Authority to make consumer loans; assignees; authority to issue debt waiver or debt forgiveness agreements

A. (1) Unless a person has first obtained a license from the commission or is exempt from licensing under R.S. 6:969.36, he shall not engage in the business of making consumer loans or the origination of consumer credit sales subject to this Chapter. (2) Unless a person has first obtained a license from the commission, or is a supervised financial organization, he shall not engage in business as an administrator or as a salesman or agent involving debt waiver or debt forgiveness agreements. B. An assignee may not take assignments of and undertake direct collection of payments from or enforce rights against consumers under a consumer loan or consumer credit sale subject to this Chapter without first having obtained a license from the commission. An assignee may, however, collect and enforce consumer obligations of which it has taken assignment for three months without a license if the assignee notifies the commission in writing, the assignee promptly applies for a license, and the application is not rejected. C. There is no requirement that a licensee have one or more offices in this state. D. Any person violating this Section may be fined one thousand dollars for each contract originated or purchased or for each debt waiver or debt forgiveness agreement issued or guaranteed without that person being properly licensed. The fine shall be payable to the commission.