Section 397-B:9-a Examinations.
I. The department may examine the business affairs and records of any registrant or any other person, whether registered or not, as it deems necessary to determine compliance with this chapter and the rules adopted pursuant to it. In determining compliance, the department may examine the books, accounts, records, files, and other documents or matters of any registrant or person. The department shall have the power to subpoena witnesses and administer oaths in any adjudicative proceedings, and to compel, by subpoena duces tecum, the production of all books, records, files, and other documents and materials relevant to its investigation.
II. For the purpose of discovering violations of this chapter, the banking department may examine, during business hours, the records of any registrant and of any person acting as a mortgage servicer on New Hampshire loans, whether such person shall be registered to act, or claim to act, as principal, agent, or other representative, or under, or without the authority of this chapter; and for that purpose, the banking department shall have access to the books, papers, records, files, and vaults of all such persons. The banking department shall also have authority to examine, under oath, all persons whose testimony it may require relative to such loans or business.
III. The affairs and records of every registrant shall be subject at any time to such periodic, special, regular, or other examination by the banking department with or without notice to the registrant. All books, papers, files, related material, and records of assets of the registrant shall be subject to the banking department's examination.
IV. Any agent of the department may make a thorough examination into the business affairs of each registrant and shall report any violations of law, rule, or standard business practice to the department.
V. The expense of examination shall be chargeable to and paid by the registrant. The payment shall be calculated by the same method as for payments by institutions for cost of examinations under RSA 383:11, except when the principal office of the registrant or person is located outside of this state and the department has determined that the examination must be conducted at that out-of-state location, the actual cost of travel, lodging, meals, and other expenses of examination personnel employed in making examinations shall be chargeable to and paid by such registrant or person in addition to the per diem charge for examination personnel set forth in RSA 383:11.
VI. The commissioner may, in his or her discretion, accept all or a part of a report of examination of a mortgage servicer, certified to by the regulatory supervisory official of another state. To avoid unnecessary duplication of examinations, the commissioner, insofar as he or she deems it practicable in administering this section, may share information and cooperate with the regulators of other states, the Federal Trade Commission, other federal regulators, or their successors in conducting examinations and investigations.
VII. Every person being examined, and all of the officers, directors, employees, agents, and representatives of such person shall make freely available to the commissioner or his or her examiners, the accounts, records, documents, files, information, assets, and matters in their possession or control relating to the subject of the examination and shall facilitate the examination.
VIII. Upon receipt of a written report of examination, the registrant shall have 30 days or such additional period the commissioner for good cause may allow, to review the report, recommend any changes, and set forth in writing the remedial course of action the registrant will pursue to correct any reported deficiencies outlined in the report.
IX. If requested by the person examined, within the period allowed in paragraph VIII, or if deemed advisable by the commissioner without such request, the commissioner shall hold a closed hearing relative to the report and shall not file the report in the department until after such closed hearing and issuance of his or her order thereon. If no closed hearing has been requested or held, the examination report, with such modifications as the commissioner deems proper, shall be accepted by the commissioner and filed upon expiration of the review period provided for in paragraph VIII.
X. All reports pursuant to this section shall be privileged and exempt from the requirements of RSA 91-A. The comments and recommendations of the examiner shall also be exempt.
Source. 2009, 204:20, eff. Sept. 13, 2009.