Section 18496 Of Article 2. General From California Financial Code >> Division 7. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 2.
18496
. (a) Guaranty Corporation shall have independent authority to
approve membership, or suspend or revoke the right to participate in
Guaranty Corporation by any member for cause and to submit reports
and make recommendations to the commissioner regarding the financial
condition of any member and shall also do so if requested by the
commissioner. These reports and recommendations shall not be public
documents. There shall be no liability on the part of, and no cause
of action of any nature shall arise against, Guaranty Corporation or
its members, directors, officers, employees or agents, or the
commissioner or his or her authorized representatives, for any
statements made by them in any reports or recommendations made
hereunder.
(b) In order to permit Guaranty Corporation to fulfill its
obligations under subdivision (a), upon the written request of
Guaranty Corporation the commissioner may furnish to Guaranty
Corporation a copy of financial statements or reports filed by a
member or an industrial loan company making application to
participate in Guaranty Corporation and a copy of the commissioner's
analysis of an industrial loan company's receivables. Except for
reports filed under Sections 18407 and 18410, such statements and
reports shall not be public documents, and the information contained
therein shall be privileged, and confidential to Guaranty Corporation
for its sole use in carrying out its statutory functions. There
shall be no liability on the part of, and no cause of action of any
nature shall arise against the State of California, the commissioner
or members of the commissioner's staff or the commissioner's
authorized representatives, for the release of any information
furnished to Guaranty Corporation pursuant to this subdivision.
(c) By written consent of a majority of its directors, Guaranty
Corporation, in order to fulfill its obligations under subdivision
(a), may appoint an independent certified public accountant or public
accountant to prepare an audit report containing audited financial
statements, together with such other information as Guaranty
Corporation, in good faith, requires regarding the financial
condition of any member. For the purposes of examination and
investigation the certified public accountant or public accountant
appointed by Guaranty Corporation shall have free access to the
offices and places of business, books, accounts, papers, records,
files, safes and vaults of the member.
(d) By written consent of a majority of its directors, Guaranty
Corporation, in order to fulfill its obligations under subdivision
(a), may hire or appoint specialized committees or employees to
investigate the operations of a member company. Guaranty Corporation
may have its specialized employees or committees investigate the
affairs and examine the books, accounts, records and files used in
the business of the member. For the purposes of examination and
investigation the specialized employees and committees of Guaranty
Corporation shall have free access to the offices and places of
business, books, accounts, papers, records, files, safes, and vaults
of the member.
(e) Costs and expenses for such audit report or special
investigation report shall be paid by Guaranty Corporation.
(f) Any person who uses any information obtained under
subdivision (b), (c) or (d) for any purpose not authorized by
subdivision (a) is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(g) The powers granted to the Guaranty Corporation by this section
may not be exercised in connection with special members.