Surety Bond News

Anyone dealing with motor vehicle dealers in Virginia is going to be affected by this new legislation. The new law is named HB 1838 and caps the amount that can be reimbursed in a claim against a motor vehicle dealer’s bond; it’s now capped at $20,000. The previous law capped the amount to be recovered at the full amount of the bond, which is $50,000.

Surety bonds help separate legitimate businesses from disreputable ones. When a company cannot or avoids obtaining bonds needed to run a legal business, it’s usually a bad sign. (more…)

Several public officials in the state of Utah no longer need to worry about surety bonds. The new bill, labeled HB 40, terminates multiple public official bond requirements and allows certain officials to be covered under the State’s Risk Management Fund. Make sure to check with the state to find out which public officials are included in this bill.

Texas debt management service providers must follow new surety legislation. The new law is titled SB 141 and requires debt management service providers to obtain a surety bond in a quantity equivalent to the average daily balance of the trust account holding funds for Texas consumers over a six-month period before the bond is issued. SB 141 states that the initial surety bond must be $50,000 if the provider doesn’t hold money paid by a consumer for distribution to creditors. The new law also requires the surety who writes the bond to be “A-” rated from a nationally known rating service.

South Dakota enacted a new bill concerning grain warehouseman. The new bill is named HB 1016 and declares that claims can only be made against a grain warehouseman or grain buyer’s bond if the individual informs the Public Utilities Commission, which must specify that it’s not taking an action against the surety bond.