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HB302 ENROLLED
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HB302
7B15HVV-3
By Representative Brown
RFD: Boards, Agencies and Commissions
First Read: 21-Jan-26
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First Read: 21-Jan-26
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to bail and surety bonding; to amend Sections
15-13-112, 15-13-159, 15-13-160, 15-13-201, 15-13-202,
15-13-203, 15-13-205, 15-13-210, 15-13-211, and 15-13-217,
Code of Alabama 1975; to require the Supreme Court of Alabama
to require qualifying power of attorney documents issued by a
professional surety company to be attached to all bail bond
forms; to require a professional surety bondsman to be
licensed for at least three years before he or she could own
his or her own professional surety company; to require circuit
clerks to report the authorized professional bail bond
companies within 30 days of the close of annual
recertification; to provide that a professional bail company
may only guarantee payments to the court through an escrow
agreement; to define the terms "apprentice" and "employee"; to
extend the apprentice license expiration to 180 days; to
require 19 or 20 year old apprentice bondsmen to complete an
instructional course; to provide that judges and clerks
appointed by the Governor to the Alabama Bail Bonding Board
may be presently serving, supernumerary, or retired; to
provide for the appointment of one serving sheriff and one lay
person to be appointed by the Governor to the Alabama Bail
Bonding Board; to remove the requirement that a chair and vice
chair be elected each time a new member is appointed to the
Alabama Bail Bonding Board; to impose late fees on renewal
applications; to provide an additional late fee for license
renewal fees paid after the deadline; to require bondsman
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renewal fees paid after the deadline; to require bondsman
license applicants to be a resident of this state; to provide
a process for placing a bondsman license in inactive status
and reverting to active status; and to make nonsubstantive,
technical revisions to update the existing code language to
current style.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 15-13-112, 15-13-159, 15-13-160,
15-13-201, 15-13-202, 15-13-203, 15-13-205, 15-13-210,
15-13-211, and 15-13-217, Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to
read as follows:
"§15-13-112
The Supreme Court of Alabama shall prescribe the
different forms used for bail bonds and shall publish the
forms in the Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure. The supreme
court shall require an original qualifying power of attorney
to be attached to all bail bond forms. The original qualifying
power of attorney shall: (i) be issued by a professional
surety company; and (ii) specify the names of all agents that
may execute and bind the company to a bail undertaking and any
applicable limitations of the agents. The Supreme Court supreme
court may change the forms from time to time as the court
deems necessary but the forms and their terms shall conform to
the terms of this chapter or any other laws of the State of
Alabama."
"§15-13-159
(a) No professional surety company shall execute or
become surety on any appearance bond in this state, unless it
has an order granting authorization to become professional
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has an order granting authorization to become professional
surety on any bail. The order granting the authorization shall
be reissued annually, prior to January 1 of each year, by the
presiding circuit judge of the county in which the company
desires to execute bail or appearance bonds. Prior to the
judge's issuance of the original order and no later than
December 1 of each year, thereafter, professional surety
companies shall submit annually to the presiding circuit judge
the following:
(1) An original or certified copy of a certificate of
authority or certificate of compliance from the Department of
Insurance reflecting that the company is qualified to write a
bail line of insurance and that the company is in good
standing with the department.
(2) An original qualifying power of attorney issued by
the professional surety company, specifying any applicable
limitations and the names of the agents that may execute and
bind the company to a bail undertaking. The qualifying power
of attorney shall not name any company, corporation, or other
entity as an agent except a person as defined as a
professional bondsman in Division 1, Section 15-13-100, and
that person shall be an agent of the company licensed with the
Department of Insurance.
(3) A copy of the license issued by the Department of
Insurance of each agent who is named in or appointed by the
qualifying power of attorney in subdivision (2) or a letter or
other documentation from the department indicating that the
appointed agents are temporarily licensed as agents of the
professional surety company for those lines of insurance.
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professional surety company for those lines of insurance.
