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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the authority of corporations to act as sureties on bail |
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bonds. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 17.06, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Art. 17.06. CORPORATION AS SURETY. (a) In [Wherever in] |
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this chapter [Chapter], if a [any] person is required or authorized |
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to give or execute a [any] bail bond, the [such] bail bond may be |
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given or executed by the [such] principal and a [any] corporation |
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authorized by law to act as surety, subject to all applicable [the] |
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provisions of this chapter [Chapter] regulating and governing the |
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giving of bail bonds by personal surety [insofar as the same is |
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applicable]. |
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(b) A corporation may not act as a surety on a bail bond for |
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a defendant unless the corporation requires the defendant before |
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release to pay a fee to the corporation equal to not less than 10 |
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percent of the total amount of the bail set for the defendant. |
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SECTION 2. Article 17.06, Code of Criminal Procedure, as |
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amended by this Act, applies only to a bail bond executed on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. A bail bond executed before |
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the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on |
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the date the bail bond was executed, and the former law is continued |
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in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |