Sec. 3. (a) No registered broker, dealer, municipal securities broker or dealer, or government securities broker or dealer shall be admitted to membership, and no member shall be continued in membership, if such broker, dealer, municipal securities broker or dealer, government securities broker or dealer, or member fails or ceases to satisfy the qualification requirements established under [Section 2], if applicable, or if such broker, dealer, municipal securities broker or dealer, government securities broker or dealer, or member is or becomes subject to a disqualification under [Section 4], or if such member fails to comply with the requirement that all forms filed pursuant to these By-Laws be filed via electronic process or such other process as the Corporation may prescribe.
(b) No person shall become associated with a member, continue to be associated with a member, or transfer association to another member, if such person fails or ceases to satisfy the qualification requirements established under [Section 2], if applicable, or if such person is or becomes subject to a disqualification under [Section 4]; and no broker, dealer, municipal securities broker or dealer, or government securities broker or dealer shall be admitted to membership, and no member shall be continued in membership, if any person associated with it is ineligible to be an associated person under this subsection.
(c) If it deems appropriate, the Board, upon notice and opportunity for a hearing, may cancel the membership of a member if it becomes ineligible for continuance in membership under subsection (a), may suspend or bar a person from continuing to be associated with any member if such person is or becomes ineligible for association under subsection (b), and may cancel the membership of any member who continues to be associated with any such ineligible person.
(d) Any member that is ineligible for continuance in membership may file with the Board an application requesting relief from the ineligibility pursuant to the Rules of the Corporation. A member may file such application on its own behalf and on behalf of a current or prospective associated person. The Board may, in its discretion, approve the continuance in membership, and may also approve the association or continuance of association of any person, if the Board determines that such approval is consistent with the public interest and the protection of investors. Any approval hereunder may be granted unconditionally or on such terms and conditions as the Board considers necessary or appropriate. In the exercise of the authority granted hereunder, the Board may conduct such inquiry or investigation into the relevant facts and circumstances as it, in its discretion, considers necessary to its determination, which, in addition to the background and circumstances giving rise to the failure to qualify or disqualification, may include the proposed or present business of a member and the conditions of association of any current or prospective associated person.
(e) An application filed under subsection (d) shall not foreclose any action which the Board is authorized to take under subsection (c) until approval has been granted.
(f) Approval by the Board of an application made under subsection (d) shall be subject to whatever further action the Commission may take pursuant to authority granted to the Commission under the Act.
(g) The Board may delegate its authority under this Section in a manner not inconsistent with the Delegation Plan.