(4) An affidavit or certification in writing, under
oath, executed by a licensed agent of the professional surety
company who is the manager or an owner or president of a
corporation, company, partnership, or other entity that
represents the professional surety company, filed with the
clerk of the circuit court of each county in which the
professional surety company executes or becomes surety on
appearance bonds, stating the following:
a. That all appearance bonds shall be executed in the
name of the professional surety company as surety by the
agents listed or appointed in the qualifying power of attorney
presented to the court or any other qualifying powers of
attorney filed with the circuit clerk of the county.
b. That all agents listed or appointed in the
qualifying powers of attorney shall be licensed by the
Department of Insurance, prior to their appointments.
c. That any agency, company, corporation, or other
entity that represents the professional surety company in the
county, has no owners or other persons having a direct or
indirect financial interest in such agency, company,
corporation, or other entity, that have been convicted of a
felony or a crime involving moral turpitude. If any
person individual having a direct or indirect financial
interest in such agency, company, corporation, or other entity
has been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral
turpitude, then the affidavit or certification shall certify
that there has been such conviction, providing the name of the
person individual convicted, and certify that the
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person individual convicted, and certify that the
person individual convicted has been pardoned or has had a
restoration of civil rights.
d. That the professional surety company has no
knowledge of forfeitures or delinquent bail bond posting fees
that have been final for more than 30 days and that have not
been paid to the clerk of the court arising out of surety
undertaking, and that the professional surety company has no
petitions, motions, or other litigation matters pending.
e. That no agents of the professional surety company
who have the authority to execute appearance bonds in its
behalf or any person having a financial interest, direct or
indirect, in the ownership or management of any agency,
company, corporation, or other entity that represents the
professional surety company in the execution of appearance
bonds, is an attorney, a judicial official, a person
authorized to accept an appearance bond, or an agent of an
attorney, judicial official, or person authorized to accept an
appearance bond.
f. The names and addresses of all persons, officers,
employees, and agents of the agency, company, corporation, or
other entity that represents the professional surety company
becoming surety on appearance bonds who have a direct or
indirect financial interest in the agency, company,
corporation, or other entity representing the professional
surety company and the nature and extent of each interest.
g. That those persons stated in this section have not,
within a period of two years, violated any provisions of this
chapter or any rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Alabama
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chapter or any rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Alabama
in accordance with this chapter.
(5) A copy of the current license issued by the Alabama
Professional Bail Bonding Board pursuant to the Alabama Bail
Bond Regulatory Act, Article 8.
(b)(1) Not more than 30 days after the presiding
circuit court judge of the county issues the order granting
authorization to professional surety companies, the circuit
clerk shall prepare a list of authorized surety companies. The
list shall include all of the following information:
a. The name of each authorized surety company.
b. The name of each owner attached to each authorized
surety company.
c. All final forfeitures and bail bond posting fees
owed to the court by each surety company which are more than
30 days past due.
(2) The circuit clerk shall submit the list of
authorized surety companies to the presiding judge of the
circuit and the Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board.
(c) A professional surety bondsman may not own a
professional surety company until he or she has been licensed
as a professional surety bondsman for at least three years. If
the owner of a professional surety company dies or becomes
completely incapacitated, as determined by the board, his or
her professional surety company may be sold to an unlicensed
individual. The unlicensed individual shall have 90 calendar
days, from date of purchase, to obtain a license and shall
employ a minimum of one employee who has been licensed for at
least three consecutive years. "
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least three consecutive years. "
"§15-13-160
(a) No professional bail company shall execute or
become surety on any appearance bond in this state, unless the
company has an order granting authorization to become
professional surety on any bail. The order granting
authorization shall be reissued annually prior to January 1 of
each year by the presiding circuit judge of the county in
which the company desires to execute bail or appearance bonds.
