SRC-SLL H.B. 3456 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 3456
76R12801 GJH-DBy: Hinojosa (Carona)
Criminal Justice
5/13/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Current law requires bail bondsmen to be licensed and regulated by bail
bond boards, but only in counties with a population of at least 110,000
people. Bail bondsmen are otherwise largely unregulated in the 240 counties
with a population under 110,000 people. H.B. 3456 provides regulations for
a bail bondsman to execute bail bonds.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 3456 provides regulations for a bail bondsman to execute
bail bonds.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 6, Article 2372p-3, V.T.C.S. (Licensing and
Regulation of Bail Bondsmen), by amending Subsections (g) and (h) and
adding Subsections (i)-(k), to prohibit a bondsman who holds a license
originally issued before September 1, 1999, from executing bail bonds that
in the aggregate exceed 10 times the value of the property held as security
on deposit or in trust under Subsection (f) of this section, rather than
prohibiting all bondsmen from executing such bail bonds.  Prohibits a
bondsman who holds a license originally issued on or after September 1,
1999 and who meets certain requirements from executing bail bonds in
certain amounts.  Makes conforming changes. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.