Student loan servicers: licensing and regulation: Student Loan Servicing Act.

(1) Existing law establishes the Department of Business Oversight as headed by the Commissioner of Business Oversight, who, among other things, generally provides for the licensure and regulation of persons who are engaged in various consumer financial businesses, including, but not limited to, the business of making consumer or commercial loans. This bill would enact the Student Loan Servicing Act providing for the licensure, regulation, and oversight of student loan servicers by the commissioner and would define terms for its purposes. The bill would prohibit a person from engaging in the business of servicing a student loan in this state, directly or indirectly, without a license, unless exempt from the licensing requirement, and would require a licensee to provide specific services to a student loan borrower and comply with reporting, auditing, and other oversight by the commissioner. The bill would require a person applying for a license to, among other things, pay an application fee, sign the application under penalty of perjury, and submit to a criminal background check by the Department of Justice. By expanding the scope of the crime of perjury and increasing who is authorized to receive criminal record information, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require each licensee to, among other things, file reports with the commissioner under oath, pay to the commissioner its pro rata share of all costs and expenses reasonably incurred in the administration of these provisions, as estimated by the commissioner, and would authorize the commissioner to enforce these provisions by, among other things, promulgating regulations, performing investigations, suspending a license, and enforcing the provisions in an administrative hearing or in court, as specified. The bill would prohibit the public disclosure of specific information provided by a licensee to the commissioner. The bill would make the act operative on July 1, 2018, except for specific authorizations to the commissioner which may be exercised on and after January 1, 2017. The bill would make legislative findings in support of its provisions. (2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. (3) Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.