South Carolina § 35-11-500 - Authority to conduct examinations.

§ 35-11-500. Authority to conduct examinations.

(A) The Commissioner may conduct an examination or investigation of a licensee or of any of the licensee's authorized delegates or otherwise take independent action authorized by this chapter or by a rule or order issued under this chapter as reasonably necessary or appropriate to administer and enforce this chapter, regulations implementing this chapter, and other applicable law, including the Bank Secrecy Act and the USA Patriot Act. The Commissioner may:

(1) conduct an examination either on-site or off-site as the Commissioner may reasonably require;

(2) conduct an examination in conjunction with an examination conducted by representatives of other state agencies or agencies of another state or of the federal government;

(3) accept the examination report of another state agency or an agency of another state or of the federal government, or a report prepared by an independent accounting firm, which on being accepted is considered for all purposes as an official report of the Commissioner; and

(4) summon and examine under oath a key individual or employee of a licensee or authorized delegate and require the person to produce records regarding any matter related to the condition and business of the licensee or authorized delegate.

(B) A licensee or authorized delegate shall provide, and the Commissioner shall have full and complete access to, all records the Commissioner may reasonably require to conduct a complete examination. The records must be provided at the location and in the format specified by the Commissioner, provided, the Commissioner may utilize multistate record production standards and examination procedures when such standards will reasonably achieve the requirements of this section.

(C) If the Commissioner concludes that an examination is necessary pursuant to subsection (A), the licensee shall pay the reasonable cost of the examination.

(D) Information obtained during an examination pursuant to this chapter may be disclosed only as provided in Section 35-11-530.

HISTORY: 2016 Act No. 266 (H.4554), SECTION 1, eff May 25, 2018; 2024 Act No. 218 (S.1031), SECTION 1, eff July 2, 2024.

Effect of Amendment

2024 Act No. 218, SECTION 1, rewrote the section.