Sec. 38a-660j. Prohibited acts.

(a) No surety bail bond agent or insurer shall:

(1) Suggest or advise, in exchange for a fee or other consideration, the employment of or name for employment of any particular attorney to represent the principal on a bail bond;

(2) Solicit business in or on the property or grounds of a correctional institution, community correctional center or other detention facility where arrested persons are confined, or in or on the property or grounds of any courthouse, unless a request is initiated by an arrested person, a person with actual or apparent authority to act on behalf of such arrested person, or a potential indemnitor. For purposes of this subdivision, “solicit” includes the distribution of business cards, print advertising or any other written information directed to arrested persons or potential indemnitors. A correctional institution, community correctional center or other detention facility where arrested persons are confined, police station or courthouse may permit print advertising by a surety bail bond agent or an insurer in or on the property or grounds of such institution, center or facility, police station or courthouse, provided such advertising shall be limited to a listing in a telephone directory and the posting of the surety bail bond agent's name, address and telephone number in a prominent designated location in or on such property or grounds. Nothing in this subdivision shall prohibit a surety bail bond agent or insurer from soliciting business in or on the property or grounds of a police station;

(3) Pay a fee or rebate or give or promise anything of value to a law enforcement officer, judicial marshal, employee of the Department of Correction or other person who has power to arrest or to hold a person in custody, or to any other public official or public employee, to secure a compromise, remission or reduction of the amount of any bail bond or estreatment of bail;

(4) Pay a fee or rebate or give or promise anything of value to an attorney in any matter pertaining to a bail bond, except in defense of any action on a bail bond;

(5) Pay a fee or rebate or give or promise anything of value to the principal or to any person on the principal's behalf;

(6) Participate in the capacity of an attorney at a proceeding of a principal, in violation of section 51-88;

(7) Accept anything of value from a principal for providing a bail bond, other than the premium approved by the commissioner pursuant to chapter 701 and an expense fee, except that the surety bail bond agent may accept collateral security or other indemnity from a principal or other person in accordance with section 38a-660h. A surety bail bond agent may, upon written agreement with a third party, receive a fee or other compensation for returning to custody an individual who has fled the jurisdiction of the court or whose bail bond has been forfeited;

(8) Execute a bail bond in this state on such agent's or insurer's own behalf; or

(9) Write a bail bond in this state for an arrested person if such arrested person or a person with actual or apparent authority to act on behalf of such arrested person has not authorized such agent, in writing, to execute a bail bond on such arrested person's behalf. The surety bail bond agent shall maintain any such written authorization.

(b) If a bail bond executed by a surety bail bond agent is forfeited and such forfeiture has remained unpaid for at least sixty days after the date payment has become due, no such surety bail bond agent or insurer that appointed such agent shall execute a bail bond in this state until the full amount of the forfeited bail bond is paid to the Office of the Chief State's Attorney in accordance with procedures set forth by said office.

(P.A. 11-45, S. 11; 11-152, S. 16.)

History: P.A. 11-152 amended Subsec. (a) to delete “directly or indirectly” re soliciting business and permit solicitation of business within a police station and when request is initiated by person with actual or apparent authority to act for arrested person in Subdiv. (2), delete former Subdiv. (3) that prohibited wearing or displaying certain surety bail bond agent identification, and redesignate existing Subdivs. (4) to (10) as Subdivs. (3) to (9).