The Colorado Division of Insurance held a Bail Bond Agent Training Session today at the Division offices taught by Paula Sisneros, Director of Compliance and Investigations Unit. The session was designed to educate attendees on the role of the investigations unit and to review bail bond regulations, administrative responsibilities, the paperwork involved in a bail bond transaction, allowable fees and general rules relating to a bail bond transaction. Ms. Sisneros advised attendees that this training was not intended to discuss any particular agent, insurance company, market conduct exam, any ongoing investigation, pending legislation or pretrial release.
Approximately 40 agents and surety company representatives were in attendance and many participated in the dialogue as Ms. Sisneros reviewed Title 10, Title 12 and Title 16 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. It is within these statutes where the rules pertaining to bail bonds are found.
Also in attendance was Bryan Jameson, the Policy Analyst for the Colorado Division of Insurance. Mr. Jameson is the person in charge of the upcoming Sunset Review. The purpose of the Sunset Review is not to eliminate bail, but to change the policies and statutes that make compliance problematic. Jameson requested anyone who identifies a problem with the way a law is written to email the problem to him. However, he was very clear that you must be able to substantiate why it is a problem. The Sunset Review will make suggestions to the general assembly on how to change the law to eliminate these problems.
While the class was very fast paced and was only meant as a top level discussion, many agents walked away with a clearer understanding of the requirements and the role of the Compliance and Investigations Unit. Additional classes are scheduled for later this month by the Rocky Mountain Bail Agents Association and the Professional Bail Agents of Colorado. While the RMBA class is reportedly full, the PBAC class has seats available and is open to any agent doing business in Colorado.