82R8771 AJZ-F
 
  By: Harless H.B. No. 1823
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the authority of certain persons to execute bail bonds
  and act as sureties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 17.07, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Art. 17.07.  CORPORATION TO FILE WITH COUNTY CLERK POWER OF
  ATTORNEY DESIGNATING AGENT. (a) Any corporation authorized by the
  law of this State to act as a surety, shall before executing any
  bail bond as authorized in the preceding Article, first file in the
  office of the county clerk of the county where such bail bond is
  given, a power of attorney designating and authorizing the named
  agent, agents or attorney of such corporation to execute such bail
  bonds and thereafter the execution of such bail bonds by such agent,
  agents or attorney, shall be a valid and binding obligation of such
  corporation.
         (b)  A corporation may limit the authority of an agent
  designated under Subsection (a) by specifying the limitation in the
  power of attorney that is filed with the county clerk.
         SECTION 2.  Article 17.10, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  A person, for compensation, may not act as a surety on a
  bail bond if the person has been finally convicted of:
               (1)  a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude; or
               (2)  a felony.
         SECTION 3.  A limitation of the authority of an agent under
  Article 17.07(b), Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act,
  is applicable only to a bail bond that is executed:
               (1)  on or after the effective date of this Act; and
               (2)  after the limitation of authority described by
  Article 17.07(b) is filed with the county clerk, as provided by that
  article.
         SECTION 4.  Article 17.10(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, as
  added by this Act, applies only to a person convicted of an offense
  committed on or after the effective date of this Act. A person
  convicted of an offense committed before the effective date of this
  Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was
  committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed
  before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense
  occurred before that date.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.