Prior to the judge's issuance of the original order and no
later than December 1 of each year, thereafter, professional
bail companies shall submit annually to the presiding circuit
judge the following:
(1)a. An original corporate surety bond or escrow
agreement, filed and approved by the presiding circuit judge
of the county in which the professional bail company executes
or becomes surety on appearance bonds, in the amount of
twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), guaranteeing the
payment of all sums of money that may become due by virtue of
any judgment absolute that may be rendered against the
professional bail company on a forfeiture entered by any court
in the county. Corporate surety bonds shall be executed only
by a surety company that at the time is operating and
authorized to do business in the this state and qualified to
write bonds by the Department of Insurance. The corporate
surety bond shall provide that it may be cancelled as to any
future liability by the corporate surety company or the
professional bail company by giving 30 daysdays' prior written
notice of the cancellation to the clerk of the circuit court
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notice of the cancellation to the clerk of the circuit court
in which the bond or instrument was filed. A bank in this
state shall be a party to all escrow agreements, and those
agreements shall provide that the agreement may be cancelled
as to any future liability only by the professional bail
company and bank by giving 30 daysdays' prior written notice
of the cancellation to the clerk of the circuit court in which
the escrow agreement or instrument is filed. Once a
professional bail company has filed an original continuous
corporate surety bond or escrow agreement with the circuit
clerk and it has been approved by the presiding circuit judge,
then the professional bail company does not have to file any
other original continuous corporate surety bond or escrow
agreement upon annual recertification. The professional bail
company shall submit an original certificate from the
insurance company that executed the corporate surety bond
reflecting that it is still in force or an original letter
from the bank stating the escrow agreement is still effective
and the monies are still held in trust. When any professional
bail company is annually recertifying, the circuit clerk shall
send the original corporate surety bond or original escrow
agreement with any cancellations received by the circuit clerk
to the presiding circuit judge for review and approval.
b. Any new original corporate surety bond or escrow
agreement made on or after September 1, 2023 October 1, 2026 ,
in a county with a population of 200,000 or more, shall
require a surety bond or an escrow agreement in the amount of
fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) one hundred thousand dollars
($100,000) . Any new escrow agreement made on or after October
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($100,000) . Any new escrow agreement made on or after October
1, 2026, in a county with a population of less than 200,000,
shall require an escrow agreement in the amount of fifty
thousand dollars ($50,000). This paragraph does not affect any
corporate surety bond or escrow agreement made before
September 1, 2023 October 1, 2026 . Current escrow agreements
and corporate surety bonds shall remain at twenty-five
thousand dollars ($25,000) for any renewal thereafter. If a
professional bail company transfers its escrow agreement to a
different bank with the court's approval, the escrow rate
shall remain the same.
(2) An original qualifying power of attorney, letter,
or other document issued by the professional bail company
specifying any applicable limitations and specifying the
agents who are authorized to execute and bind the professional
bail company to a bail undertaking or to appearance bonds. The
qualifying power of attorney, letter, or other document may
only name persons as agents.
(3) An original affidavit or certificate in writing,
under oath, executed by an owner or officer of a professional
bail company, to the clerk of the circuit court of the county
in which the professional bail company shall execute or become
surety on appearance bonds which contains all of the
following:
a. That all appearance bonds shall be executed in the
name of the professional bail company as surety by the agents
listed or appointed in the qualifying power of attorney,
letter, or other document presented to the court or any other
person so named in any future qualifying powers of attorney,
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person so named in any future qualifying powers of attorney,
letters, or documents filed with the circuit clerk of the
county.
b. That the professional bail company is qualified to
do business in this state and its resident address.
c. That the professional bail company has sufficient
financial net worth to satisfy its obligations as a surety.
d. That no person having a direct or indirect financial
interest in the professional bail company has been convicted
of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any person having a direct
or indirect financial interest in the bonding business has
been convicted of a felony or a crime involving moral
turpitude, then the person making the certification shall
certify that there has been a conviction, provide the name of
the person convicted, and certify that the person convicted
has been pardoned or has had a restoration of civil rights.
e. That the professional bail company has no knowledge
of any forfeiture or delinquent bail bond posting fees that
hashave been made final for more than 30 days and that hashave
not been paid arising out of surety undertakings and as to
which the professional bail company has no petitions, motions,
or other litigation matters pending.
f. That there are no persons, including employees,
agents, or persons with a financial interest in the
professional bail company, who, within a period of two years,
violated this chapter, or any rules adopted by the Supreme
Court governing the qualifications of professional surety or
bail companies.
