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Senate Bill 624 |
Senate Author: Hinojosa |
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Effective: 9-1-05 |
House Sponsor: Talton |
Senate Bill 624 amends Occupations Code provisions relating to the regulation of bail bond sureties to require that an applicant for a license submit documented evidence of continuous employment with a licensed surety for at least 30 hours per week, excluding annual leave, and of performance of duties that encompass all phases of the bonding business. The bill establishes that an exemption allowing a state-licensed attorney without a surety license to execute a bail bond or act as a surety for another person applies to an attorney who files a notice of appearance as counsel of record in the criminal case for which the bond was given or submits proof that such a notice was previously filed with the court in which the case is pending. Under previous law, the exemption applied to an attorney representing the other person in the case. The bill authorizes a county bail bond board to suspend or revoke the attorney's authorization to post a bond if the attorney engages in conduct that would result in the suspension or revocation of a surety license or to bar the attorney from performing surety services until a violation is remedied. The bill specifies that an attorney who is later replaced as the attorney of record is not relieved of liability on the bond solely for that reason.