§1922. Additional powers and duties

            A. The office of insurance fraud shall have access to computer systems, information maintained for the use of law enforcement personnel, any information contained in the criminal history record and identification file of the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information, and direct and timely access to information compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as contained in the National Crime Information Center, for the purposes of carrying out its responsibilities under this Part.

            B. The commissioner may require each applicant for a license or certificate of authority to submit fingerprints to verify the identity of the applicant. An applicant's fingerprints shall be made electronically or by ink and converted to electronic format. The commissioner may promulgate rules and regulations defining the manner in which such evidence is to be received by the Department of Insurance.

            C. In order to make a determination of eligibility, the commissioner is authorized to require fingerprints and fees of applicants and to submit the fingerprints and the fee required to perform the criminal history record checks to the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information and the Federal Bureau of Investigation ("FBI") for state and national criminal history record checks. The commissioner shall require a criminal history record check on each applicant in accordance with this Section. The commissioner shall require each applicant to submit a full set of fingerprints in order for the commissioner to obtain and receive National Criminal History Records from the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division.

            (1) The commissioner may contract for the collection, transmission, and resubmission of fingerprints required under this Section. If the commissioner elects to enter into a contract, the fee for collecting, transmitting, and retaining fingerprints shall be payable directly to the contractor by the applicant.

            (2) The commissioner may receive criminal history record information from sources other than the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information.

            D. The commissioner may deny a license or certificate of authority when the applicant, or if the applicant is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or partnership, or other legal entity, any officer, director, managing person, employee, or principal stockholder has been convicted of a felony.

            E. The commissioner may issue a commission authorizing the deputy commissioner of insurance fraud or any compliance investigator who is certified by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.), or who may be qualified by the P.O.S.T. Council, to carry and use firearms in performance of their duties in investigating suspected administrative or civil insurance fraud. These powers and privileges shall not include arrest powers. The commissioner shall also provide appropriate credentials and badges of authority.

            Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 50, §2; Acts 2004, No. 826, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 22:1241.1 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2013, No. 217, §1; Acts 2015, No. 162, §1, eff. June 23, 2015; Acts 2022, No. 159, §1, eff. May 25, 2022.

NOTE: Former R.S. 22:1922 redesignated as R.S. 22:32 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009.