45th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2001

RELATING TO INSURANCE; AMENDING SECTION 59A-51-2 NMSA 1978 (BEING LAWS 1984, CHAPTER 127, SECTION 929) TO ADD A DEFINITION OF "SPONSORING BAIL BONDSMAN".

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 59A-51-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1984, Chapter 127, Section 929) is amended to read:

"59A-51-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in [this article] Chapter 59A, Article 51 NMSA 1978:

A. "bail bondsman" means a limited surety agent or a property bondsman as hereafter defined;

B. "insurer" means [any] a surety insurer [which] that is authorized to transact surety business in this state;

C. "limited surety agent" means [any] an individual appointed by an insurer by power of attorney to execute or countersign bail bonds in connection with judicial proceedings and who receives or is promised money or other things of value therefor;

D. "property bondsman" means [any] a person who pledges United States currency, United States postal money orders or cashier's checks or other property as security or surety for a bail bond in connection with a judicial proceeding and receives or is promised therefor money or other things of value; [and]

E. "solicitor" means a person employed by a bail bondsman for the purpose of assisting the bail bondsman in presenting the defendant in court when required, or to assist in the apprehension and surrender of defendant to the court or keeping the defendant under necessary surveillance, and to solicit bail bond business, to sign property bonds, and assist in other conduct of the business all as authorized by the employer bail bondsman. This does not affect the right of a bail bondsman to hire counsel or to ask assistance of law enforcement officers; and

F. "sponsoring bail bondsman" means a bail bondsman licensed pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 59A, Article 51 NMSA 1978."