Current through the 2024 Fourth Special Session
Section 34-44-102 - DefinitionsAs used in this chapter:
(1) "Business relationship" means an agreement that governs the relationship of principal and sales representative.(2) "Commission" means: (a) compensation: (i) that accrues to a sales representative;(ii) for payment by a principal; and(iii) at a rate expressed as a percentage of the dollar amount of sales, orders, or profits; or(b) any other method of compensation agreed to between a sales representative and a principal including:(i) fees for services; and(3)(a) "Direct sales company" means a person that:(i) sells, distributes, or supplies for consideration a good or service through participants: (A) at different levels of distribution; or(B) in accordance with a formula for compensating participants in whole or in part based on: (I) the sale of a good or service; and(II) the recruitment of or the performance or action of another participant; and(ii)(A) permits participants to recruit other participants to sell, distribute, or supply for consideration the person's good or service; or(B) provides for commission, cross-commissions, override commissions, bonuses, refunds, dividends, or other consideration that is or may be paid as a result of: (I) the sale of a good or service; or(II) the recruitment of or the performance or action of another participant.(b) As used in this Subsection (3), "participant" means an independent agent, contractor, or distributor.(4) "Principal" means a person who: (a) engages in any of the following activities with regard to a product or service: (b) establishes a business relationship with a sales representative to solicit orders for a product or a service described in Subsection (4)(a); and(c) agrees to compensate a sales representative, in whole or in part, by commission.(5)(a) Except as provided in Subsection (5)(b), "sales representative" means a person who enters into a business relationship with a principal:(i) to solicit orders for a product or a service described in Subsection (4)(a); and(ii) under which the person is compensated, in whole or in part, by commission.(b) "Sales representative" does not include: (i) an employee of a principal;(ii) a person licensed under Title 31A, Insurance Code;(iii) a person licensed under Title 41, Chapter 3, Part 2, Licensing;(iv) a person licensed under Title 61, Chapter 2f, Real Estate Licensing and Practices Act;(v) a person who provides a product or service under a business relationship with a principal that is incident to the purchase or sale of real property;(vi) a person who places an order or purchases a product or service for that person's own account for resale; or(vii) an independent agent, contractor, or distributor through whom a direct sales company supplies for consideration a good or service.(6) "Terminates" or "termination" means the end of a business relationship between a sales representative and a principal, whether by: (b) expiration of a time period; or(c) exercise of a right of termination by either the principal or the sales representative.Amended by Chapter 438, 2019 General Session ,§ 1, eff. 5/14/2019.Amended by Chapter 379, 2010 General Session.