HB 7087

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to financial services; amending s. 520.02,
3F.S.; defining the term "guaranteed asset protection
4product"; amending s. 520.07, F.S.; authorizing certain
5entities to offer optional guaranteed asset protection
6products under certain circumstances; prohibiting such
7entities from requiring purchase of such products as a
8condition for certain financial transactions; providing
9requirements for offering such products; providing
10limitations; amending s. 520.35, F.S.; revising a fee
11relating to certain revolving accounts; amending s.
12624.605, F.S.; including debt cancellation products under
13casualty insurance; providing a definition; authorizing
14certain entities to offer debt cancellation products under
15certain circumstances; specifying such products as not
16constituting insurance; amending ss. 627.553 and 627.679,
17F.S.; revising limitations on the amount of authorized
18insurance for debtors; amending s. 627.681, F.S.; revising
19a limitation on the term of credit disability insurance;
20amending s. 655.005, F.S.; revising and providing
21definitions; amending s. 655.79, F.S.; specifying certain
22accounts as tenancies by the entireties; creating s.
23655.967, F.S.; requiring that state-funded endowments be
24maintained in trust accounts in certain state banks;
25creating s. 655.947, F.S.; authorizing financial
26institutions to offer debt cancellation products;
27authorizing a fee; providing a definition; providing
28requirements for financial institutions relating to debt
29cancellation products; requiring the Financial Services
30Commission to adopt rules; specifying that periodic
31payment options are not required to be offered for certain
32debt cancellation products; amending s. 655.954, F.S.;
33authorizing certain institutions to offer optional debt
34cancellation products with certain financial transactions;
35prohibiting requiring such products as a condition of such
36transactions; updating definitions; amending s. 658.21,
37F.S.; revising ownership requirements for capital accounts
38at opening for a bank or trust company; providing capital
39investment requirements for owners of certain holding
40companies; amending s. 658.34, F.S.; revising requirements
41for shares of capital stock of banks and trust companies;
42providing restrictions on issuance or sale of certain
43stock under certain circumstances; amending s. 658.36,
44F.S.; requiring a state bank or trust company to file a
45written notice before increasing its capital stock;
46amending s. 658.44, F.S.; revising certain notice
47requirements relating to dissenting stockholders; revising
48criteria for determining the value of dissenting shares of
49certain entities; providing an effective date.
50
51Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
52
53     Section 1.  Subsections (7) through (19) of section 520.02,
54Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (8) through
55(20), respectively, and new subsection (7) is added to that
56section to read:
57     520.02  Definitions.--In this act, unless the context or
58subject matter otherwise requires:
59     (7)  "Guaranteed asset protection product" means a loan,
60lease, or retail installment contract term, or modification or
61addendum to a loan, lease, or retail installment contract, under
62which a creditor agrees to waive a customer's liability for
63payment of some or all of the amount by which the debt exceeds
64the value of the collateral. Such a product is not insurance for
65purposes of the Florida Insurance Code. This subsection also
66applies to all guaranteed asset protection products issued before
67October 1, 2007.
68     Section 2.  Subsection (11) is added to section 520.07,
69Florida Statutes, to read:
70     520.07  Requirements and prohibitions as to retail
71installment contracts.--
72     (11)  In conjunction with entering into any new retail
73installment contract or contract for a loan, a motor vehicle
74retail installment seller as defined in s. 520.02, a sales
75finance company as defined in s. 520.02, or a retail lessor as
76defined in s. 521.003, and any assignee of such an entity, may
77offer, for a fee or otherwise, optional guaranteed asset
78protection products in accordance with this chapter. The motor
79vehicle retail installment seller, sales finance company, retail
80lessor, or assignee may not require the purchase of a guaranteed
81asset protection product as a condition for making the loan. In
82order to offer any guaranteed asset protection product, a motor
83vehicle retail installment seller, sales finance company, or
84retail lessor, and any assignee of such an entity, shall comply
85with the following:
86     (a)  The cost of any guaranteed asset protection product,
87with respect to any loan covered by the guaranteed asset
88protection product, shall not exceed the amount of the
89indebtedness.
90     (b)  Any contract or agreement pertaining to a guaranteed
91asset protection product shall be governed by this section.
92     (c)  A guaranteed asset protection product is considered an
93obligation of any person that purchases or otherwise acquires
94the loan contract covering such product.
