HB347 Alabama 2013 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Chris EnglandRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2013

Title

Professional Surety Companies and Professional Bail Companies, authority to act as revoked upon commission of specified acts, professional bail companies required to notify presiding judge of arrest of certain persons affiliated with the company, Sec. 15-13-163 am'd.

Summary

HB347 would let Alabama revoke professional surety and professional bail companies' authority for specified acts and require reporting arrests of affiliated personnel to judges and prosecutors.

What This Bill Does

The bill adds grounds to revoke or suspend a professional surety/bail company's authority for certain misconduct; it requires the company to notify the presiding judge and the district attorney in writing within 72 hours if any affiliated person is arrested for a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude, including specific details; noncompliance triggers automatic suspension and possible cross-jurisdictional revocation, and certification can be revoked across all jurisdictions. It also expands the grounds for revocation under Section 15-13-163 to cover failures to cooperate, submit documents, or other listed violations, and takes effect on the first day of the third month after governor approval.

Who It Affects

• Professional bail companies, professional surety companies, and their employees/agents/owners with a financial interest in the company; they could lose their authority or be suspended for specified misconduct and must notify authorities of arrests.
• Presiding judges and district attorneys in counties where the company is certified; they receive arrest notifications, and they or the DA can move to revoke certifications.

Key Provisions

• Provision authorizes revocation or withholding of authority to act as a professional surety or bail company for specified acts and violations of law, expanding grounds under amended Section 15-13-163.
• Provision requires professional bail companies to notify the presiding judge and district attorney in writing within 72 hours of any arrest of an affiliated person for a felony or crime involving moral turpitude, with detailed information; failure to notify triggers automatic suspension and cross-jurisdictional revocation; the judge cannot lift suspension until the charged person is separated from the company; the DA may move to revoke certification.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Crimes and Offenses