Oregon Statutes 748.503 – Investigation of society; notice of deficiencies; action by Attorney General; hearing
(1) The Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services shall notify the society of any deficiency or deficiencies, and state in writing the reasons for dissatisfaction, when the director, upon investigation, finds that a domestic society:
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 748.503
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Certificate: means the document issued as written evidence of the benefit contract. See Oregon Statutes 748.103
- Impaired: means either:
(a) For a society that does not write variable contracts, whenever its assets are less than its total liabilities; or
(b) For a society that does write variable contracts, whenever its assets are less than its total liabilities, plus the required surplus for a mutual life insurer to write such contracts. See Oregon Statutes 748.103
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- Society: means fraternal benefit society, unless otherwise indicated. See Oregon Statutes 748.103
(a) Has exceeded its powers;
(b) Has failed to comply with any provisions of this chapter;
(c) Is not fulfilling its contracts in good faith;
(d) Has a membership of less than 400 after an existence of one year or more;
(e) Is conducting business fraudulently or in a manner hazardous to its members, creditors, the public or the business; or
(f) Has become impaired.
(2) The director shall at once issue a written notice to the society requiring that the deficiency or deficiencies be corrected. After notice, the society shall have 30 days in which to comply with the director’s request for correction, and if the society fails to comply, the director shall notify the society of findings of noncompliance and require the society to show cause on a date named why it should not be enjoined from carrying on any business until the violation complained of has been corrected, or why an action in quo warranto should not be commenced against the society.
(3) If on the date named the society does not present good and sufficient reasons why it should not be enjoined or why the action should not be commenced, the director may present the facts relating thereto to the Attorney General who shall, if the Attorney General deems the circumstances warrant, commence an action to enjoin the society from transacting business or an action in quo warranto.
(4) The court shall notify the officers of the society of a hearing. If after a full hearing it appears that the society should be enjoined or liquidated or a receiver appointed, the court shall enter the necessary order. No society so enjoined shall have the authority to do business until:
(a) The director finds that the violation complained of has been corrected;
(b) The costs of the action have been paid by the society if the court finds that the society was in default as charged;
(c) The court has dissolved its injunction; and
(d) The director has reinstated the certificate of authority.
(5) If the court orders the society liquidated, it shall be enjoined from carrying on any further business, and the receiver of the society shall proceed at once to take possession of the books, papers, money and other assets of the society and, under the direction of the court, proceed at once to close the affairs of the society and to distribute its funds to those entitled to them.
(6) No action under this section shall be recognized in any court of this state unless the action is brought by the Attorney General on request of the director. Whenever a receiver is to be appointed for a domestic society, the court shall appoint the director as the receiver.
(7) The provisions of this section relating to hearing by the director, action by the Attorney General at the request of the director, hearing by the court, injunction and receivership shall be applicable to a society which voluntarily determines to discontinue business. [1987 c.490 § 31]
[1967 c.359 § 643; repealed by 1987 c.490 § 58]