§ 5-50-2 - Registration – Fees – Renewals – Suspension or revocation.

SECTION 5-50-2

   § 5-50-2  Registration – Fees –Renewals – Suspension or revocation. – (a) No person, firm, corporation, or other entity shall operate or cause to beoperated a health club unless duly registered as provided in this chapter.

   (b) Each health club shall be registered with the department.

   (2) A health club shall file a registration statement inaccordance with subsection (c) of this section before entering into a healthclub contract with a buyer.

   (3) All contracts entered into when a health club does nothave a current registration statement filed shall be void.

   (4) A nonrefundable registration fee of one hundred dollars($100) shall be required of all health clubs.

   (5) Registration shall be valid for one year from itseffective date, and may be annually renewed with the department by making thefiling required by subsection (c) of this section, and paying a renewal fee offifty ($50.00) dollars.

   (6) Whenever, prior to expiration of a seller's annualregistration, there is material change in the information required bysubsection (c) of this section, the seller, within ten (10) days, shall file anaddendum updating the information with the department.

   (c) The registration forms to be provided by the consumerprotection unit of the department shall include:

   (1) The name and address of the health club and any multiplelocation operations;

   (2) Names and residential addresses of officers, directorsand majority stockholders of the health club;

   (3) The name and address of the parent company if any;

   (4) Approximate square footage of the health club;

   (5) The types of available facilities;

   (6) The types of membership plans offered and their cost;

   (7) A copy of the contract for health club services;

   (8) A full and complete disclosure of any pending orcompleted litigation, or any complaint filed with a governmental authorityagainst the health club or any of its officers or directors within the lastthree (3) years;

   (9) Proof of bonding if applicable as required by §5-50-3;

   (10) Appropriate certification or documentation from themunicipality where the health club is located that the facility has not beencited as being in violation of compliance with applicable zoning and planningregulations, fire regulations and building codes. It is the responsibility ofthe applicant to provide this documentation to the department. The departmentmay waive this requirement for applicants from municipalities without theseapplicable codes or regulations; and

   (11) The names and locations of any health club in which anyof the principals may have been associated in the last three (3) years.

   (d) The principals who leave a health club shall remainsubject to the provisions of this section and chapter until notice is given tothe department that they are no longer associated with the registered healthclub.

   Any replacement principal shall file with the department anotice made in the form of an updated registration application.

   (e) Changes in physical locations within Rhode Island must bemade, in writing, to the department within ten (10) days of the move.

   (f) No health club shall engage in any act or practice whichis in violation of the provisions of this chapter or any regulation adopted tocarry out the provisions of this chapter, or engage in conduct likely tomislead, deceive, or defraud the buyer, the public, or the local authority.

   (g) The department may refuse to grant or renew aregistration or may suspend or revoke the registration of any health club whichengages in any conduct prohibited by this chapter or does not comply with thestatutory requirements prescribed in §§ 5-50-3 and 5-50-7.