95     (d)  An entity providing guaranteed asset protection
96products shall provide readily understandable disclosures that
97explain in detail eligibility requirements, conditions, refunds,
98and exclusions. The disclosures must provide that the purchase
99of the product is optional. The disclosures must be in plain
100language and of a typeface and size that are easy to read.
101     (e)  An entity must provide a copy of the executed
102guaranteed asset protection product contract to the buyer. The
103entity bears the burden of proving the contract was provided to
104the buyer.
105     (f)  An entity may not offer a contract for a guaranteed
106asset protection products that contains terms giving the entity
107the right to unilaterally modify the contract unless:
108     1.  The modification is favorable to the buyer and is made
109without additional charge to the buyer; or
110     2.  The buyer is notified of any proposed change and is
111provided a reasonable opportunity to cancel the contract without
112penalty before the change goes in effect.
113     (g)  If a contract for a guaranteed asset protection
114product is terminated, the entity shall refund to the buyer any
115unearned fees paid for the contract unless the contract provides
116otherwise. A refund is not due to a consumer who receives a
117benefit under such product. In order to receive a refund, the
118buyer must notify the entity of the event terminating the
119contract and request a refund within 90 days after the
120occurrence of the event terminating the contract. An entity may
121offer a buyer a contract that does not provide for a refund only
122if the entity also offers that buyer a bona fide option to
123purchase a comparable contract that provides for a refund.
124     Section 3.  Subsection (3) of section 520.35, Florida
125Statutes, is amended to read:
126     520.35  Revolving accounts.--
127     (3)  Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, the
128seller under a revolving account may charge, receive, and
129collect a finance charge which may not exceed 15 cents per $10
130per month, computed on all amounts unpaid under the revolving
131account from month to month (which need not be a calendar month)
132or other regular period, and a delinquency charge not to exceed
133$25 $10 for each payment in default for a period of not less
134than 10 days, if the charge is agreed upon, in writing, between
135the parties before imposing any charge. If the amount of the
136finance charge so computed is less than $1 for any such month, a
137finance charge of $1 for any such month may be charged,
138received, and collected. If the regular period is other than
139such monthly period or if the unpaid amount is less than or
140greater than $5, the permitted finance charge shall be computed
141proportionately. Such finance charge may be computed for all
142unpaid balances within a range of not in excess of $10 on the
143basis of the median amount within such range, if as so computed
144such finance charge is applied to all unpaid balances within
145such range.
146     Section 4.  Paragraph (r) is added to subsection (1) of
147section 624.605, Florida Statutes, to read:
148     624.605  "Casualty insurance" defined.--
149     (1)  "Casualty insurance" includes:
150     (r)  Insurance for debt cancellation products.--Insurance
151that a creditor may purchase against the risk of financial loss
152from the use of debt cancellation products with consumer loans
153or leases or retail installment contracts.
154     1.  For purposes of this paragraph, the term "debt
155cancellation products" means loan, lease, or retail installment
156contract terms, or modifications to loan, lease, or retail
157installment contracts, under which a creditor agrees to cancel
158or suspend all or part of a customer's obligation to make
159payments upon the occurrence of specified events and includes,
160but is not limited to, debt cancellation contracts, debt
161suspension agreements, and guaranteed asset protection
162contracts. However, the term "debt cancellation products" does
163not include title insurance as defined in s. 624.608.
164     2.  Debt cancellation products may be offered by financial
165institutions, as defined in s. 655.005(1)(h), including insured
166depository institutions as defined in 12 U.S.C. s. 1813(c), and
167subsidiaries of such institutions, as provided in the financial
168institution codes, or by other business entities as may be
169specifically authorized by law, and such products shall not
170constitute insurance for purposes of the Florida Insurance Code.
171     Section 5.  Subsection (3) of section 627.553, Florida
172Statutes, is amended to read:
173     627.553  Debtor groups.--The lives of a group of
174individuals may be insured under a policy issued to a creditor
175or its parent holding company, or to a trustee or trustees or
176agent designated by two or more creditors, which creditor,
177holding company, affiliate, trustee or trustees, or agent shall
178be deemed the policyholder, to insure debtors of the creditor or
179creditors, subject to the following requirements:
180     (3)  The amount of insurance on the life of any debtor
181shall at no time exceed the amount owed by the debtor her or him
182which is repayable in installments to the creditor or $50,000,
183whichever is less, except that loans not exceeding 1 year's
184duration shall not be subject to such limits. However, on such
185loans not exceeding 1 year's duration, the limit of coverage
186shall not exceed $50,000 with any one insurer.