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bail companies.
g. That no employee, agent, or any other person having
a direct or indirect financial interest in the professional
bail company is an attorney, a judicial official, a person
authorized to accept an appearance bond, or an agent of an
attorney, judicial official, or person authorized to accept an
appearance bond.
h. The names and addresses of all officers, employees,
and agents of the professional bail company who have a direct
or indirect financial interest in the professional bail
company and the nature and extent of each interest.
(b)(1) Not more than 30 days after the presiding
circuit court judge of the county issues the order granting
authorization to professional bail companies, the circuit
clerk shall prepare a list of authorized bail bond companies.
The list shall include all of the following information:
a. The name of each authorized bail bond company.
b. The name of each owner attached to each authorized
bail bond company.
c. All final forfeitures and bail bond posting fees
owed to the court by each company which are more than 30 days
past due.
(2) The circuit clerk shall also submit the list of
authorized bail bond companies to the presiding judge of the
circuit and the Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board.
(c) A professional bondsman may not own a professional
bail company until he or she has been licensed as a
professional bondsman for at least three years. If the owner
of a professional bail company dies or becomes completely
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of a professional bail company dies or becomes completely
incapacitated, as determined by the board, his or her
professional bail bond company may be sold to an unlicensed
individual. The unlicensed individual shall have 90 calendar
days, from date of purchase, to obtain a license and shall
employ a minimum of one employee who has been licensed for at
least three consecutive years."
"§15-13-201
For the purposes of this article, the following terms
shall have the following meanings:
(1) APPRENTICE. Any individual working directly for and
under the direct supervision of a fully-licensed professional
bail bondsman, professional surety bondsman, or recovery
agent, who is engaged in the bail bond or professional surety
business, and who has been granted an apprentice license by
the board.
(1)(2) BOARD. Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board.
(3) EMPLOYEE. a. Any individual who engages in the
performance of any of the duties of or for a professional bail
company or professional surety company, including, but not
limited to, clerical, stenographic, investigative, or
administrative duties, or any other work or responsibilities
under the contract of hire, express or implied, oral or
written, where the employer has the authority or right to
control or direct the employee in how the duties, work, or
responsibilities are carried out or performed.
b. The term includes any individual who has
communication or interaction with potential or actual
customers and any individual who is working as an apprentice.
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customers and any individual who is working as an apprentice.
c. The term does not include any person whose bail
bondsman license has been revoked.
(2)(4) PROFESSIONAL BAIL COMPANY. A person, individual
proprietor, partnership corporation, or other entity, other
than a professional surety company, that furnishes bail or
becomes surety for a person on an appearance bond and does so
for a valuable consideration.
(3)(5) PROFESSIONAL BONDSMAN. Any individual or agent
who is employed by a professional bail company or professional
surety company to solicit and execute appearance bonds or
actively seek bail bond business for or on behalf of a
professional bail company, including any individual who has a
direct or indirect ownership interest in a professional bail
company.
(4)(6) PROFESSIONAL SURETY BONDSMAN. Any individual who
is employed by a professional surety company to solicit and
execute appearance bonds or actively seek bail bond business
for or on behalf of a professional surety company, including
any individual who has a direct or indirect ownership interest
in a professional surety company.
