This section limits how much bail bond business a license holder or surety may carry based on posted security, and lets the holder raise the limit by adding security.
Sec. 1704.203. BAIL BOND LIMIT; ADDITIONAL SECURITY. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (d), a license holder who holds a license originally issued before September 1, 1999, may not execute, and a person may not accept from the license holder, a bail bond that, in the aggregate with other bail bonds executed by the license holder in that county, results in a total amount that exceeds 10 times the value of the security deposited or executed by the license holder under Section 1704.160. (b) A county officer or an employee designated by the board shall maintain for each license holder the total amount of the license holder's current liability on bail bonds. (c) A license holder may not execute a bail bond if the amount of the license holder's current total liability on judgments nisi in that county equals or exceeds twice the amount of security deposited or executed by the license holder under Section 1704.160. (d) A license holder, at any time, may increase the limits prescribed by this section by depositing or executing additional security. (e) This section does not apply to a license holder that is a corporation. (f) A bail bond surety who holds a license originally issued on or after September 1, 1999, and who: (1) has been licensed for fewer than two years or has had a license under this chapter suspended or revoked may not execute, and a person may not accept from the license holder, bail bonds that in the aggregate exceed 10 times the value of property held as security under Section 1704.160(a)(1)(A) plus five times the value of property held in trust under Section 1704.160(a)(1)(B); (2) has been licensed for at least two years and fewer than four years may not execute, and a person may not accept from the license holder, bail bonds that in the aggregate exceed 10 times the value of property held as security under Section 1704.160(a)(1)(A) plus six times the value of property held in trust under Section 1704.160(a)(1)(B); (3) has been licensed for at least four years and fewer than six years may not execute, and a person may not accept from the license holder, bail bonds that in the aggregate exceed 10 times the value of property held as security under Section 1704.160(a)(1)(A) plus eight times the value of property held in trust under Section 1704.160(a)(1)(B); or (4) has been licensed for at least six years may not execute, and a person may not accept from the license holder, bail bonds that in the aggregate exceed 10 times the value of property held as security under Section 1704.160(a)(1)(A) plus 10 times the value of property held in trust under Section 1704.160(a)(1)(B). (g) If a bail bond surety is subject to Subsection (f)(1) because the person has had a license under this chapter suspended or revoked and is also subject to Subsection (f)(2), (3), or (4), the prohibition imposed by Subsection (f)(1) controls. Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 14.506(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.