§60-3A-10d. Financing option for retail licensees purchasing Class A retail licenses.

(a) The commissioner shall offer financing to each retail licensee who elects to pay the purchase option for a Class A retail license or licenses as provided in section ten-b of this article: Provided, That the retail licensee is approved by the commissioner for financing and otherwise complies with the requirements of this section: Provided, however, That the retail licensee agrees to enter a financing agreement with the commissioner as provided in subsection (d) of this section.

(b) The commissioner shall prepare an application form for retail licensees who desire to elect the financing option provided in this section. The commissioner shall make the form available to retail licensees in paper or electronic format at least sixty days prior to the acceptance of bids for the ten-year period beginning July 1, 2010, and July 1 every ten years thereafter. At a minimum, the application form shall require the following information:

(1) Certification that the applicant elects to pay the purchase option for a Class A retail license or licenses as provided in section ten-b of this article;

(2) Certification that the applicant is the current holder and operator of an active retail license issued by the board;

(3) A description of the retail license or licenses currently held by the applicant;

(4) Any information the commissioner requires to evaluate the creditworthiness of the applicant, including without limitation the applicant's authorization to perform a criminal background and credit check; and

(5) Any additional information the commissioner requires to effectuate the purposes of this section.

(c) For an applicant to be considered for financing, the application required under subsection (b) of this section must be submitted to the commissioner with a down payment of fifty percent of the total amount due under the financing agreement provided in subsection (d) of this section no later than May 1, 2010, or, for subsequent retail license periods, May 1 every ten years thereafter. The commissioner shall make a determination as to the eligibility of an applicant for financing and the issuance of a Class A retail license within fifteen days of his or her receipt of the application. If the commissioner determines that an applicant is ineligible for financing, is not in good standing with the state or does not otherwise meet the requirements of this article for the issuance of a Class A retail license, the commissioner shall notify the applicant that his or her application for financing is denied and shall refund in full any moneys paid to the commissioner as a down payment. If the applicant's application for financing is denied for any reason other than the fact that the applicant is not in good standing with the state or is not otherwise eligible for the issuance of a Class A retail license, the commissioner shall provide the applicant the option of paying the full amount of a purchase option for a Class A retail license or licenses as provided in subsection (d), section ten-b of this article. At the request of the applicant, the commissioner may credit any moneys received as a down payment towards payment of the full amount of a purchase option for a Class A retail license or licenses.

(d) The commissioner is hereby authorized to enter into a financing agreement with each retail licensee meeting the requirements of this section. The financing agreement shall contain such terms and conditions as prescribed by the commissioner, but at a minimum shall contain the following:

(1) The total amount due, including the required down payment, which shall equal ten percent over and above the minimum bid as determined by the board for each Class A retail license the retail licensee wishes to purchase;

(2) The interest to be charged on the total amount due at a rate of the adjusted prime lending rate minus one hundred basis points. The interest rate shall be set on the date the financing is approved by the commissioner;

(3) The total amount due, not including the required down payment, to be payable to the commissioner in monthly or quarterly installments over a period of sixty months. If a retail licensee elects to pay in monthly installments, his or her first payment is due on August 1 and successive payments are due on the first day of each month thereafter until the debt is retired. If a retail licensee elects to pay in quarterly installments, his or her first payment is due on October 1 and successive payments are due on the first day of every third month thereafter until the debt is retired;

(4) The failure of a retail licensee to make a payment in accordance with the terms of the financing agreement shall result in the entire balance of the amount due becoming immediately due and payable to the commissioner and shall result in the forfeiture of the down payment and any moneys paid to the commissioner in accordance with this section; and

(5) The failure of a retail licensee to make a payment in accordance with the terms of the financing agreement within thirty days of the day on which the payment was due shall result in the immediate revocation of the Class A retail license held by the licensee and the commissioner shall reissue the license by sealed competitive bid in accordance with section ten of this article. A retail licensee whose retail license is revoked for failure to make payments as provided in the financing agreement is deemed an unsuitable retail licensee and shall be permanently prohibited from bidding on a retail license under this article.