The Florida Senate

447.04  Business agents; licenses, permits.--

(1)  No person shall be granted a license or a permit to act as a business agent in the state:

(a)  Who has been convicted of a felony and has not had his or her civil rights restored.

(b)  Who is not a person of good moral character.

(2)(a)  Every person desiring to act as a business agent in this state shall, before doing so, obtain a license or permit by filing an application under oath therefor with the department, accompanied by a fee of $25 and a full set of fingerprints of the applicant taken by a law enforcement agency qualified to take fingerprints. There shall accompany the application a statement signed by the president and the secretary of the labor organization for which he or she proposes to act as agent, showing his or her authority to do so. The department shall hold such application on file for a period of 30 days, during which time any person may file objections to the issuing of such license or permit.

(b)  The department may also conduct an independent investigation of the applicant; and, if objections are filed, it may hold, or cause to be held, a hearing in accordance with the requirements of chapter 120. The objectors and the applicant shall be permitted to attend such hearing and present evidence.

(3)  After the expiration of the 30-day period, regardless of whether or not any objections have been filed, the department shall review the application, together with all information that it may have, including, but not limited to, any objections that may have been filed to such application, any information that may have been obtained pursuant to an independent investigation, and the results of any hearing on the application. If the department, from a review of the information, finds that the applicant is qualified, pursuant to the terms of this chapter, it shall issue such license or permit; and such license or permit shall run for the calendar year for which issued, unless sooner surrendered, suspended, or revoked.

(4)  Licenses and permits shall expire at midnight, December 31, but may be renewed by the department on a form prescribed by it; however, if any such license or permit has been surrendered, suspended, or revoked during the year, then such applicant must go through the same formalities as a new applicant.

(5)  Grounds for denial, suspension, or revocation of licenses and permits shall include false application.

History.--s. 4, ch. 21968, 1943; s. 1, ch. 26762, 1951; ss. 1, 2, ch. 61-120; ss. 1, 2, ch. 63-139; s. 2, ch. 65-396; ss. 16, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 169, ch. 71-377; s. 153, ch. 77-104; s. 1, ch. 77-116; s. 1, ch. 77-184; s. 1, ch. 77-343; s. 36, ch. 79-7; s. 30, ch. 83-174; s. 7, ch. 91-223; s. 20, ch. 95-345; s. 148, ch. 97-103; s. 128, ch. 2000-165.

Note.--Former s. 481.04.