Ch. 656                                    1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND                         

amended by Chapter 239 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1996)

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Insurance

Section 10-204(c)(3), 10-211, and 10-408                                         

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1995 Volume and 1996 Supplement)

(As enacted by Chapter 36 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1995, as
amended by Chapter 369 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1996)

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Chapter 609 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1989, as amended by Chapter

39 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1993                       

Section 2

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article 48A - Insurance Code

170.                                                                                                             

(a)     (1) Certificates OF QUALIFICATION issued to agents and brokers shall be
renewed every other year ON OR BEFORE JUNE 30, unless prior thereto the certificate OF
QUALIFICATION is revoked or suspended by the Commissioner or terminated under this
section.

(2) The Commissioner may adopt rules and regulations to implement and
operate a staggered system of certificate renewal.

(b)     (1) [Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, in] IN the absence of a
contrary ruling by the [Commissioner] COMMISSIONER, certificates OF
QUALIFICATION shall be renewed [ every 2 years] subject to the payment of the biennial
fee as required in § 41 of this article AND UPON COMPLETION OF THE CONTINUING
EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS IN SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION [upon request but
without further action on the part of the agent or broker].

(2) Upon payment of the prescribed fees AND COMPLETION OF THE
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS prior to the date of renewal, the certificate
OF QUALIFICATION shall continue in force until renewed by the Commissioner [or until
such time as the Commissioner has refused for cause to renew that certificate].

[(2)](C) (1) [As a condition of a certificate renewal,] SUBJECT TO
SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION, the Commissioner shall require AS A CONDITION
OF RENEWING A CERTIFICATE OF QUALIFICATION that an agent or broker [receive]
COMPLETE THE REQUIRED continuing education BY JUNE 15 IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO
THE EXPIRATION OF THE CERTIFICATE OF QUALIFICATION.

[(i)] (2) [Regardless of the number of certificates an agent or broker
may have, the] THE Commissioner may not require [an agent or broker] EACH

- 3758 -