§ 5745 — Suspension or nonrenewal of license for unpaid bail forfeitures

(a) General rule.--If the court of common pleas for the county where the bail bondsman is authorized to conduct business has been unable to collect unpaid forfeitures after a period of six months or if a penalty is warranted under section 5750(c) (relating to third-party sureties), the court, upon petition of the county solicitor or district attorney, shall issue an order directing the department to:

(1) prohibit the renewal of a license of the bail bondsman; or

(2) immediately suspend the license of the bail bondsman.

(b) Notice to bail bondsman and insurer.--Prior to the issuance of an order to suspend or nonrenew a license, the bail bondsman and insurer who issued the qualifying power of attorney shall both be given advance notice by certified mail, return receipt requested. The notice shall specify all of the following:

(1) The amount of forfeitures and penalties under section 5750(c)(2)(i), if applicable.

(2) How, when and where the notice can be contested.

(3) That the grounds for contesting the notice shall be limited to mistakes of fact. Mistakes of fact shall be limited to errors in the amount of forfeitures owed or mistaken identity of the bail bondsman as the person who was subject to the bail forfeiture order.

(4) That an order to the department to automatically suspend or nonrenew the license will occur in all cases 30 days after delivery of the notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, unless the amount of forfeitures and penalties, providing the basis for issuance of the order, is paid, a periodic payment schedule is approved by the court or the individual is excused from payment due to a mistake of fact.

(c) Order.--The following shall apply:

(1) Thirty days after the issuance of the notice, if the bail bondsman has not paid the amount of forfeitures and penalties, the court shall direct or cause an order to be issued to the department to suspend or deny renewal of a license. Upon receipt, the department shall immediately comply with the order or directive. The department shall have no authority to stay implementation of the order or to hold a hearing except in cases of mistaken identity. A copy of the order issued by the court shall be served upon the bail bondsman and insurer by certified mail, return receipt requested.

(2) To contest an order, the bail bondsman or insurer must appear before the court no later than ten days after issuance of the order. The grounds for contesting shall be limited to mistakes of fact. If it is determined, after a hearing by the court, that a mistake of fact has occurred, the action shall be modified accordingly within ten days.

(3) A person whose license has been suspended or not renewed by the department pursuant to this section is prohibited from engaging in the business of a bail bondsman in any county in this Commonwealth.

(d) Implementation.--The department may promulgate regulations necessary for the administration of this section.

(e) Construction.--This section shall apply in addition to the provisions of Article VI-A of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.789, No.285), known as The Insurance Department Act of 1921, and shall supersede any conflicting provision in any other state law unless the provision specifically references this section and provides to the contrary.

(f) Immunity.--The court, department, county solicitor, district attorney or an employee of any of these entities, or any person appointed by these entities, shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability for carrying out its duties under this section.

Legislative History

(July 2, 2015, P.L.110, No.16, eff. 120 days) 2015 Amendment.See section 12 of Act 16 of 2015 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to licensure as insurance producer. Cross References.Section 5745 is referred to in section 5750 of this title.