Section 4.1-33-10 - Proof of financial responsibility - Exceptions1. A commercial applicator certificate may not be issued unless the applicant furnishes proof of financial responsibility. Financial responsibility must be maintained in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars. Financial responsibility may be demonstrated by a notarized letter from an officer of a financial institution or from a certified public accountant attesting to the existence of net assets equal to at least one hundred thousand dollars, a performance bond, or a general liability insurance policy. The performance bond or insurance policy must contain a provision requiring the issuing company to notify the agriculture commissioner at least ten days before the effective date of cancellation, termination, or other modification of the bond or insurance policy. When requested by the agriculture commissioner, a commercial applicator immediately shall furnish proof of compliance with this section. If the applicator is unable to furnish the required proof, the commissioner may stop a pesticide application and not allow resumption until the applicator furnishes proof of compliance. The agriculture commissioner shall immediately suspend the certification of a commercial applicator who fails to maintain the financial responsibility standards of this section. If there is any recovery against the commercial applicator, the applicator shall demonstrate continued compliance with the requirements of this section. An application for reinstatement of a certificate suspended under this section must be accompanied by proof that any judgment previously rendered against the applicant has been satisfied.2. This section does not apply to: a. A rancher who must obtain a commercial applicator certificate for controlling noxious weeds on the leased federal acreage as a condition of a federal grasslands lease.b. A grazing association and its members if either the association or any member must obtain a commercial applicator certificate for controlling noxious weeds on the leased federal acreage as a condition of a federal grasslands lease.c. A person who must be certified in the right-of-way category.d. A commercial applicator who controls noxious weeds on grassland, land producing tame hay, or other lands not devoted to the production of an annual crop.e. An employee of a commercial applicator if the commercial applicator complies with this section.Added by S.L. 2017, ch. 67 (SB 2027),§ 2, eff. 7/1/2017.