ENROLLED CS/HB 1569 2024 Legislature CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1569-02-er Page 1 of 5 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 1 An act relating to an exemption from regulation for 2 bona fide nonprofit organizations; amending s. 3 494.0011, F.S.; authorizing the Financial Services 4 Commission to adopt rules prescribing criteria and 5 processes for determining whether an organization is a 6 bona fide nonprofit organization for a specified 7 purpose; amending s. 494.00115, F.S.; providing 8 exemptions from certain regulation for bona fide 9 nonprofit organizations and certain employees of a 10 bona fide nonprofit organization that meet specified 11 criteria; requiring the Office of Financial Regulation 12 to make a specified determination; requiring the 13 office to make such determination based on terms 14 consistent with loan origination in a public or 15 charitable context; requiring the office to 16 periodically examine the books and activities of an 17 organization and to revoke its status as a bona fide 18 nonprofit organization under certain circumstances; 19 providing an effective date. 20 21 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 22 23 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 24 494.0011, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 25 ENROLLED CS/HB 1569 2024 Legislature CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1569-02-er Page 2 of 5 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 494.0011 Powers and duties of the commission and office. — 26 (2) The commission may adopt rules to administer parts I, 27 II, and III of this chapter, including rules: 28 (b) Relating to compliance with the S.A.F.E. Mortgage 29 Licensing Act of 2008, including rules to: 30 1. Require loan originators, mortgage brokers, mortgage 31 lenders, and branch offices to register through the registry. 32 2. Require the use of uniform forms that have been 33 approved by the registry, and any subsequent amendments to such 34 forms if the forms are substantially in compliance with the 35 provisions of this chapter. Uniform forms that the commission 36 may adopt include, but are not limited to: 37 a. Uniform Mortgage Lender/Mortgage Broker Form, MU1. 38 b. Uniform Mortgage Biographical Statement & Consent Form, 39 MU2. 40 c. Uniform Mortgage Branch Office Form, MU3. 41 d. Uniform Individual Mortgage License/Registration & 42 Consent Form, MU4. 43 3. Require the filing of forms, documents, and fees in 44 accordance with the requirements of the registry. 45 4. Prescribe requirements for amending or surrendering a 46 license or other activities as the commission deems necessary 47 for the office's participation in the registry. 48 5. Prescribe procedures that allow a licensee to challenge 49 information contained in the registry. 50 ENROLLED CS/HB 1569 2024 Legislature CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1569-02-er Page 3 of 5 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 6. Prescribe procedures for reporting violations of this 51 chapter and disciplinary actions on licensees to the registry. 52 7. Prescribe criteria and processes for determining if an 53 organization is and remains a bona fide nonprofit organization 54 for the purpose of determining whether the organization and its 55 employees who are acting as loan originators are exempt from 56 regulation under this chapter pursuant to s. 494.00115. 57 Section 2. Subsections (3), (4), and (5) of section 58 494.00115, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (4), 59 (5), and (6), respectivel y, and a new subsection (3) is added to 60 that section, to read: 61 494.00115 Exemptions. — 62 (3)(a) As provided in this subsection, a bona fide 63 nonprofit organization and an employee of a bona fide nonprofit 64 organization who acts as a loan originator only wit h respect to 65 his or her work duties for the bona fide nonprofit organization 66 and who acts as a loan originator only with respect to 67 residential mortgage loans with terms that are favorable to the 68 borrower, are exempt from regulation under this chapter. 69 1. For an organization to be considered a bona fide 70 nonprofit organization under this subsection, the office must 71 determine, pursuant to criteria and processes established by 72 rule, that the organization satisfies all of the following 73 criteria: 74 a. Has the status of a tax-exempt organization under s. 75 ENROLLED CS/HB 1569 2024 Legislature CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1569-02-er Page 4 of 5 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. 76 b. Promotes affordable housing or provides homeownership 77 education or similar services. 78 c. Conducts its activities in a manner that serves public 79 or charitable purposes rather than commercial purposes. 80 d. Receives funding and revenue and charges fees in a 81 manner that does not incentivize it or its employees to act 82 other than in the best interests of its clients. 83 e. Compensates its employees in a manner that does not 84 incentivize employees to act other than in the best interests of 85 its clients. 86 f. Provides or identifies for the borrower residential 87 mortgage loans with terms favorable to the borrower and 88 comparable to mortgage loans and housing assistance prov ided 89 under government housing assistance programs. 90 2. For residential mortgage loans to be deemed under this 91 subsection to have terms that are favorable to the borrower, the 92 office must determine that the terms are consistent with loan 93 origination in a public or charitable context, rather than a 94 commercial context. 95 (b) The office must periodically examine the books and 96 activities of an organization that it determines is a bona fide 97 nonprofit organization and revoke its status as a bona fide 98 nonprofit organization if it does not continue to meet the 99 criteria specified in paragraph (a). 100 ENROLLED CS/HB 1569 2024 Legislature CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1569-02-er Page 5 of 5 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024. 101