 9-587 and 9-588, and amendments thereto, after the acquisition of control is completed. If the person acquiring control is a licensee, such licensee shall also be expected to meet the requirements of K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 9-586, 9-587 and 9-588, and amendments thereto, after the acquisition of control is completed;
(D) the licensee to be acquired shall not implement any material changes to such licensee's business plan as a result of the acquisition of control. If the person acquiring control is a licensee, such licensee shall not implement any material changes to such licensee's business plan as a result of the acquisition of control; and
(E) the person provides notice of the acquisition in cooperation with the licensee and attests to the provisions of this subsection in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner.
(2) If the notice is not disapproved within 30 days after the date on which the notice was determined to be complete, the notice shall be deemed approved.
(m) Before filing an application for approval to acquire control of a licensee, a person may request in writing a determination from the commissioner as to whether such person would be considered a person in control of a licensee upon consummation of a proposed transaction. If the commissioner determines that the person would not be a person in control of a licensee, the person and the proposed transaction shall not be subject to the requirements of subsections (a) and (b).
(n) If a multistate licensing process includes a determination pursuant to subsection (m) and an applicant avails itself or is otherwise subject to the multistate licensing process:
(1) The commissioner is hereby authorized to accept the control determination of a lead investigative state with sufficient staffing, expertise and minimum standards for the purpose of subsection (m); or
(2) if Kansas is a lead investigative state, the commissioner is hereby authorized to investigate the applicant pursuant to subsection (m) and the timeframes established by agreement through the multistate licensing process.
(o) This section shall take effect on and after January 1, 2025.

Legislative History

L. 2024, ch. 64, § 17; July 1.