187     Section 6.  Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section
188627.679, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
189     627.679  Amount of insurance; disclosure.--
190     (1)
191     (b)  The total amount of credit life insurance on the life
192of any debtor with respect to any loan or loans covered in one
193or more insurance policies shall at no time exceed the amount of
194the indebtedness $50,000 with any one creditor, except that
195loans not exceeding 1 year's duration shall not be subject to
196such limits, and on such loans not exceeding 1 year's duration,
197the limits of coverage shall not exceed $50,000 with any one
198insurer.
199     Section 7.  Subsection (2) of section 627.681, Florida
200Statutes, is amended to read:
201     627.681  Term and evidence of insurance.--
202     (2)  The term of credit disability insurance on any debtor
203insured under this section shall not exceed the term of
204indebtedness 10 years, and for credit transactions that exceed
20560 months, coverage shall not exceed 60 monthly indemnities.
206     Section 8.  Paragraphs (g) and (h) of subsection (1) of
207section 655.005, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph
208(t) is added to that subsection, to read:
209     655.005  Definitions.--
210     (1)  As used in the financial institutions codes, unless
211the context otherwise requires, the term:
212     (g)  "Federal financial institution" means a federally or
213nationally chartered or organized financial institution
214association, bank, savings bank, or credit union.
215     (h)  "Financial institution" means a state or federal
216savings or thrift association, bank, savings bank, trust
217company, international bank agency, international banking
218organization, international branch, international representative
219office, or international administrative office, or credit union,
220or an agreement corporation operating pursuant to s. 25 of the
221Federal Reserve Act, 12 U.S.C. ss. 601 et seq. or Edge Act
222corporation organized pursuant to s. 25(a) of the Federal
223Reserve Act, 12 U.S.C. ss. 611 et seq.
224     (t)  "Debt cancellation products" means loan, lease, or
225retail installment contract terms, or modifications or addenda
226to loan, lease, or retail installment contracts, under which a
227creditor agrees to cancel or suspend all or part of a customer's
228obligation to make payments upon the occurrence of specified
229events and includes, but is not limited to, debt cancellation
230contracts, debt suspension agreements, and guaranteed asset
231protection contracts offered by financial institutions, insured
232depository institutions as defined in 12 U.S.C. s. 1813(c), and
233subsidiaries of such institutions. However, the term "debt
234cancellation products" does not include title insurance as
235defined in s. 624.608.
236     Section 9.  Subsection (1) of section 655.79, Florida
237Statutes, is amended to read:
238     655.79  Deposits and accounts in two or more names;
239presumption as to vesting on death.--
240     (1)  Unless otherwise expressly provided in a contract,
241agreement, or signature card executed in connection with the
242opening or maintenance of an account, including a certificate of
243deposit, a deposit account in the names of two or more persons
244shall be presumed to have been intended by such persons to
245provide that, upon the death of any one of them, all rights,
246title, interest, and claim in, to, and in respect of such
247deposit account, less all proper setoffs and charges in favor of
248the institution, vest in the surviving person or persons. Any
249deposit or account made in the name of two persons who are
250husband and wife shall be considered a tenancy by the entirety
251unless otherwise specified in writing.
252     Section 10.  Section 655.967, Florida Statutes, is created
253to read:
254     655.967  State-funded endowments.--Notwithstanding any
255other provision of law, state-funded endowments shall be
256maintained in trust accounts in national or state-chartered
257banks situated in the state.
258     Section 11.  Section 655.947, Florida Statutes, is created
259to read:
260655.947  Debt cancellation products.--
261     (1)  Debt cancellation products may be offered, and a fee
262may be charged, by financial institutions and subsidiaries of
263financial institutions subject to the provisions of this section
264and the rules and orders of the commission or office. As used in
265this section, the term "financial institutions" includes those
266defined in s. 655.005(1)(h), insured depository institutions as
267defined in 12 U.S.C. s. 1813, and subsidiaries of such
268institutions.
269     (2)  A financial institution shall manage the risks
270associated with debt cancellation products in accordance with
271prudent safety and soundness principles. A financial institution
272shall establish and maintain effective risk management and
273control processes over its debt cancellation products and
274programs. Such processes shall include appropriate recognition
275and financial reporting of income, expenses, assets, and
276liabilities and appropriate treatment of all expected and
277unexpected losses associated with the products. Each financial
278institution shall also assess the adequacy of its internal
279control and risk mitigation activities in view of the nature and
280scope of its debt cancellation products and programs.
