CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE NEW BAIL AGENT LICENSE PERIODS?
As you may know, Assembly Bill 2782 (the Insurance Omnibus Bill) became law on
January 1, 2011 and changed the periods for bail agent licenses. From the number
of calls we’ve already received, it is clear that implementation of the new law
is confusing and may not have been well explained by the Department of
Insurance. CDI is still trying to modify its computer systems to implement the
changes, so you might expect some delays in getting their systems straightened
out.
Among other insurance issues, AB2782 changed the license period for bail agent
licenses from one to two years. But, its implementation is a little more complex
than it might appear. It is best explained by considering that there are two
categories of licensed agents – those who held valid licenses as of January 1,
2011 and those who obtain their license after January 1, 2011.
Agents Holding Valid Licenses On January 1, 2011
If you held a valid bail agent license on January 1, 2011, your current
license expired at Midnight on June 30, 2011. If you completed six (6) hours of
continuing education and paid your renewal fees prior to June 30, 2011, your new
license will be valid for two years, expiring on June 30, 2013. If you keep it
renewed regularly it will expire on June 30 of each odd-numbered year into the
future.
Starting July 1, 2011, you will be required to completed twelve (12) hours of
continuing education every two years to meet the continuing education
requirement for renewing your license. While CDI “encourages” you to complete
six hours of CE every year, you can complete your twelve hours any time in that
two year period.
Agents Obtaining A New License After January 1, 2011
If you obtain your new bail agent license on or after January 1, 2011, your
license will be valid for two years and will expire on the last day of the month
in which your license was issued. For example, if your license was issued on May
5, 2011, your license will expire on May 31, 2013. In another example, if you
obtained your new license on March 3, 2012, your license will expire on March
30, 2014.
When you get your first bail license, you will be required to complete only six
(6) hours of continuing education and pay the renewal fees to renew your license
for the next two year period. From then on like everyone else you will have to
complete twelve (12) hours of continuing education before your license
expiration date to meet the CE requirements for license renewal for the coming
two year period. In other words, after receiving your first new bail agent
license, for only your very first two year license period you will have to
complete only six (6) hours of CE. Then, like everyone else, you will need to
complete twelve (12) hours of CE every two years.
In Summary
Yes, it is confusing but CDI shunned input from the bail community during the
writing of this bill and this is exactly how they wanted the new law to read.
Attached is a
document from CDI explaining the new license periods as well as a
document we
received from CDI when we asked about the requirements for first time
license renewals.
If you have any questions, you can contact CDI’s licensing bureau at 916-492-3035.
If you are unable to obtain help there, please call us and we will contact CDI staff
directly on your behalf.
Thanks,
BailCE.com