Senate Bill 2409

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 75-71-404, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO ALLOW AN INVESTMENT ADVISER REPRESENTATIVE TO TRANSACT BUSINESS FOR MORE THAN ONE INVESTMENT ADVISER OR FEDERAL COVERED INVESTMENT ADVISER; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 75-71-404, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

75-71-404. Investment adviser representative registration requirement and exemptions. (a) Registration requirement. It is unlawful for an individual to transact business in this state as an investment adviser representative unless the individual is registered under this chapter as an investment adviser representative or is exempt from registration as an investment adviser representative under subsection (b).

(b) Exemptions from registration. The following individuals are exempt from the registration requirement of subsection (a):

(1) An individual who is employed by or associated with an investment adviser that is exempt from registration under Section 75-71-403(b) or a federal covered investment adviser that is excluded from the notice filing requirements of Section 75-71-405; and

(2) Any other individual exempted by rule adopted or order issued under this chapter.

(c) Registration effective only while employed or associated. The registration of an investment adviser representative is not effective while the investment adviser representative is not employed by or associated with an investment adviser registered under this chapter or a federal covered investment adviser that has made or is required to make a notice filing under Section 75-71-405.

(d) * * * Affiliations. An individual may transact business as an investment adviser representative for more than one (1) investment adviser or federal covered investment adviser * * *.

(e) Limits on employment or association. It is unlawful for an individual acting as an investment adviser representative, directly or indirectly, to conduct business in this state on behalf of an investment adviser or a federal covered investment adviser if the registration of the individual as an investment adviser representative is suspended or revoked or the individual is barred from employment or association with an investment adviser or a federal covered investment adviser by an order under this chapter, the Securities and Exchange Commission, or a self-regulatory organization. Upon request from a federal covered investment adviser and for good cause, the administrator, by order issued, may waive, in whole or in part, the application of the requirements of this subsection to the federal covered investment adviser.

(f) Referral fees. An investment adviser registered under this chapter, a federal covered investment adviser that has filed a notice under Section 75-71-405, or a broker-dealer registered under this chapter is not required to employ or associate with an individual as an investment adviser representative if the only compensation paid to the individual for a referral of investment advisory clients is paid to an investment adviser registered under this chapter, a federal covered investment adviser who has filed a notice under Section 75-71-405, or a broker-dealer registered under this chapter with which the individual is employed or associated as an investment adviser representative.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2010.