South Carolina General Assembly
121st Session, 2015-2016

Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format

A240, R272, H4931

STATUS INFORMATION

General Bill
Sponsors: Reps. Gambrell, Gagnon, Bannister, Mitchell and Thayer
Document Path: l:\council\bills\agm\18875ab16.docx
Companion/Similar bill(s): 1138

Introduced in the House on February 11, 2016
Introduced in the Senate on March 17, 2016
Last Amended on May 24, 2016
Passed by the General Assembly on June 1, 2016
Governor's Action: June 5, 2016, Signed

Summary: Continuing education for bondsmen

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   2/11/2016  House   Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 89)
   2/11/2016  House   Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry 
                        (House Journal-page 89)
   3/10/2016  House   Committee report: Favorable Labor, Commerce and Industry 
                        (House Journal-page 22)
   3/16/2016  House   Amended (House Journal-page 49)
   3/16/2016  House   Read second time (House Journal-page 49)
   3/16/2016  House   Roll call Yeas-107  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 51)
   3/17/2016  House   Read third time and sent to Senate 
                        (House Journal-page 12)
   3/17/2016  Senate  Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 15)
   3/17/2016  Senate  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry 
                        (Senate Journal-page 15)
   3/22/2016  Senate  Recalled from Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry 
                        (Senate Journal-page 5)
   3/22/2016  Senate  Committed to Committee on Banking and Insurance 
                        (Senate Journal-page 5)
   4/14/2016  Senate  Committee report: Favorable with amendment Banking and 
                        Insurance (Senate Journal-page 11)
   5/12/2016  Senate  Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 32)
   5/24/2016  Senate  Amended (Senate Journal-page 28)
   5/24/2016  Senate  Read second time (Senate Journal-page 28)
   5/24/2016  Senate  Roll call Ayes-40  Nays-3 (Senate Journal-page 28)
   5/26/2016  Senate  Read third time and returned to House with amendments 
                        (Senate Journal-page 175)
    6/1/2016  House   Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled 
                        (House Journal-page 90)
    6/1/2016  House   Roll call Yeas-96  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 91)
    6/2/2016          Ratified R 272
    6/5/2016          Signed By Governor
   6/10/2016          Effective date 06/05/16
   6/13/2016          Act No. 240

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

2/11/2016
3/10/2016
3/16/2016
4/14/2016
5/12/2016
5/24/2016


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

(A240, R272, H4931)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 38-53-85, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO EDUCATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL BONDSMEN, SURETY BONDSMEN, AND RUNNERS, SO AS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HOURS OF EDUCATION REQUIRED FOR LICENSURE AND FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Education and continuing education requirements increased

SECTION    1.    Section 38-53-85 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 38-53-85.    (A)(1)    An applicant for a license to work as a professional bondsman, surety bondsman, or runner must complete not less than thirty hours of education in subjects pertinent to the duties and responsibilities of a professional and surety bondsman or runner, including all laws and regulations related to being a professional or surety bondsman or runner. A written examination must be administered at the conclusion of the course work. An applicant must pass the examination before he can be licensed.

(2)    A person licensed as a professional bondsman, surety bondsman, or runner annually must complete not less than eight hours of continuing education in subjects related to the duties and responsibilities of a professional and surety bondsman or runner before his license may be renewed. The continuing education courses may not include a written or oral examination. The eight-hour annual requirement is in addition to the twenty-four hour continuing education requirement for surety insurance agents required in Section 38-43-106.

(B)    A person licensed as a professional bondsman, surety bondsman, or runner before the effective date of this section is not required to complete the requisite thirty hours of education but must complete eight hours of continuing education courses to have his license renewed.

(C)    The South Carolina Bail Agent's Association or another group or association approved by the Department of Insurance to provide educational courses to bondsmen must establish an educational curriculum for bondsman licensure. The department must approve the courses offered and ensure that the courses meet the standards for education established by this section and the department. The course work requirement for licensure may not be satisfied by a mail order course. The department also must approve a written examination to be administered by a group that provides educational courses administered at the conclusion of the thirty-hour course work.

(D)    A person who falsely represents that he has met the educational requirements of this section is subject, after being afforded notice and an opportunity for a due process hearing by the Administrative Law Court, to the penalty provided in Section 38-53-340.

(E)    A professional bondsman, surety bondsman, or runner who is more than sixty years of age and who has at least twenty years of licensure is exempt from the continuing education requirements in this section.

(F)    The director shall establish rules and regulations for the effective administration of this section."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 2nd day of June, 2016.

Approved the 5th day of June, 2016.

__________


This web page was last updated on June 28, 2016 at 4:49 PM