A.  A Louisiana corporation or Louisiana limited liability company may apply to the commissioner for licensure as a BIDCO.  A person other than a Louisiana corporation or Louisiana limited liability company shall not apply for a license.

B.(1)  After a review of information regarding the directors, officers, managers, and controlling persons of the applicant, a review of the applicant’s business plan, including at least three years of detailed financial projections and other relevant information, and a review of additional information considered relevant by the commissioner, the commissioner may approve an application for a license if, and only if, the commissioner determines all of the following:

(a)  The applicant has a net worth, or firm financing commitments from private sources which demonstrate that the applicant will have a net worth when the applicant begins transacting business as a BIDCO, in liquid form available to provide financing assistance, that is adequate for the applicant to transact business as a BIDCO as determined under Paragraph (2) of this Subsection.

(b)  Each director, officer, manager, and controlling person of the applicant is of good character and sound financial standing, each director or manager of the applicant is competent to perform his or her functions with respect to the applicant, and the directors, managers, and officers of the applicant are collectively adequate to manage the business of the applicant as a BIDCO.

(c)  It is reasonable to believe that the applicant, if licensed, will comply with the provisions of this Chapter.

(d)  The applicant has reasonable promise of being a viable, ongoing BIDCO and of satisfying the basic objectives of its business plan.

(e)  The applicant’s headquarters are in Louisiana and the applicant agrees to maintain its headquarters in Louisiana and conduct substantially all of its accounting, payment, underwriting, and other back-office operations in one or more offices located in this state if the licensee intends to provide financing assistance outside of this state.

(2)  In determining if the applicant has net worth or firm financing commitments adequate to transact business as a BIDCO, the commissioner shall consider the types and variety of financing assistance that the applicant plans to provide, the experience that the directors, officers, managers, and controlling persons of the applicant have in providing financing and managerial assistance to business firms, the financial projections and other relevant information from the applicant’s business plan, and whether the applicant intends to operate as a profit or nonprofit corporation or a limited liability company.  Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, the commissioner shall require a minimum net worth of not less than one million dollars in cash or cash equivalents.  The commissioner may allow less than one million dollars in minimum net worth, but in no case less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars, if in the context of the applicant’s business plan, the initial capitalization amount is adequate for the applicant to transact business as a BIDCO because of special circumstances including but not limited to funded overhead, low overhead, or specialized opportunities.

(3)  For the purposes of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the commissioner may disapprove an application upon the finding of any of the following:

(a)  That a director, officer, manager, or controlling person of an applicant is not of good character if the director, officer, manager, or controlling person, or a director, manager, or officer of a controlling person, has been convicted of or has pleaded nolo contendere to a crime involving fraud or dishonesty.

(b)  That it is not reasonable to believe that an applicant, if licensed, will comply with the provisions of this Chapter, if the applicant has been convicted of or has pleaded nolo contendere to a crime involving fraud or dishonesty.

(4)  For purposes of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, Paragraph (3) of this Subsection shall not be considered to be the only grounds upon which the commissioner may find that a director, manager, officer, or controlling person of an applicant is not of good character or that it is not reasonable to believe that an applicant, if licensed, will comply with the provisions of this Chapter.

C.(1)  A person may apply to the commissioner for preliminary approval of an application for a license.  Notwithstanding that commitments to invest in the equity of the applicant have not been obtained and that all directors, managers, and officers of the applicant have not been identified, the commissioner may grant preliminary approval.  In issuing an order granting preliminary approval, the commissioner shall indicate that, for the commissioner to determine that the requirements of Subsection B of this Section are satisfied, final approval is conditioned on review by the commissioner of the completion of the roster of directors, managers, and officers and satisfaction of the minimum net worth requirements.  If an application for preliminary approval has been granted, before granting final approval of the application for a license, the commissioner may request an updated balance sheet and such other information considered relevant by the commissioner.

(2)  If a person files an application under this Subsection, the fee required by La. Rev. Stat. 51:2389(E)(1)(a) is payable at the time the application is filed with the commissioner.

D.  If the commissioner denies an application under Subsections A through C of this Section, the commissioner shall provide the applicant with a written statement explaining the basis for the denial.

E.  If an application for license is approved and all conditions precedent to the issuance of that license are fulfilled, the commissioner shall issue a license to the applicant.  A licensee shall post the license in a conspicuous place in the licensee’s principal office.  A license is not transferable or assignable.

F.(1)  Except as otherwise provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, a person transacting business in this state, other than a licensee, shall not use a name or title which indicates that the person is a business and industrial development  company including but not limited to use of the term “BIDCO”, and shall not otherwise represent that the person is a business and industrial development company or a licensee.

(2)  Before being issued a license under this Chapter, a Louisiana corporation or Louisiana limited liability company that proposes to apply for a license or that applies for a license may perform, under a name that indicates that the corporation or company is a business and industrial development company, the acts necessary to apply for and obtain a license and to otherwise prepare to commence transacting business as a licensee.  Such a corporation or company shall not represent that it is a licensee until after the license has been obtained.

Acts 1991, No. 506, §1; Acts 2004, No. 806, §1.