Skip to Content
March 28, 2024 Rain | 46°F
The 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Section 14N: Distribution and redemption of trading stamps; conditions precedent

Section 14N. No trading stamp company shall distribute or redeem trading stamps in the commonwealth until it has filed with the state treasurer—

(a) A statement of registration accompanied by representative samples of its stamps, stamp collection books, stamp redemption catalogues, and stamp distribution and redemption agreement forms, currently used in the commonwealth. Each such statement shall provide the following information:— (1) the name and principal address of the company; (2) the state of its incorporation or origin; (3) the names and addresses of its principal officers, partners or proprietors; (4) the address of its principal office in the commonwealth; (5) the name and address of its principal officer, employee or agent therein; (6) the addresses of its places of business within the commonwealth where stamps are redeemable; (7) a short form of its balance sheet, as at the end of its last fiscal year prior to such filing, certified by an independent public accountant; and (8) unless the principal sum of the bond to be filed by the company is the maximum amount hereinafter required, a statement of its gross income from its business in the commonwealth during such last fiscal year, certified by an independent public accountant; and, simultaneously therewith—

(b) A bond payable to the state treasurer, duly executed by the company and a corporate surety qualified to do business in the commonwealth, conditioned upon the performance by the company of its obligation to redeem trading stamps issued by retailers in the commonwealth when duly presented by the rightful holders for redemption. Retailers in possession of trading stamps distributed by the company for issuance to their customers shall for this purpose be deemed rightful holders. The principal sum of the bond shall be as follows: If the company has not previously done business in the commonwealth, or if the company's gross income from its business in the commonwealth during such last fiscal year was not in excess of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, twenty-five thousand dollars; if such gross income exceeded two hundred and fifty thousand dollars but was not in excess of five hundred thousand dollars, fifty thousand dollars; if such gross income exceeded five hundred thousand dollars but was not in excess of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, seventy-five thousand dollars; and if such gross income exceeded seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, one hundred thousand dollars.

Each trading stamp company shall file annually on or before January first a new statement of registration and a new bond, said bond to be effective for the calendar year next following, unless the company gives notice of its intention to cease the distribution and redemption of trading stamps in the commonwealth, as provided in section fourteen P.

The fee for filing each statement of registration, which shall be paid to the state treasurer at the time of said filing, shall be determined annually by the commissioner of administration under the provision of section three B of chapter seven.