Title 19, Title 19 Institutions

The director, or the director’s designee, may adopt reasonable rules and regulations for the implementation and administration of the provisions of this chapter.

If any provision of this chapter or the application of this chapter to any person or circumstances is held invalid or unconstitutional, the invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter that can be given effect without the inv…

No license to cash checks shall be required of any: (1) Regulated institution, bank, or credit union organized under the laws of the United States, or subject to written notice with a designated Rhode Island agent for service of process in the form prescribed by the director, or …

If any provision of this chapter or the application of this chapter to any person or circumstances is held invalid or unconstitutional, the invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter that can be given effect without the inv…

(a) Upon the filing of any application in due form, accompanied by the required fee and documents, notice thereof shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in this state. Each notice shall contain: (1) The name of the applicant; (2) The location of the proposed sit…

(a) The director, or the director’s designee, is authorized, directed, and empowered to promulgate regulations that provide for the safety and security of customers of the licensee, and/or its employees, from robbery or other criminal activities to include, but not be limited to,…

No licensee shall: (1) Charge check-cashing fees in excess of three percent (3%) of the face amount of the check, or five dollars ($5.00), whichever is greater, if the check is the payment of any kind of state public assistance or federal social security benefit; (2) Charge check…

(a) In every location licensed pursuant to this chapter, there shall be at all times posted, in a conspicuous place within the licensed premises, a complete and unambiguous schedule of all fees for cashing checks expressed as both a dollar amount, and the initial issuance of any …

In lieu of the required surety bond or bonds, or of any portion as required by chapter 14, the applicant may deposit with the director, or the director’s designee, or with any financial institutions, credit unions, or national banks in this state that the applicant may designate …

Within five (5) business days after being advised by the payor institution that a check has been altered, forged, stolen, obtained through fraudulent or illegal means, negotiated without proper legal authority, or represents the proceeds of illegal activity, the licensee shall no…

Check-cashing licensees may engage in the distribution of food stamps in accordance with the regulations promulgated by the director, or the director’s designee.

The operation of any unlicensed check-cashing businesses, or the unlawful conduct or operation of any licensed check-cashing business, is declared to constitute unfair competition with licensed and legally operated check-cashing businesses doing business in the same community. A …

(a) Every agreement shall: (1) Be dated and signed by, or on behalf of, the insured, and the printed portion thereof shall be in at least eight-point (8) type; (2) Contain the names and place of business of the insurance producer negotiating the insurance contract or contracts th…

(a) An insurance premium finance company shall not charge, contract for, receive, or collect any interest or discount charges at a rate in excess of that provided in § 6-26-2. (b) Interest on any insurance premium finance agreement is to be computed on the balance of the premium …

(a) An insurance premium finance agreement may provide for payment by the insured of a delinquency charge ranging from one dollar ($1.00) to a maximum of five percent (5%) of an installment that is in default for a period of five (5) days or more. (b) The agreement may provide fo…

(a) When an insurance premium finance agreement contains a power of attorney enabling the company to cancel an insurance contract or contracts listed in the agreement, the insurance contract or contracts shall not be cancelled by the company unless the cancellation is effectuated…

Whenever a financed insurance contract or contracts is cancelled, the insurer shall return the gross unearned premium or premiums, if any, that may be due under the insurance contract or contracts, directly to the insurance premium finance company for the account of the insured, …

Filing of the insurance premium finance agreement shall not be necessary to perfect validity thereof, as a secured transaction against creditors, subsequent purchasers, pledgees, encumbrancers, trustees in bankruptcy, or other insolvency proceeding under any law or any person hav…

(a) As used in this section: (1) “Federal reimbursement rates” means the current listed fee schedule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, listing the current Healthcare Common Procedure Coding system (HCPCS) and the corresponding reimbursement rates. (2) “Orthosis…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Uniform Debt-Management Services Act”.

(a) The director shall approve or deny an initial registration as a provider within one hundred twenty (120) days after an application is filed. In connection with a request pursuant to this chapter for additional information, the director may extend the one hundred twenty-day (1…

(a) A provider must obtain a renewal of its registration annually. (b) An application for renewal of registration as a provider must be in a form prescribed by the director, signed under oath or certified under the penalties of perjury, and: (1) Be filed in accordance with § 19-1…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in § 19-14.8-14, a provider that is required to be registered under this chapter shall file a surety bond with the director, which must: (1) Be in effect during the period of registration and for two (2) years after the provider ceases providing d…

(a) Instead of the surety bond required by § 19-14.8-13, a provider may deliver to the director, in the amount required by § 19-14.8-13(b), and, except as otherwise provided in subsection (a)(2)(A) of this section, payable or available to this state and to individuals who reside …

A provider shall act in good faith in all matters under this chapter.