281     (3)  The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to ss.
282120.536(1) and 120.54 to administer this section, which rules
283must be consistent with 12 C.F.R. part 37, as amended.
284     (4)  For the purposes of this section and any rules adopted
285pursuant to this section, a periodic payment option is not
286required to be offered for any debt cancellation product
287designed to protect a customer against a deficiency between the
288outstanding loan or lease amount and the value of the motor
289vehicle that is used as collateral for the loan or lease.
290Section 12.  Section 655.954, Florida Statutes, is amended
291to read:
292655.954  Financial institution loans; credit cards.--
293(1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a
294financial institution shall have the power to make loans or
295extensions of credit to any person on a credit card or overdraft
296financing arrangement and to charge, in any billing cycle,
297interest on the outstanding amount at a rate that is specified
298in a written agreement, between the financial institution and
299borrower, governing the credit card account. Such credit card
300agreement may modify any terms or conditions of such credit card
301account upon prior written notice of such modification as
302specified by the terms of the agreement governing the credit
303card account or by the Truth in Lending Act, 15 U.S.C. ss. 1601
304et seq., as amended, and the rules and regulations adopted under
305such act. Any such notice provided by a financial institution
306shall specify that the borrower has the right to surrender the
307credit card whereupon the borrower shall have the right to
308continue to pay off the borrower's credit card account in the
309same manner and under the same terms and conditions as then in
310effect. The borrower's failure to surrender the credit card
311prior to the modifications becoming effective shall constitute a
312consent to the modifications.
313(2)  In conjunction with entering into any contract or
314agreement for a loan, line of credit, or loan extension, a
315financial institution, insured depository institution as defined
316in 12 U.S.C. s. 1813, and subsidiaries of such institutions may
317offer, for a fee or otherwise, optional debt cancellation
318products pursuant to s. 655.947 and rules adopted under that
319section. The financial institution may not require the purchase
320of a debt cancellation product as a condition for making the
321loan, line of credit, or loan extension.
322(3)(2)  For the purpose of this section, the term:
323(a)  "Billing cycle" has the same meaning as ascribed to it
324under the federal Truth in Lending Act, 15 U.S.C. ss. 1601 et
325seq., as amended, and the associated regulations which are in
326effect as of June 30, 2007 1992.      
327(b)  "Interest" means those charges considered a finance
328charge under the federal Truth in Lending Act, 15 U.S.C. ss.
3291601 et seq., as amended, and the associated regulations which
330are in effect as of June 30, 2007 1992.      
331Section 13.  Subsection (2) of section 658.21, Florida
332Statutes, is amended to read:
333658.21  Approval of application; findings required.--The
334office shall approve the application if it finds that:
335(2)  The proposed capitalization is in such amount as the
336office deems adequate, but in no case may the total capital
337accounts at opening for a bank be less than $8 $6 million if the
338proposed bank is to be located in any county which is included
339in a metropolitan statistical area, or $4 million if the
340proposed bank is to be located in any other county. The total
341capital accounts at opening for a trust company may not be less
342than $3 $2 million. The organizing directors of the proposed
343bank shall directly own or control at least the lesser of $3
344million or 25 percent of the bank's total capital accounts
345proposed at opening as approved by the office. When the proposed
346bank will be owned by a single-bank holding company, the
347organizing directors of the proposed bank collectively shall
348directly own or control at least an amount of the single-bank
349holding company's capital accounts equal to the lesser of $3
350million or 25 percent of the proposed bank's total capital
351accounts proposed at opening as approved by the office. When the
352proposed bank will be owned by an existing multi-bank holding
353company, the proposed directors shall have a substantial capital
354investment in the holding company, as determined by the office;
355however, such investment shall not be required to exceed the
356amount otherwise required for a single-bank holding company
357application. Of total capital accounts at opening, as noted in
358the application or amendments or changes to the application, at
359least 25 percent of the capital shall be directly owned or
360controlled by the organizing directors of the bank. Directors of
361banks owned by single-bank holding companies shall have direct
362ownership or control of at least 25 percent of the bank holding
363company's capital accounts. The office may disallow illegally
364obtained currency, monetary instruments, funds, or other
365financial resources from the capitalization requirements of this
366section. The proposed stock offering must comply with the
367requirements of ss. 658.23-658.25 and ss. 658.34-658.37.
