By Harris H.B. No. 1690
74R4729 PB-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to certain application requirements for a bail bondsman
1-3 license.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 6(f), Chapter 550, Acts of the 63rd
1-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1973 (Article 2372p-3, Vernon's Texas
1-7 Civil Statutes), is amended to read as follows:
1-8 (f) Upon notice from the board that the application has been
1-9 tentatively approved, the applicant shall then:
1-10 (1) deposit with the county treasurer of the county in
1-11 which the license is to be issued a cashier's check, certificate of
1-12 deposit, cash, or cash equivalent in the amount indicated by the
1-13 applicant under Subsection (a)(5) <Subdivision (5) of Subsection
1-14 (a) of Section 6> of this section <Act> but in no event less than
1-15 $50,000 except in counties with populations of less than 110,000
1-16 <250,000> persons by the most recent federal census, the amount for
1-17 applicants in said counties shall be $10,000 to be held in a
1-18 special fund to be called the bail security fund; or
1-19 (2) execute in trust to the board deeds to the
1-20 property listed by the applicant under Subsection (a)(4)
1-21 <Subdivision (4) of Subsection (a) of Section 6> of this section
1-22 <Act>, which property shall be valued in the amount indicated on
1-23 the statements filed from the taxing unit under Subsection
1-24 (a)(4)(B) of this section <an appraisal by a real estate appraiser
2-1 who is a member in good standing of a nationally recognized
2-2 professional appraiser society or trade organization that has an
2-3 established code of ethics, educational program, and professional
2-4 certification program,> but in no event less than $50,000
2-5 valuation, except in counties with populations of less than 110,000
2-6 <250,000> persons by the most recent federal census, the amount for
2-7 applicants in said counties shall be $10,000, the condition of the
2-8 trust being that the property may be sold to satisfy any final
2-9 judgment forfeitures that may be made in bonds on which the
2-10 licensee is surety after such notice and upon such conditions as
2-11 are required by the Code of Criminal Procedure<, 1965, as amended,>
2-12 in bond forfeiture cases; the board shall file the deeds of trust
2-13 in the records of each county in which the property is located, and
2-14 the applicant shall pay the filing fees.
2-15 (3) If the licensee is a corporation, it shall furnish
2-16 to the sheriff an irrevocable letter of credit as a cash equivalent
2-17 to satisfy any final judgment of forfeiture that may be made on any
2-18 bonds on which the corporate licensee is surety.
2-19 SECTION 2. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply
2-20 only to a bondsman license that is initially issued or renewed on
2-21 or after the effective date of this Act.
2-22 (b) A bondsman license issued before the effective date of
2-23 this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date that the
2-24 license was issued, and the former law is continued in effect for
2-25 that purpose, until the date of renewal of the license.
2-26 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
2-27 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-1 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-2 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-3 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-4 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.