A provider that is required to be registered under this chapter shall maintain a toll-free communication system, staffed at a level that reasonably permits an individual to speak to a certified counselor or customer-service representative, as appropriate, during ordinary business…

(a) Before providing debt-management services, a registered provider shall give the individual an itemized list of goods and services and the charges for each. The list must be clear and conspicuous; be in a record the individual may keep whether or not the individual assents to …

(a) In this section: (1) “Federal act” means the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. § 7001 et seq., as amended. (2) “Consumer” means an individual who seeks or obtains goods or services that are used primarily for personal, family, or household p…

(a) An agreement must: (1) Be in a record; (2) Be dated and signed by the provider and the individual; (3) Include the name of the individual and the address where the individual resides; (4) Include the name, business address, and telephone number of the provider; (5) Be deliver…

In this chapter: (1) “Director” means the director of the department of business regulation. (2) “Affiliate”: (a) With respect to an individual, means: (i) The spouse of the individual; (ii) A sibling of the individual or the spouse of a sibling; (iii) An individual or the spouse…

(a) An individual may cancel an agreement before midnight of the third (3rd) business day after the individual assents to it, unless the agreement does not comply with subsection (b) or § 19-14.8-19 or § 19-14.8-28, in which event the individual may cancel the agreement within th…

Unless the director, by rule, provides otherwise, the disclosures and documents required by this chapter must be in English. If a provider communicates with an individual primarily in a language other than English, the provider must furnish a translation into the other language o…

(a) All money paid to a provider by, or on behalf of, an individual pursuant to a plan for distribution to creditors is held in trust. Within two (2) business days after receipt, the provider shall deposit the money in a trust account established for the benefit of individuals to…

(a) A provider may not impose directly, or indirectly, a fee or other charge on an individual or receive money from, or on behalf of, an individual for debt-management services except as permitted by this section. (b) A provider may not impose charges or receive payment for debt-…

A provider may not solicit a voluntary contribution from an individual or an affiliate of the individual for any service provided to the individual. A provider may accept voluntary contributions from an individual but, until thirty (30) days after completion or termination of a p…

(a) If a provider imposes a fee or other charge or receives money or other payments not authorized by § 19-14.8-23 or § 19-14.8-24, the individual may void the agreement and recover as provided in § 19-14.8-35. (b) If a provider is not registered as required by this chapter when …

(a) If an individual who has entered into an agreement fails for sixty (60) days to make payments required by the agreement, a provider may terminate the agreement. (b) If a provider or an individual terminates an agreement, the provider shall immediately return to the individual…

(a) A provider shall provide the accounting required by subsection (b): (1) Upon cancellation or termination of an agreement; and (2) Before cancellation or termination of any agreement: (A) At least once each month; and (B) Within five (5) business days after a request by an ind…

(a) A provider may not, directly or indirectly: (1) Misappropriate or misapply money held in trust; (2) Settle a debt on behalf of an individual for more than fifty percent (50%) of the principal amount of the debt owed a creditor, unless the individual assents to the settlement …

No later than thirty (30) days after a provider has been served with notice of a civil action for violation of this chapter by or on behalf of an individual who resides in this state at either the time of an agreement or the time the notice is served, the provider shall notify th…

(a) This chapter does not apply to an agreement with an individual who the provider has no reason to know resides in this state at the time of the agreement. (b) This chapter does not apply to a provider to the extent that the provider: (1) Provides or agrees to provide debt-mana…

A provider that advertises debt-management services shall disclose, in an easily comprehensible manner, the information specified in § 19-14.8-17(d)(3) and (d)(4).

If a provider delegates any of its duties or obligations under an agreement or this chapter to another person, including an independent contractor, the provider is liable for conduct of the person that, if done by the provider, would violate the agreement or this chapter.

(a) The director may act on its own initiative or in response to complaints; and may receive complaints; take action to obtain voluntary compliance with this chapter; refer cases to the attorney general; and seek or provide remedies as provided in this chapter. (b) The director m…

(a) The director may enforce this chapter and rules adopted under this chapter by taking one or more of the following actions: (1) Ordering a provider or a director, employee, or other agent of a provider to cease and desist from any violations; (2) Ordering a provider or a perso…