368     Section 14.  Section 658.34, Florida Statutes, is amended
369to read:      
370658.34  Shares of capital stock.--      
371(1)  A bank or trust company shall issue its capital stock
372with par value of not more than $100 nor less than $1 per share.
373     (2)  No bank or trust company shall issue any shares of
374capital stock at a price less than par value, and prior to
375issuance, any such shares must be fully paid in cash.      
376(3)  With the approval of the office, a bank or trust
377company may issue preferred stock of one or more classes in an
378amount and with a par value as approved by the office.      
379(4)  With the approval of the office, a bank or trust
380company may issue less than all the number of shares of any of
381its capital stock authorized by its articles of incorporation.
382Such authorized but unissued shares may be issued only for the
383following purposes:      
384(a)  To provide for stock options and warrants as provided
385in s. 658.35.      
386(b)  To declare or pay a stock dividend; however, any such
387stock dividend must comply with the provisions of this section
388and s. 658.37.      
389(c)  To increase the capital of the bank or trust company,
390with the approval of the office.      
391(5)  Stock of the same class may not be issued or sold by
392the financial institution that creates different rights,
393options, warrants, or benefits among the purchasers or
394stockholders of that class of stock. Such prohibition does not
395restrict the financial institution from creating uniform
396restrictions on the transfer of stock as permitted in s.
397607.0627.      
398Section 15.  Subsection (2) of section 658.36, Florida
399Statutes, is amended to read:      
400(2)  Any state bank or trust company may, with the approval
401of the office, provide for an increase in its capital stock
402after filing a written notice at least 15 days prior to making
403such increase.      
404Section 16.  Subsections (2) and (5) of section 658.44,
405Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
406658.44  Approval by stockholders; rights of dissenters;
407preemptive rights.--      
408(2)  Written notice of the meeting of, or proposed written
409consent action by, the stockholders of each constituent state
410bank or state trust company shall be given to each stockholder
411of record, whether or not entitled to vote, and whether the
412meeting is an annual or a special meeting or whether the vote is
413to be by written consent pursuant to s. 607.0704, and the notice
414shall state that the purpose or one of the purposes of the
415meeting, or of the proposed action by the stockholders without a
416meeting, is to consider the proposed plan of merger and merger
417agreement. Except to the extent provided otherwise with respect
418to stockholders of a resulting bank or trust company pursuant to
419subsection (7), the notice shall also state that dissenting
420stockholders, including stockholders not entitled to vote but
421dissenting under paragraph (c), will be entitled to payment in
422cash of the value of only those shares held by the stockholders:
423     (a)  Which at a meeting of the stockholders are voted
424against the approval of the plan of merger and merger agreement;
425     (b)  As to which, if the proposed action is to be by
426written consent of stockholders pursuant to s. 607.0704, such
427written consent is not given by the holder thereof; or      
428(c)  With respect to which the holder thereof has given
429written notice to the constituent state bank or trust company,
430at or prior to the meeting of the stockholders or on or prior to
431the date specified for action by the stockholders without a
432meeting pursuant to s. 607.0704 in the notice of such proposed
433action, that the stockholder dissents from the plan of merger
434and merger agreement, and which shares are not voted for
435approval of the plan or written consent given pursuant to
436paragraph (a) or paragraph (b).
437
438Hereinafter in this section, the term "dissenting shares" means
439and includes only those shares, which may be all or less than
440all the shares of any class owned by a stockholder, described in
441paragraphs (a), (b), and (c).      
442(5)  The fair value, as defined in s. 607.1301(4), of
443dissenting shares of each constituent state bank or state trust
444company, the owners of which have not accepted an offer for such
445shares made pursuant to subsection (3), shall be determined
446pursuant to ss. 607.1326-607.1331 except as the procedures for
447notice and demand are otherwise provided in this section as of
448the effective date of the merger by three appraisers, one to be
449selected by the owners of at least two-thirds of such dissenting
450shares, one to be selected by the board of directors of the
451resulting state bank, and the third to be selected by the two so
452chosen. The value agreed upon by any two of the appraisers shall
453control and be final and binding on all parties. If, within 90
454days from the effective date of the merger, for any reason one
455or more of the appraisers is not selected as herein provided, or
456the appraisers fail to determine the value of such dissenting
457shares, the office shall cause an appraisal of such dissenting
458shares to be made which will be final and binding on all
459parties. The expenses of appraisal shall be paid by the
460resulting state bank or trust company.      
461Section 17.  This act shall take effect October 1, 2007.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.