HB 1165 -- Bail Bond Agents

Sponsor:  Yates

This bill changes the laws regarding the licensure of bail bond
agents.  In its main provisions, the bill:

(1)  Requires the Department of Insurance, Financial
Institutions, and Professional Registration upon notice of a
forfeiture from a court to notify any bail bond agent who is
listed as having a forfeited bond;

(2)  Requires the license issued to a bail bond agent to include
a photograph of the licensee;

(3)  Requires all bail bond agents to provide the department with
the name, address, and telephone number of each employer for
which they work or contract;

(4)  Requires any newly appointed surety bail bond agent to file
an affidavit with the department stating that all forfeitures or
judgments on previously written bonds have been satisfied;

(5)  Requires all applicants for licensure to be fingerprinted
and have a criminal background check;

(6)  Authorizes the department to have a cause of action brought
against a licensee who has been found guilty of a dangerous
felony or has filed bankruptcy as an owner of a bail bond
business;

(7)  Allows bail bond agents to write bonds in municipal or
circuit courts if the general bail bond agent who employs them is
qualified to write bonds in these courts;

(8)  Allows a bail bond agent to be released from a bond if the
agent can prove that the defendant is incarcerated in another
jurisdiction or it is physically impossible for the defendant to
appear through no fault of the bail bond agent;

(9)  Requires any bail bond agent arrested for a felony to notify
the department of the arrest within 10 days;

(10)  Authorizes the department director to issue a cease and
desist order and bring civil action against a person unlawfully
engaged in the practice of bail bonding; and

(11)  Authorizes the department director to suspend or revoke the
license of a surety recovery agent.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:21 am