22-2809b. Compensated surety; application; authorization by judicial district; continuing education requirements. (a) As used in this section:

(1) "Compensated surety" means any person who or entity that is organized under the laws of the state of Kansas that, as surety, issues appearance bonds for compensation, is responsible for any forfeiture and is liable for appearance bonds written by such person's or entity's authorized agents. A compensated surety is either an insurance agent surety or a property surety.

(2) "Insurance agent surety" means a compensated surety licensed by the insurance commissioner to issue surety bonds or appearance bonds in this state and who represents an authorized insurance company. An insurance agent surety may have other insurance agent sureties working with or for such surety.

(3) "Property surety" means a compensated surety who secures appearance bonds by property pledged as security. A property surety may be a person or entity, other than a corporation, and may authorize bail agents to act on behalf of the property surety in writing appearance bonds.

(4) "Bail agent" means a person authorized by a compensated surety to execute surety bail bonds on such surety's behalf.

(b) Every compensated surety shall submit an application to the chief judge of the judicial district, or the chief judge's designee, in each judicial district where such surety seeks to act as a surety. A compensated surety shall not act as a surety in such judicial district prior to approval of such application.

(1) The application shall include, but is not limited to, the following information for each insurance agent surety, property surety or bail agent:

(A) A copy of the applicant's Kansas driver's license or nondriver's identification card;

(B) a statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the applicant is a resident of this state and is not prohibited by K.S.A. 22-2809a(c), and amendments thereto, from acting as a surety;

(C) a certificate of continuing education compliance in accordance with subsection (f).

(2) The application for each insurance agent surety also shall include:

(A) A copy of the qualifying power of attorney certificates issued to such surety by any insurance company;

(B) a current and valid certificate of license from the insurance department; and

(C) a current and valid certificate of authority from the insurance department.

(3) The application for each property surety also shall include:

(A) A list of all bail agents authorized by such property surety to write appearance bonds on such property surety's behalf and all documentation from such bail agents demonstrating compliance with subsection (b)(1); and

(B) an affidavit describing the property by which such property surety proposes to justify its obligations and the encumbrances thereon, and all such surety's other liabilities. The description shall include a valuation of the property described therein. If the valuation is not readily evident, an appraisal of the property may be required and, if required, shall be incorporated into the affidavit.

(c) A property surety authorized to act as a surety in a judicial district pursuant to subsection (b) shall be allowed outstanding appearance bonds not to exceed an aggregate amount which is 15 times the valuation of the property described in subsection (b)(3). Such property surety shall not write any single appearance bond that exceeds 35% of the total valuation of the property described in subsection (b)(3).

(d) (1) Each judicial district may, by local rule, require additional information from any compensated surety and establish what property is acceptable for bonding purposes under subsection (b)(3).

(2) A judicial district shall not require any compensated surety to apply for authorization in such judicial district more than once per year, but may require additional reporting from any compensated surety in its discretion. If the judicial district does not require an annual application, each compensated surety or bail agent shall provide a certificate of continuing education compliance in accordance with subsection (f) to the judicial district each year.

(3) A judicial district shall not decline authorization for a compensated surety solely on the basis of type of compensated surety.

(e) (1) Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the chief judge of the judicial district, or the chief judge's designee, to authorize any compensated surety to act as a surety in such judicial district if the judge or designee finds, in such person's discretion, that such authorization is not warranted.

(2) If such authorization is granted, the chief judge of the judicial district, or the chief judge's designee, may terminate or suspend the authorization at any time.

(A) If the authorization is suspended for 30 days or more, the judge or designee shall make a record describing the length of the suspension and the underlying cause and provide such record to the surety. Such surety, upon request, shall be entitled to a hearing within 30 days after the suspension is ordered.

(B) If the authorization is terminated, the judge or designee shall make a record describing the underlying cause and provide such record to the surety. Such surety, upon request, shall be entitled to a hearing within 30 days after the termination is ordered.

(3) If an authorized compensated surety does not comply with the continuing education requirements in subsection (f), the chief judge of the judicial district, or the chief judge's designee, may allow a conditional authorization to continue acting as a surety for 90 days. If such compensated surety does not comply with the continuing education requirements in subsection (f) within 90 days, such conditional authorization shall be terminated and such compensated surety shall not act as a surety in such judicial district.

(f) (1) Every compensated surety shall obtain at least eight hours of continuing education credits during each 12-month period beginning on January 1, 2017.

(2) The Kansas bail agents association shall either provide or contract for a minimum of eight hours of continuing education classes to be held at least once annually in each congressional district and may provide additional classes in its discretion. The chief judge in each judicial district may provide a list of topics to be covered during the continuing education classes. A schedule of such classes shall be publicly available. The association shall not charge more than $250 annually for the eight hours of continuing education classes, and the cost of any class with less than eight hours of continuing education shall be prorated accordingly. Any fee charged for attending continuing education classes shall not be increased or decreased based upon a compensated surety's membership or lack of membership in the association.

(3) Upon completion of at least eight hours of continuing education credits during each 12-month period by a compensated surety, the Kansas bail agents association shall issue a certificate of continuing education compliance to such surety. The certificate shall be prepared and delivered to the compensated surety within 30 days of such surety's completion of the continuing education requirements. The certificate shall show in detail the dates and hours of each course attended, along with the signature of the Kansas bail agents association official attesting that all continuing education requirements have been completed.

(4) Any continuing education credits used to comply with conditional authorization pursuant to subsection (e)(3) shall not be applied towards compliance in the current 12-month period or any subsequent 12-month period.

(5) A person operating as a sufficient surety or bail bondsman in the state immediately prior to the effective date of this act shall be deemed to be compensated surety under this act and shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements for a conditional authorization pursuant to this section until July 1, 2017.

History: L. 2016, ch. 85, § 11; July 1.