As used in this act:

(a) “Branch office” means a place of business, other than a principal place of business, where the mortgage company maintains a physical location for the purpose of conducting mortgage business with the public.

(b) “Commissioner” means the state bank commissioner or designee, who shall be the deputy commissioner of the consumer and mortgage lending division of the office of the state bank commissioner.

(c) “Individual” means a human being.

(d) “License” means a license issued by the commissioner to engage in mortgage business as a mortgage company.

(e) “Licensee” means a person who is licensed by the commissioner as a mortgage company.

(f) “Loan originator” means an individual:

(1) Who engages in mortgage business on behalf of a single mortgage company;

(2) whose conduct of mortgage business is the responsibility of the licensee;

(3) who takes a residential mortgage loan application or offers or negotiates terms of a residential mortgage loan for compensation or gain or in the expectation of compensation or gain; and

(4) whose job responsibilities include contact with borrowers during the loan origination process, which can include soliciting, negotiating, acquiring, arranging or making mortgage loans for others, obtaining personal or financial information, assisting with the preparation of mortgage loan applications or other documents, quoting loan rates or terms or providing required disclosures. It does not include any individual engaged solely as a loan processor or underwriter.

(g) “Loan processor or underwriter” means an individual who performs clerical or support duties as an employee at the direction and subject to the supervision and instruction of a person registered or exempt from registration under this act.

(1) For purposes of this subsection, the term “clerical or support duties” may include subsequent to the receipt of a mortgage loan application:

(A) The receipt, collection, distribution and analysis of information common for the processing or underwriting of a residential mortgage loan; and

(B) communicating with a consumer to obtain the information necessary for the processing or underwriting of a loan, to the extent that such communication does not include offering or negotiating loan rates or terms or counseling consumers about residential mortgage loan rates or terms.

(2) An individual engaging solely in loan processor or underwriter activities shall not represent to the public, through advertising or other means of communicating or providing information including the use of business cards, stationery, brochures, signs, rate lists or other promotional items, that such individual can or will perform any of the activities of a loan originator.

(h) “Mortgage business” means engaging in, or holding out to the public as willing to engage in, for compensation or gain, or in the expectation of compensation or gain, directly or indirectly, the business of making, originating, servicing, soliciting, placing, negotiating, acquiring, selling, arranging for others, or holding the rights to or offering to solicit, place, negotiate, acquire, sell or arrange for others, mortgage loans in the primary market.

(i) “Mortgage company” means a person engaged in mortgage business.

(j) “Mortgage loan” means a loan or agreement to extend credit made to one or more individuals which is secured by a first or subordinate mortgage, deed of trust, contract for deed or other similar instrument or document representing a security interest or lien, except as provided for in Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 60-1101 through 60-1110, and amendments thereto, upon any lot intended for residential purposes or a one-to-four family dwelling as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 1602(w), located in this state, occupied or intended to be occupied for residential purposes by the owner, including the renewal or refinancing of any such loan.

(k) “Mortgage loan application” means the submission of a consumer’s financial information, including, but not limited to, the consumer’s name, income and social security number, to obtain a credit report, the property address, an estimate of the value of the property and the mortgage loan amount sought for the purpose of obtaining an extension of credit.

(l) “Mortgage servicer” means any person engaged in mortgage servicing.

(m) “Mortgage servicing” means collecting payment, remitting payment for another or the right to collect or remit payment of any of the following: Principal; interest; tax; insurance; or other payment under a mortgage loan.

(n) “Nationwide mortgage licensing system and registry” means a mortgage licensing system developed and maintained by the conference of state bank supervisors and the American association of residential mortgage regulators for the licensing and registration of mortgage loan originators.

(o) “Not-for-profit” means a business entity that is granted tax exempt status by the internal revenue service.

(p) “Person” means any individual, sole proprietorship, corporation, partnership, trust, association, joint venture, pool syndicate, unincorporated organization or other form of entity, however organized.

(q) “Primary market” means the market wherein mortgage business is conducted including activities conducted by any person who assumes or accepts any mortgage business responsibilities of the original parties to the transaction.

(r) “Principal place of business” means a place of business where mortgage business is conducted, which has been designated by a licensee as the primary headquarters from which all mortgage business and administrative activities are managed and directed.

(s) “Promotional items” means pens, pencils, hats and other such novelty items.

(t) “Registrant” means any individual who holds a valid registration to conduct mortgage business in this state as a loan originator.

(u) “Remote location” means a location other than the principal place of business or a branch office where a licensed mortgage company’s employee or independent contractor is authorized by such company to engage in mortgage business. A remote location is not considered a branch office.

(v) “Unique identifier” means a number or other identifier assigned by protocols established by the nationwide mortgage licensing system and registry.