Licensure of commercial telephone sellers and entities providing substance abuse marketing services.

(1) Before doing business in this state, a commercial telephone seller or an entity providing substance abuse marketing services in accordance with s. 397.55 shall obtain a license from the department. Doing business in this state includes either telephone solicitation from a location in Florida or solicitation from other states or nations of purchasers located in Florida.

(2) An applicant for a license as a commercial telephone seller or as an entity providing substance abuse marketing services must submit to the department, in such form as it prescribes, a written application for the license. The application must set forth the following information:

(a) The true name, date of birth, driver license number or other valid form of identification, and home address of the applicant, including each name under which he or she intends to do business.

(b) Each business or occupation engaged in by the applicant during the 3 years immediately preceding the date of the application, and the location thereof.

(c) The previous experience of the applicant as a commercial telephone seller or salesperson or as an entity providing substance abuse marketing services.

(d) Whether the applicant has previously been arrested for, convicted of, or is under indictment or information for, a felony and, if so, the nature of the felony. Conviction includes a finding of guilt where adjudication has been withheld.

(e) Whether the applicant has previously been convicted of, or is under indictment or information for, racketeering or any offense involving fraud, theft, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, or misappropriation of property. Conviction includes a finding of guilt where adjudication has been withheld.

(f) Whether there has ever been a judicial or administrative finding that the applicant has previously been convicted of acting as a salesperson without a license, or whether such a license has previously been refused, revoked, or suspended in any jurisdiction.

(g) Whether the applicant has worked for, or been affiliated with, a company that has had entered against it an injunction, a temporary restraining order, or a final judgment or order, including a stipulated judgment or order, an assurance of voluntary compliance, or any similar document, in any civil or administrative action involving racketeering, fraud, theft, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, or misappropriation of property or the use of any untrue, deceptive, or misleading representation or the use of any unfair, unlawful, or deceptive trade practice.

(h) Whether the applicant has had entered against him or her an injunction, a temporary restraining order, or a final judgment or order, including a stipulated judgment or order, an assurance of voluntary compliance, or any similar document, in any civil or administrative action involving racketeering, fraud, theft, embezzlement, fraudulent conversion, or misappropriation of property or the use of any untrue, deceptive, or misleading representation or the use of any unfair, unlawful, or deceptive trade practice; and whether or not there is any litigation pending against the applicant.

(i) The name of any parent or affiliated entity that:

1. Will engage in a business transaction with the purchaser relating to any sale solicited by the applicant; or

2. Accepts responsibility or is otherwise held out by the applicant as being responsible for any statement or act of the applicant relating to any sale solicited by the applicant.

(j) The complete street address of each location, designating the principal location, from which the applicant will be doing business. The street address may not be a mail drop.

(k) A list of all telephone numbers to be used by the applicant, with the address where each telephone using these numbers will be located.

(l) The true name, current home address, date of birth, and all other names by which known, or previously known, of each:

1. Principal officer, director, trustee, shareholder, owner, or partner of the applicant, and of each other person responsible for the management of the business of the applicant.

2. Office manager or other person principally responsible for a location from which the applicant will do business.

3. Salesperson or other person to be employed by the applicant.

The application shall be accompanied by a copy of any: Script, outline, or presentation the applicant will require or suggest a salesperson to use when soliciting, or, if no such document is used, a statement to that effect; sales information or literature to be provided by the applicant to a salesperson; and sales information or literature to be provided by the applicant to a purchaser in connection with any solicitation.

(3) When an application sets forth information regarding an applicant as described in paragraphs (2)(d)-(h), the applicant must:

(a) Identify the court or administrative agency rendering the conviction, judgment, or order against the person or pending litigation.

(b) Provide the docket number of the matter; the date of the conviction, judgment, or order; and the name of the governmental agency, if any, that brought the action resulting in the conviction, judgment, or order. The applicant must also include litigation.

(4) If the applicant is other than a natural person, or if any parent or affiliated entity is identified pursuant to paragraph (2)(i), the applicant must, for itself and any such entity, identify its place of organization and:

(a) In the case of a partnership, provide a copy of any written partnership agreement; or

(b) In the case of a corporation, provide a copy of its articles of incorporation and bylaws.

(5) An application filed pursuant to this part must be verified and accompanied by:

(a) A bond, letter of credit, or certificate of deposit satisfying the requirements of s. 501.611. An entity providing substance abuse marketing services in accordance with s. 397.55 is exempt from this requirement.

(b) A fee for licensing in the amount of $1,500. The fee shall be deposited into the General Inspection Trust Fund. The department shall waive the initial license fee for an honorably discharged veteran of the United States Armed Forces, the spouse or surviving spouse of such a veteran, a current member of the United States Armed Forces who has served on active duty, the spouse of such a member, the surviving spouse of a member of the United States Armed Forces if such member died while serving on active duty, or a business entity that has a majority ownership held by such a veteran or spouse or surviving spouse if the department receives an application, in a format prescribed by the department. The application format must include the applicant’s signature, under penalty of perjury, and supporting documentation. To qualify for the waiver:

1. A veteran must provide to the department a copy of his or her DD Form 214, as issued by the United States Department of Defense, or another acceptable form of identification as specified by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs;

2. The spouse or surviving spouse of a veteran must provide to the department a copy of the veteran’s DD Form 214, as issued by the United States Department of Defense, or another acceptable form of identification as specified by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and a copy of a valid marriage license or certificate verifying that he or she was lawfully married to the veteran at the time of discharge; or

3. A business entity must provide to the department proof that a veteran or the spouse or surviving spouse of a veteran holds a majority ownership in the business, a copy of the veteran’s DD Form 214, as issued by the United States Department of Defense, or another acceptable form of identification as specified by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and, if applicable, a copy of a valid marriage license or certificate verifying that the spouse or surviving spouse of the veteran was lawfully married to the veteran at the time of discharge.

(6) The department shall issue a license number to all commercial telephone sellers.

(7) It is a violation of this part for a commercial telephone seller or an entity providing substance abuse marketing services to:

(a) Fail to maintain a valid license.

(b) Advertise that one is licensed as a commercial seller or as an entity providing substance abuse marketing services or represent that such licensing constitutes approval or endorsement by any government or governmental office or agency.

(c) Provide inaccurate or incomplete information to the department when making a license application.

(d) Misrepresent that a person is registered or that such a person has a valid license number.