For purposes of the Montana Mortgage Broker and Loan Originator Licensing Act and this subchapter, the following definitions apply:

(1) "Conviction" means a judgment of conviction or sentence entered upon a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or upon a verdict or finding of guilty of an offense rendered by a legally constituted jury or by a court of competent jurisdiction authorized to try the case without a jury.

(2) "Employed by" means:

(a) an individual performing a service for a mortgage broker liable for withholding taxes pursuant to Title 26 of the United States Code; or

(b) any individual acting as an independent contractor for a mortgage broker if that individual is under exclusive written agreement to broker loans only through their sponsoring mortgage broker or if the sponsoring mortgage broker undertakes accountability for the regulated mortgage loan activities of the independent contractor.

(3) "Fraudulent or dishonest dealings" means financial misconduct prohibited by statutes governing:

(a) mortgage brokers in this and other states; and

(b) other segments of the financial services industry, including but not limited to:

(i) securities brokerages;

(ii) banks and trust companies;

(iii) escrow offices;

(iv) title insurance companies; or

(v) other licensed or chartered financial institutions.

(4) "Initiation of an investigation" means any administrative, civil, or criminal proceeding initiated by a state, municipal or federal governmental entity, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation or the Federal National Mortgage Agency and such proceeding is evidenced by a written formal complaint or charge filed by the investigating agency.

(5) "Material change" means:

(a) a change in the nature of the business;

(b) a change in the board of directors or the principal officers;

(c) a change in the share ownership of the company that could affect control; or

(d) the acquisition or disposition of another company.

(6) "Mortgage broker entity" means corporation, limited liability corporation, partnership, limited liability partnership or any other organization other than a sole proprietorship.

(7) "Table funding" means the closing of a loan naming a mortgage broker, a mortgage broker's business entity or a loan originator as the lender on the mortgage loan note, which note is then sold within three business days of closing to another party.

(8) "Work in a related field" means:

(a) for a mortgage broker, three years:

(i) as a mortgage broker, a branch office manager of a mortgage broker business;

(ii) as a mortgage banker, or responsible individual or branch manager of a mortgage banking business;

(iii) as a real estate loan officer;

(iv) as a branch manager of a real estate lender;

(v) as a loan originator; or

(vi) as a mortgage broker licensee in another state where the licensing standards are substantially similar to those in this state, as determined by the department; and

(b) for a loan originator, six months:

(i) as a loan originator in a mortgage broker business;

(ii) as a loan originator in a mortgage banking business;

(iii) as a real estate loan officer;

(iv) as a loan originator licensee in another state where the licensing standards are substantially similar to those in this state, as determined by the department;

(v) as a real estate loan processor;

(vi) as a residential real estate loan closing agent; or

(vii) other work or educational experience as approved by the department.