Section 10-04-03 - Administration of chapter1. The state securities department is under the supervision of a chief officer designated as the securities commissioner. The securities commissioner must be appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate and shall hold office for a term of four years, beginning on the first day of July following a national presidential election and continuing until a successor has been appointed, confirmed by the senate, and has qualified, unless removed as herein provided. If the senate is not in session, the governor may make an interim appointment, and the interim appointee may hold office until the senate confirms or rejects the appointment. The commissioner may not own or control any security required to be registered under this chapter, or any security which is exempt based on the approval of the securities department. The commissioner may not be an officer, director, or employee of any broker-dealer, agent, investment adviser, or investment adviser representative required to be registered under this chapter, or of a federal covered adviser required to be notice-filed under this chapter. The governor may remove from office any commissioner who fails to discharge faithfully the duties of office or who becomes disqualified under the provisions of this section. It is the prime duty of the commissioner to administer the provisions of this chapter. The commissioner shall receive a salary within the amount appropriated for salaries by the legislative assembly. The commissioner shall use a seal with the words "securities commissioner, North Dakota" and such design as the commissioner may prescribe engraved thereon by which seal the commissioner may authenticate documents used in the administration of this chapter. The commissioner may employ such employees as are necessary for the administration of this chapter. In the absence or disability of the commissioner, the deputy or designee of the commissioner may administer the provisions of this chapter as acting commissioner.
2. The commissioner shall have authority to administer oaths in, and to prescribe forms for, all matters arising under this chapter. The commissioner may from time to time make, amend, and rescind such rules, forms, and orders as are necessary under this chapter, including rules and forms governing registration statements, applications and reports, and defining any terms, whether or not used in this chapter, if the definitions are consistent with this chapter. The commissioner shall cooperate with the administrators of the securities laws of other states and of the United States with a view toward achieving maximum uniformity in the interpretation of like provisions of the laws administered by them and in the forms which are required to be filed under such law.3. In addition to their regular compensation, the commissioner and the commissioner's employees shall be paid travel expenses necessary and actually incurred in the performance of their duties.4. A special fund is established in the state treasury and designated as the investor education and technology fund. The commissioner may deposit the following moneys into the investor education and technology fund: a. Payments for tuition or other costs associated with educational services or materials provided by the department.b. Grants or donations for the purpose of investor education received by the commissioner from any public or private source.c. Civil penalties assessed by the commissioner under the Securities Act of 1951, if the commissioner finds that:(1) The violations or alleged violations underlying the assessment of civil penalties involve repeat violations, involve numerous investors, or appear to have been perpetrated on a systematic basis; and(2) The violations or alleged violations underlying the assessment of civil penalties could have been prevented or significantly curtailed had the individual investors involved in the matter been more knowledgeable about financial concepts in general, or about any specific laws, practices, or procedures relating to the securities industry. The commissioner shall maintain and administer the investor education and technology fund. The moneys in the fund are appropriated to provide education services to the public relating to any of the financial services industries, including the securities industry, and to provide for the technology needs of the department, including the purchase or rental of equipment or software, servicing of the equipment or software, and training the commissioner's staff in the use of the equipment or software.
5. A special fund is established in the state treasury and designated as the securities department special fund. All fees, civil penalties, or other moneys collected under this chapter must be deposited in the securities department special fund, except funds permitted to be deposited into the investor education and technology fund under subsection 4 or civil penalties collected from enforcement actions for the purpose of distribution to aggrieved investors, which may be deposited in the investor restitution fund. Funds in the investor restitution fund are appropriated to the securities commissioner on a continuing basis for distribution to aggrieved investors.a. The moneys deposited in the securities department special fund are reserved for use by the securities department to defray the expenses of the department in the discharge of administrative and regulatory powers and duties of the department as prescribed by law. Deposits under this subdivision are subject to the applicable laws relating to the appropriations of state funds and to the deposit and expenditure of state moneys. The securities commissioner is responsible for the proper expenditure of these moneys as provided by law.b. The office of management and budget shall transfer any balance in the securities department special fund in excess of the amounts necessary for department expenditures pursuant to the department's biennial appropriation to the general fund.6. The commissioner may honor requests from interested persons for the issuance of a statement or opinion concerning the applicability of this chapter or the rules adopted under this chapter to any transaction or proposed transaction which may be subject to this chapter. Any such request must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of one hundred fifty dollars.Amended by S.L. 2021 , ch. 15( HB 1015 ), § 25, eff. 7/1/2021.Amended by S.L. 2019 , ch. 36( SB 2011 ), § 2, eff. 7/1/2019.