86R6182 GRM-F By: Hall S.B. No. 1058 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the discontinuation of the pawnshop employee license. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 371.002, Finance Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 371.002. PURPOSES. The purposes of this chapter are to: (1) prevent fraud, unfair practices, discrimination, imposition, and abuse of state residents; (2) exercise the state's police power to ensure a sound system of making pawn loans and transfers of personal property by and through pawnshops; (3) prevent transactions in stolen property and other unlawful property transactions by licensing and regulating pawnbrokers [and pawnshop employees]; (4) provide for licensing and investigation fees; (5) provide minimum capital requirements for pawnbrokers; (6) ensure financial responsibility to the state and its residents and compliance with federal, state, and local law, including rules and ordinances; and (7) assist local governments in the exercise of their police power. SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 371, Finance Code, is amended by adding Section 371.074 to read as follows: Sec. 371.074. PAWNBROKER RESPONSIBLE FOR EMPLOYEES AND AGENTS. A license holder under this subchapter is responsible for all acts of the license holder's officers, directors, employees, and agents acting on behalf of the pawnshop. SECTION 3. Section 371.257(a), Finance Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) The holder of a pawnshop license [or a pawnshop employee license] may surrender the license by delivering it to the commissioner with written notice of surrender. SECTION 4. Sections 371.258(a) and (b), Finance Code, are amended to read as follows: (a) This section applies to a pawnshop license [or a pawnshop employee license]. (b) The commissioner may reinstate a suspended pawnshop license [or pawnshop employee license] or issue a new license to the person whose license or licenses have been revoked if no fact or condition exists that clearly would have justified refusal to issue the license originally. SECTION 5. Section 371.259, Finance Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 371.259. CERTIFICATE OF STANDING; COPIES. The commissioner, under the commissioner's seal and signature, shall provide a certificate of good standing or a certified copy of a pawnshop license [or a pawnshop employee license] to a person who applies and pays for the certificate or copy. SECTION 6. The following provisions of the Finance Code are repealed: (1) Subchapter C, Chapter 371; (2) Sections 371.255 and 371.256; and (3) Sections 371.304(b), (c), and (d). SECTION 7. (a) On the effective date of this Act, a license issued under former Section 371.104, Finance Code, expires. (b) The repeal of a law by this Act does not entitle a person to a refund of an application, licensing, or other fee paid by the person before the effective date of this Act. SECTION 8. The changes in law made by this Act do not affect the validity of a disciplinary action or other proceeding that was initiated before the effective date of this Act and that is pending before a court or other governmental entity on that date. SECTION 9. (a) A violation of a law that is repealed by this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the violation was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. (b) For purposes of this section, a violation was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the violation occurred before that date. SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.