Bill Text: MN HF2705 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Chaptered
Bill Title: Closing agents regulated, and licensed attorneys and direct employees of licensed attorneys exempted from the licensing requirements for closing agents.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2012-05-07 - Secretary of State Chapter 260 05/01/12 [HF2705 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-HF2705-Chaptered.html
CHAPTER 260--H.F.No. 2705
An act
relating to commerce; regulating closing agents; exempting a licensed attorney and a direct employee of a licensed attorney from the licensing
requirements for closing agents;amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section
82.641, subdivision 6; Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 82.641,
subdivision 1.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2011 Supplement, section 82.641, subdivision 1, is
amended to read:
Subdivision 1. License required. Except as otherwise provided in subdivision
6, a person shall not act as a real estate closing agent unless licensed as provided in
this section. The commissioner shall issue a license as a closing agent to a person who
qualifies for the license under the terms of this chapter.
EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 82.641, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
Subd. 6. Exemption. The following persons, when acting as closing agents,
are exempt from the requirements of this section and sections
otherwise required in this chapter:
(1) a direct employee of a title insurance company authorized to do business in this
state, or a direct employee of a title company, or a person who has an agency agreement
with a title insurance company or a title company in which the agent agrees to perform
closing services on the title insurance company's or title company's behalf and the title
insurance company or title company assumes responsibility for the actions of the agent as
if the agent were a direct employee of the title insurance company or title company;
(2) a licensed attorney or a direct employee of a licensed attorney;
(3) a licensed real estate broker or salesperson;
(4) a direct employee of a licensed real estate broker if the broker maintains all funds
received in connection with the closing services in the broker's trust account;
(5) a bank, trust company, savings association, credit union, industrial loan and thrift
company, regulated lender under chapter 56, public utility, or land mortgage or farm loan
association organized under the laws of this state or the United States, when engaged in
the transaction of businesses within the scope of its corporate powers as provided by law;
(6) a title insurance company authorized to do business in this state; and
(7) a title company that has a contractual agency relationship with a title insurance
company authorized to do business in this state, where the title insurance company
assumes responsibility for the actions of the title company and its employees or agents as
if they were employees or agents of the title insurance company.
EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.