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The Florida Senate

2011 Florida Statutes

Title XXXVII INSURANCE
Chapter 648 BAIL BOND AGENTS Entire Chapter
SECTION 385
Continuing education required; application; exceptions; requirements; penalties.
F.S. 648.385
648.385 Continuing education required; application; exceptions; requirements; penalties.—
(1) The purpose of this section is to establish requirements and standards for continuing education courses for persons authorized to write bail bonds in this state.
(2)(a) Each person subject to the provisions of this chapter must complete a minimum of 14 hours of continuing education courses every 2 years in courses approved by the department. Compliance with continuing education requirements is a condition precedent to the issuance, continuation, or renewal of any appointment subject to the provisions of this chapter.
(b) A person teaching any approved course of instruction or lecturing at any approved seminar and attending the entire course or seminar shall qualify for the same number of classroom hours as would be granted to a person taking and successfully completing such course, seminar, or program. Credit shall be limited to the number of hours actually taught unless a person attends the entire course or seminar.
(c) For good cause shown, the department may grant an extension of time during which the requirements imposed by this section may be completed, but such extension of time may not exceed 1 year.
(3)(a) Any bail-related course developed or sponsored by any authorized insurer or recognized bail bond agents’ association, or any independent study program of instruction, subject to approval by the department, qualifies for the equivalency of the number of classroom hours assigned to such course by the department. However, unless otherwise provided in this section, continuing education credit may not be credited toward meeting the requirements of this section unless the course is provided by classroom instruction or results in a monitored examination.
(b) Each person or entity sponsoring a course for continuing education credit must furnish, within 30 days after completion of the course, in a form satisfactory to the department or its designee, a written and certified roster showing the name and license number of all persons successfully completing such course and requesting credit, accompanied by the required fee. The department shall refuse to issue, continue, or renew the appointment of any bail bond agent who has not had the continuing education requirements certified unless the agent has been granted an extension by the department.
History.—s. 22, ch. 96-372; s. 15, ch. 2002-260.