(5)(7) PROFESSIONAL SURETY COMPANY. An insurance
company, domestic or foreign corporation, or association
engaged in the business of insurance, or a surety with a bail
line of insurance to which has been issued a certificate of
authority or certificate of compliance by the Department of
Insurance to execute appearance bonds or bail bonds in
criminal cases in the state.
(6)(8) RECOVERY AGENT. Any individual, other than an
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(6)(8) RECOVERY AGENT. Any individual, other than an
attorney or law enforcement officer, utilized by a
professional surety company, professional bail company, or
professional bondsman to apprehend a defendant who was
released on bail and who violated the terms of his or her
bail."
"§15-13-202
(a) An individual may not hold himself or herself out
to the public as a professional bondsman or a professional
surety bondsman, operate as a recovery agent, or use any term,
title, or abbreviation that expresses, infers, or implies that
the individual is licensed as a professional bondsman unless
the individual at the time holds a valid license as a
professional bondsman as provided in this article.
(b) All applicants shall pass an examination, unless
exempted by this article, based on criteria established by the
Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board and established under
Section 15-13-203 and shall comply with the continuing
education requirements established by this article.
(c) The board may issue an apprentice license, which
expires 120180 days after issuance, to any applicant who
satisfies all criteria for licensure except passing the
examination. The board may require an applicant for licensure a
license as an apprentice to sign an affidavit, on a form
provided by the board, attesting that the applicant has no
felony convictions. An apprentice license shall only be issued
once, and a licensee who has previously possessed a
professional license may not receive a subsequent apprentice
license. The board, by rule, may also provide an age exception
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license. The board, by rule, may also provide an age exception
to allow any applicant who is 19 or 20 years of age to work as
an apprentice until he or she reaches the age of 21 years of
age. Before the expiration of his or her apprentice license,
an apprentice who is 19 or 20 years of age shall complete an
eight-hour continuing education instructional course conducted
by an educational provider approved by the Alabama
Professional Bail Bonding Board, at no cost to the apprentice.
The board may charge a fee, not exceeding fifty dollars ($50),
for an apprentice license.
(d) An apprentice may perform all duties without direct
supervision, except for the apprehension of a fugitive. An
apprentice shall have his or her license available at all
times. "
"§15-13-203
(a) The Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board is
created to administer and enforce this article. The board
shall consist of all of the following members:
(1) Seven professional bondsmen, one from each of the
seven congressional districts of the state, nominated by the
Alabama Bail Bond Association and appointed by the Governor
from a list of not more than four nominees for each position
on the board. For the initial terms of office, the President
of the Alabama Bail Bond Association shall be the professional
bondsman member of the board who represents the congressional
district in which he or she resides. Each professional
bondsman member appointed to the board shall be the owner of a
professional bail bond company with at least five years of
experience. Except as otherwise provided, no two professional
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experience. Except as otherwise provided, no two professional
bondsman members shall reside in the same congressional
district. If no professional bondsman is available for
nomination by the Alabama Bail Bond Association for a
congressional district, the Alabama Bail Bond Association
shall provide a list of four professional bondsman nominees
from the state at large at-large to the Governor for that
congressional district, and the Governor shall appoint one of
those nominees to fill that position on the board.
(2) One serving circuit, district, or municipal court
judge, who is presently serving, supernumerary, or retired,
nominated by the Alabama Bail Bond Association and appointed
by the Governor from a list of four nominees.
(3) One serving circuit or municipal court clerk, who
is presently serving, supernumerary, or retired, nominated by
the Alabama Bail Bond Association Alabama Circuit Clerks
Association and appointed by the Governor from a list of four
nominees.
(4) One serving sheriff, nominated by the Alabama
Sheriff's Association and appointed by the Governor from a
list of four nominees.
(5) One lay person, nominated by the Alabama Bail Bond
Association and appointed by the Governor from a list of four
nominees.
