The Murky Waters of State Commodity Laws

State commodity laws are notoriously antiquated and hard to follow. For many precious metals dealers, it can be difficult to navigate the applicable state laws in the various states where they do business.

This difficulty arises for several reasons. First, the Model State Commodity Code (“Model Code”) was drafted in the early 1980s, and it has not been updated since its inception to account for changes in technology that affect the way legitimate precious metals dealers do business. Second, the Model Code has only been enacted as it was written by a handful of states, so there is a lack of uniformity from state to state. Third, some states, like Arizona and Montana for example, have adopted substantive provisions of the Model Code, but these provisions have been incorporated into the state securities laws, instead of a separate Chapter or Act. Finally, there are states that have chosen not to regulate commodity transactions at all or that have decided to regulate them using a different approach than that set out in the Model Code.

The Model Code originally was drafted to provide state jurisdiction over generic commodities-themed frauds because the state securities acts were inadequate to address such schemes. As a result, the Model Code devised the concept of a “commodity contract”, which is defined as “a contract for the purchase or sale of commodities, primarily for speculative or investment purposes, and not for use or consumption by the offeree or purchaser.” Therefore, this new concept was intended to provide a better means of jurisdiction over only certain commodity transactions.

Unfortunately, for precious metals dealers, the two most common schemes at the time the Model Code was drafted were centered around the sale of precious metals that were never delivered or promises to store precious metals that were subsequently never purchased. Accordingly, there are stringent provisions defining and regulating the purchase of precious metals. However, the Model Code drafters included an exemption for transactions involving the purchase of precious metals if certain very specific requirements were met. One of those requirements is that delivery must be completed within 28 days, purportedly making it easier for retailers to avoid and regulators to identify unregistered futures contracts.

Essentially, the Model Code should have streamlined the process for determining whether illegal transactions have taken place. But though the Model Code may seem straightforward on its face, the inconsistency in adoption between the states and nuances among those states that have adopted the Model Code has created a veritable trap for unwary precious metals dealers and necessitates the need for experienced counsel who are aware of the these subtle differences.

The attorneys of Cosgrove Law, LLC have a unique knowledge and understanding of state and federal commodity regulations and exemptions, with an emphasis in the area of precious metals. Our firm is a member of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets that has compiled a 500-page, nationally recognized 50 state commodities survey. Our attorneys regularly provide advice to commodity dealers about relevant state and federal regulations and assist in internal review of company procedures. As part of our firm’s compliance services, we are also available to conduct audits or assist in developing an audit program to ensure ongoing compliance.