BILL ANALYSIS
By: Talton
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Counties regulate bail bond agents in two ways. Counties with a population of 110,000 or more, or counties with a smaller population that choose to create a Bail Bond Board, regulate bail bond agents by a statutory Bail Bond Board comprised of county officials and private persons designated under current law. In non-Bail Bond counties, the sheriff regulates bail sureties. In a Bail Bond Board County, a license holder must complete eight hours of continuing education within the previous two years. Non-Bail Bond Counties have no such requirement. C.S.H.B. 2767 requires bail bond agents who work in non-Bail Bond Board counties to complete the continuing education requirements that sureties in Bail Bond Board must take.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 2767 requires bail bond agents who work in non-Bail Bond Board counties to complete the continuing education requirements that sureties in Bail Bond Board must take. C.S.H.B. 2767 also grants alleged misdemeanor offenders the same rights as alleged felony offenders.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
C.S.H.B. 2767 modifies the original to amend SECTION 2 to correct current law instead of previous law. C.S.H.B. 2767 clarifies a drafting error.