502A.4 - EXEMPT TRANSACTIONS.

        502A.4  EXEMPT TRANSACTIONS.         1.  Section 502A.2 does not apply to any of the following:         a.  An account, agreement, or transaction within the exclusive      jurisdiction of the commodity futures trading commission as granted      under the Commodity Exchange Act.         b.  A commodity contract, offered or sold by a qualified      seller as defined in subsection 2, for the purchase of one or more      precious metals which requires, and under which the purchaser      receives, within twenty-eight days from the payment in good funds of      any portion of the purchase price, physical delivery of the quantity      of the precious metals purchased by the payment.  For purposes of      this paragraph, physical delivery shall be deemed to have occurred if      both of the following conditions are satisfied:         (1)  Within twenty-eight days, the required quantity of precious      metals purchased by the payment is delivered, whether in specifically      segregated or fungible bulk form, into the possession of a      depository, other than the seller, which is any of the following:         (a)  A financial institution.         (b)  A depository the warehouse receipts of which are recognized      for delivery purposes for any commodity on a contract market      designated by the commodity futures trading commission.         (c)  A storage facility licensed or regulated by the United States      or any agency of the United States.         (d)  A depository designated by the administrator.         (2)  The depository or a qualified seller issues and the purchaser      receives, a certificate, document of title, confirmation, or other      instrument evidencing that the required quantity of precious metals      has been delivered to the depository and is being and will continue      to be held by the depository on the purchaser's behalf, free and      clear of all liens and encumbrances, other than liens of the      purchaser, tax liens, liens agreed to by the purchaser, or liens of      the depository for fees and expenses, which have previously been      disclosed to the purchaser.         c.  For the purposes of paragraph "b", a depository other      than the seller shall not include a financial institution which makes      loans to enable the borrower to finance the purchase of one or more      precious metals if any of the following apply:         (1)  The financial institution knows that the seller arranged for      a commission, brokerage, or referral fee for the extension of credit      by the financial institution.         (2)  The financial institution is a person related to the seller,      unless the relationship is remote or is not a factor in the      transaction.         (3)  The seller guarantees the loan or otherwise assumes the risk      of loss by the financial institution upon the loan.         (4)  The financial institution directly supplies the seller with      the contract document used by the borrower to evidence the loan, and      the seller has knowledge of the credit terms and participates in the      preparation of the document.         (5)  The loan is conditioned upon the borrower's purchase of the      precious metals from a particular seller, but the financial      institution's payment of proceeds of the loan to the seller does not      in itself establish that the loan was so conditioned.         (6)  The financial institution otherwise knowingly participates      with the seller in the sale.  The fact that the financial institution      takes a security interest in the precious metals sold or makes the      proceeds of the loan payable to the seller does not in itself      constitute knowing participation in the sale.         d.  A commodity contract solely between persons engaged in      producing, processing, using commercially or handling as merchants,      the commodity which is the subject of the contract, or any by-product      of the commodity.         e.  A commodity contract under which the offeree or the      purchaser is a person under section 502A.3, an insurance company, an      investment company as defined in the federal Investment Company Act      of 1940, or an employee pension and profit sharing or benefit plan      other than a self-employed individual retirement plan, or individual      retirement account.         2.  For the purposes of subsection 1, paragraph "b", a      qualified seller is a person who satisfies all of the following      conditions:         a.  Is a seller of precious metals and has a tangible net      worth of at least five million dollars, or has an affiliate who has      unconditionally guaranteed the obligations and liabilities of the      seller and the affiliate has a tangible net worth of at least five      million dollars.         b.  Has stored precious metals with one or more depositories      on behalf of customers for at least the previous three years.         c.  Prior to any offer, files with the administrator a sworn      notice of intent to act as a qualified seller under subsection 1,      paragraph "b", and annually files a new notice.  A notice of      intent to act as a qualified seller must contain all of the      following:         (1)  The seller's name and address, names of its directors,      officers, controlling shareholders, partners, principals, and other      controlling persons.         (2)  The address of its principal place of business, state and      date of incorporation or organization, and the name and address of      seller's registered agent in this state.         (3)  A statement that the seller, or a person affiliated with the      seller who has guaranteed the obligations and liabilities of the      seller, has a tangible net worth of at least five million dollars.         (4)  Depository information including all of the following:         (a)  The name and address of the depository or depositories that      the seller intends to use.         (b)  The name and address of each and every depository where the      seller has stored precious metals on behalf of customers for the      previous three years.         (c)  Independent verification from each and every depository named      in subparagraph division (b) that the seller has in fact stored      precious metals on behalf of the seller's customers for the previous      three years and a statement of total deposits made during this      period.         (5)  Financial statements for the seller, or the person affiliated      with the seller who has guaranteed the obligations and liabilities of      the seller, for the past three years, audited by an independent      certified public accountant, together with the accountant's reports.         (6)  A statement describing the details of all civil, criminal, or      administrative proceedings currently pending or adversely resolved      against the seller or its directors, officers, controlling      shareholders, partners, principals, or other controlling persons      during the past ten years including all of the following in      subparagraph divisions (a) through (d), or if not applicable,      subparagraph division (e):         (a)  Civil litigation and administrative proceedings involving      securities or commodities violations, or fraud.         (b)  Criminal proceedings.         (c)  Denials, suspensions, or revocations of securities or      commodities, licenses, or registrations.         (d)  Suspensions or expulsions from membership in, or associations      with, self-regulatory organizations registered under the Securities      Exchange Act of 1934, or the Commodities Exchange Act.         (e)  A statement that there were no such proceedings.         d.  Notifies the administrator within fifteen days of any      material changes in the information provided in the notice of intent.         e.  Annually furnishes to each purchaser for whom the seller      is then storing precious metals, and to the administrator, a report      by an independent certified public accountant of the accountant's      examination of the seller's precious metals storage program.         3.  The administrator may, upon request by the seller, waive any      of the exempt transaction requirements of this section, conditionally      or unconditionally.         4.  The administrator may, by order, deny, suspend, revoke, or      place limitations on the authority to engage in business as a      qualified seller under subsection 1, paragraph "b" if the      administrator finds that the order is in the public interest and that      the person, the person's officers, directors, partners, agents,      servants or employees, a person occupying a similar status or      performing similar functions, a person who directly or indirectly      controls or is controlled by the seller, or any of them, the seller's      affiliates or subsidiaries meets any of the following conditions:         a.  Has filed a notice of intention under subsection 2 with      the administrator or the designee of the administrator which was      incomplete in any material respect or contained any statement which      was, in light of the circumstances under which it was made, false or      misleading with respect to any material fact.         b.  Has, within the last ten years, pled guilty or nolo      contendere to, or been convicted of any crime indicating a lack of      fitness to engage in the investment commodity business.         c.  Has been permanently or temporarily enjoined by any court      of competent jurisdiction from engaging in, or continuing, any      conduct or practice which injunction indicates a lack of fitness to      engage in the investment commodities business.         d.  Is the subject of an order of the administrator denying,      suspending, or revoking the person's license as a securities      broker-dealer, sales representative, or investment adviser.         e.  Is the subject of any of the following orders which are      currently effective and which were issued within the last five years:         (1)  An order by the securities agency or administrator of another      state, Canadian province or territory, the securities and exchange      commission, or the commodity futures trading commission, entered      after notice and opportunity for hearing, denying, suspending, or      revoking the person's registration as a futures commission merchant,      commodity trading adviser, commodity pool operator, securities      broker-dealer, sales representative, or investment adviser, or the      substantial equivalent of those terms.         (2)  Suspension or expulsion from membership in, or association      with, a self-regulatory organization registered under the federal      Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or the Commodity Exchange Act.         (3)  A United States postal service fraud order.         (4)  A cease and desist order entered after notice and opportunity      of hearing by the administrator or the securities agency or      administrator of any other state, Canadian province or territory, the      United States securities and exchange commission, or the commodity      futures trading commission.         (5)  An order entered by the commodity futures trading commission      denying, suspending, or revoking registration under the Commodity      Exchange Act.         f.  Has engaged in an unethical or dishonest act or practice      in the investment commodities or securities business.         g.  Has failed reasonably to supervise sales representatives      or employees.         5.  If the public interest or the protection of investors so      requires, the administrator may, by order, summarily deny or suspend      the exemption for a qualified seller.  Upon the entry of the order,      the administrator shall promptly notify the person claiming such      status that an order has been entered and the reasons for the order      and that within thirty days after the receipt of a written request      the matter will be set for hearing.  Section 502A.20 applies with      respect to all subsequent proceedings.         6.  If the administrator finds that any applicant or qualified      seller is no longer in existence or has ceased to do business or is      subject to an adjudication of mental incompetence or to the control      of a committee, conservator, or guardian, or cannot be located after      reasonable search, the administrator may, by order, deny or revoke      the exemption for a qualified seller.         7.  The administrator may issue rules or orders prescribing the      terms and conditions of all transactions and contracts covered by      this chapter which are not within the exclusive jurisdiction of the      commodity futures trading commission as granted by the Commodity      Exchange Act, exempting and conditionally or unconditionally and      otherwise implementing this chapter for the protection of purchasers      and sellers of commodities.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         90 Acts, ch 1169, §4; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §263         Referred to in § 502A.2, 502A.6, 502A.22