(b) The appointments to the board shall be for terms of
four years. The nominating and appointing authorities shall
coordinate their nominations and appointments so that
diversity of gender, race, and geographical areas is
reflective to assure the membership is inclusive and reflects
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reflective to assure the membership is inclusive and reflects
the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic
diversity of the makeup of this state. Vacancies shall be
filled by appointment of the Governor for the unexpired
portion of the term.
(c) The board, pursuant to the Alabama Administrative
Procedure Act, Chapter 22 of Title 41, shall adopt and enforce
reasonable rules as the board determines necessary to
effectively and efficiently carry out its official duty of
licensing and regulating professional bail bond companies and
professional bondsmen.
(d) Each member of the board shall receive travel and
per diem compensation for expenses incurred in the conduct of
official duties while attending meetings and transacting the
business of the board, in accordance with applicable state
travel and per diem paid to state employees. The compensation
of members shall be paid from funds available to the board in
the same manner as other expenses are paid."
"§15-13-205
At the initial meeting of the board and each time a new
member is appointed to the board , the members of the board
shall select from among their members a president chair to
preside over meetings of the board, a vice president chair to
preside in the absence of the president chair, and a
secretary."
"§15-13-210
(a) An application and all information on an
application for licensure a license pursuant to this article
shall be treated as confidential and shall be filed with the
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shall be treated as confidential and shall be filed with the
board on forms prescribed by the board. The application shall
include all of the following information of the applicant:
(1) His or her full name.
(2) His or her date of birth.
(3) All residences during the immediate past five
years.
(4) All employment or occupations engaged in during the
immediate past five years.
(5) A list of convictions and pending charges involving
a felony or misdemeanor in any jurisdiction.
(b)(1) On or before September 1 each year, the board
shall send an email reminder to each licensee stating that the
last day for submitting an application for a license renewal
is September 30 of that year.
(2) Failure to submit a renewal application by
September 30 shall result in a late application fee of one
hundred twenty-five dollars ($125). "
"§15-13-211
Each individual applicant shall meet all of the
following criteria, demonstrating that he or she:
(1) Is at least 21 years of age.
(2) Has not been declared by any court of competent
jurisdiction as incompetent by reason of mental defect or
disease unless a court of competent jurisdiction has
subsequently declared the applicant competent.
(3) Has not been convicted of a crime of moral
turpitude, with the board having the final determination on
the interpretation of moral turpitude.
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the interpretation of moral turpitude.
(4) Has not been convicted of a felony.
(5) Has successfully completed pre-licensure pre-license
education administered by an educational provider approved by
the board.
(6) Has been a resident of this state for at least one
year, as demonstrated by the applicant's Alabama driver
license or Alabama nondriver identification card. "
"§15-13-217
(a) A professional bondsman, professional surety
bondsman, or recovery agent commencing business in any
judicial circuit in this state on and after June 1, 2020,
shall attend a 16-hour instructional course conducted by an
educational provider approved by the board and pass an
examination approved by the board and administered by an
educational provider approved by the board. Upon completion of
the course and passage of the examination, the individual
shall be awarded a pre-licensure pre-license examination
certificate by the board, copies of which may be submitted to
the presiding circuit judge, or other judicial authority,
along with the other requirements set forth in Section
15-13-159 or Section 15-13-160. Those professional bondsmen,
professional surety bondsmen, and recovery agents doing
business immediately prior to June 1, 2020, are exempt from
the initial instructional course and examination.
(b) Unless exempted pursuant to subsection (i), a
professional bondsman, professional surety bondsman, or
recovery agent making an annual filing in any circuit in this
state pursuant to Section 15-13-159 or Section 15-13-160 on
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state pursuant to Section 15-13-159 or Section 15-13-160 on
and after March 1, 2020, shall first complete eight hours of
continuing education conducted by an educational provider
approved by the board. A professional bail company owner, who
is at least 55 years of age and has five years of experience
in the profession, shall only be required to complete four
hours of continuing education. The educational provider
approved by the board shall provide the board with the name of
all professional bondsmen, professional surety bondsmen, or
recovery agents completing eight hours of continuing
education. Upon completion of the eight hours of continuing
education, the individual shall request issuance of an annual
continuing education certificate from the board, copies of
which may be submitted to the presiding circuit judge along
with the other requirements set forth in Section 15-13-159 or
Section 15-13-160.
(c) The instructional course, examination, or
continuing education courses shall be taught or sponsored by
an educational provider approved by the board, which must
apply annually for authority to offer such examination or
courses.
(d) A list of approved course providers shall be
published on the website of the board.
(e) The cost of the instructional course shall be set
by the approved course provider but shall not exceed five
hundred dollars ($500) per course. Upon completion of the
instructional course, the approved course provider shall issue
an instructional course completion certificate in a form
approved by the board. This completion certificate, along with
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approved by the board. This completion certificate, along with
the application fee, must be presented to the board in order
to take the pre-licensure pre-license examination. An
instructional course completion certificate shall be valid for
a period of 12 months.
(f) The cost of continuing education courses shall be
set by the approved course provider but shall not exceed
seventy-five dollars ($75) per hour. Any fee required to be
paid by a course provider for reporting continuing education
course completion to the board may be added to the maximum
charges provided in this subsection.
(g) Each professional bondsman, professional surety
bondsman, and recovery agent must renew his or her
certification with the board by completing eight hours of
approved continuing education prior to September 30 each year.
Late renewal within the next 12 months may be had by
completing the eight hours of continuing education and paying
a renewal license fee of twice the amount otherwise required.
If a professional bondsman, professional surety bondsman, or
recovery agent fails to renew a certification for a 12-month
period, the professional bondsman, professional surety
bondsman, or recovery agent will be required to take the
instructional course and examination to again become
certified.
(h) The board, by rule, shall set the fees to be paid
to the board in the administration of this section, not to
exceed the maximum amounts set forth below:
(1)a. Application fee for a professional bondsman,
professional surety bondsman, or a recovery agent, a
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professional surety bondsman, or a recovery agent, a
nonrefundable fee to be paid to take the examination and for
the issuance of the pre-licensure pre-license examination
certificate, per examination attempt: Up to five hundred
dollars ($500).
b. Application fee for a professional bail company or a
professional surety company, a nonrefundable fee to be paid
for the issuance of an initial license: Up to five hundred
dollars ($500). Payment of this fee does not alleviate the
requirement that each individual professional bondsman,
professional surety bondsman, and recovery agent be licensed
under this chapter.
(2)a. Annual license renewal fee for a professional
bondsman, professional surety bondsman, or recovery agent, to
be paid to receive the annual continuing education
certificate: From fifty dollars ($50) up to five hundred
dollars ($500).
b. Annual license renewal fee for a professional bail
company or a professional surety company, to be paid to
receive the renewal license: Up to one hundred dollars ($100).
(3) A late fee to be charged for any late license
renewal. The late fee shall be equal to the amount of the
license renewal fee.
(4) Renewal of an inactive license: Up to one hundred
dollars ($100). The renewal is subject to the following
requirements:
a. A licensee may place their license into inactive
status at anytime and renew the inactive license during the
renewal period.
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renewal period.
b. Failure to renew an inactive license will result in
a late fee added to the license renewal fee equal to the
amount of the license renewal fee.
c. The licensee may revert to active status once they
pay for an active license, pass a background check, and
complete the continuing education requirements.
(i) Any professional bondsman or professional bail
company owner who, on August 1, 2021, is at least 65 years of
age and has 15 years of experience in the profession, shall be
exempt from the continuing education requirements of this
article.
(j) The board shall adopt rules necessary to carry out
this section."
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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1, 2026.
________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Representatives
________________________________________________
President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
House of Representatives
I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
was passed by the House 26-Feb-26, as amended.
John Treadwell
Clerk
Senate 08-Apr-26 Amended and Passed
House 09-Apr-26 Concurred in Senate
Amendment
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