BAIL AGENT'S INDEPENDENT LEAGUE OF ... - BAIL Florida

BAIL AGENT’S INDEPENDENT LEAGUE OF FLORIDA, INC.
B.A.I.L. FLORIDA
Volume 10 ~ Issue 2 Fall 2008
THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
By Ann Teague
Bail Florida is proud! In less than ten years we have passed extraordinary
pro-bail legislation. As a recap, we passed the bill about not
releasing a person charged with a dangerous crime on non-monetary bail
(public funds). We were members of the Blue Ribbon Panel, which
rewrote Chapter 648. We fought and defeated the 20% Bond Premium
Tax. We stopped the clerks from having fines and court costs subtracted
from our remissions, after a heads up from Randy Parton. We passed
legislation setting separate bonds per charge, making sure only court
costs would go into judgment if a forfeiture had been set aside. We
changed the forfeiture due date from 35 days to 60 days. We also
passed legislation that added acquittal and with-holding adjudication of
guilt, to the conditions that satisfy/discharge bonds.
This year was no different. This is probably our most important bill yet.
It is the Citizen’s Right to Know bill. This is part of a movement that will
go from state to state. This bill will let us know how our tax dollars are
being spent in pre-trial programs. The bill will hold the pre-trial programs
accountable and force them to keep records on their clients. It will let
the public know how many of the clients are indigent, how many fail to
appear, or fail the program and how much this is costing us. This bill will
help us shine the light on pre-trial programs that take advantage of our
tax dollars, and don‘t offer much in return.
The bill was well received in Tallahassee, passing all committees; both
house and senate without delay. During the month of June while we
patiently waited for Governor Christ to sign it into law, concerns popped
up, out of thin air. We began a letter writing campaign, (including
members of FSAA and their lobbyist) to urge the Governor to listen to us
tax payers and sign the bill. He did. Our latest bill went into law on July
1, 2008. Is your county’s pre-trial release program in compliance?
The need for changes and additions to our bail laws came from you. Bail
agents from every corner of Florida provided Bail Florida with their
concerns and needs. Then because bail agents aren’t just whiners, you
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provided ideas and formulas for solutions. The Legislative committee of Bail Florida
listened closely.
The committee drafted bills, rewrote legislation, changed, tweaked and adjusted the
words. They sought out legislative sponsors. They introduced these sponsors to the
world of bail. Taught them, directed them and explained the need for the legislative
changes.
Our committee also had to spread that knowledge and the need for change to the
legislative committee members; senators and congressmen. They did the same with the
members of the clerks association, the state attorney association, the public defender
association, court administration association, sheriff’s association and all of their
lobbyists. They did that face to face, year after year in Tallahassee.
The Legislative committee of Bail Florida has done this nine years out of the ten years
we have been around. Know what? We were successful 8 out of the 9 times we went to
Tallahassee with your ideas.
Was the ‘climate right for legislative changes?’ Do we dare open up 903 or 648?
Obviously the climate was right for change, and we daringly opened 903 and 648 - a few
times!
The climate is right when you have Bail Agent Big Mike Nefzger as your Legislative
Chairperson. It’s right when you have some of the more ‘can do’ and ‘lets get it done’
minds of bail helping every step of the way. Mike Alexander, Janet Collins, Dan Amato,
Ed Sheppard, myself and a few others have been on the committee over the years. The
climate is right when you have a brilliant lobbyist in your corner. Ron Book knows bail,
he knows Tallahassee, he knows how to get it done. Year after year, after year. Proud?
You bet.
Did You Know ...
… that when Florida was declared as an
official state in 1845, its population was
only 57,921, in 2007 it was 18,251,243.
… if you lined up the oranges produced in one
year in Florida, they would reach to the
moon and back, four times!
...that after the Civil War, Alabama rejected
an offer to buy the Florida panhandle for a
million dollars.
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Join us at the
B.A.I.L. FLORIDA MEETING
on September 24, 2008
at the
Seminole Hard Rock
Hotel & Casino
5223 N. Orient Road, Tampa, FL 33610, (866) 502-7529
Schedule of Events
Monday, September 22nd: Continuing Education ~ 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
903 Revisited
Tuesday, September 23rd: Continuing Education ~ 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
FDFS Rules & Clerk’s Best Practices
Wednesday, September 24th: 10:00 am ~ County Liaison Meeting
1:00 pm - 5:00 pm ~ General Meeting
Board Meeting following General Meeting
For directions and more information check out our website, www.bailflorida.com
We hope to see you there!
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It is time to begin anew.
Creating a New Association
By Janet Collins
FSAA has thirty plus years of successes. Bail Florida can boast ten years of great success as
well. However, associations can get as stale as a crust of bread lost and left under your
kitchen refrigerator for eternity.
At our May meeting, it was decided that we would form a committee to look into building a
new association. From the Bail Florida side we wanted form a new association with the
understanding that the two current associations would cease to exist.
If this feels like an instant replay, it sort of is. We met last year with members of FSAA to
work on forming a new association. We made significant head way and stalled on only three
points. They were; choice of lobbyist, the need for an executive director and the name of
the association. Sounds like a divorce mediation right?
Fast forward to the summer of 2008. Two members from each association met in Orlando
to hammer out the foundation of a new association, with the understanding that both
current associations would be dissolved.
The meetings of the hardest headed members of these two sides have been fruitful.
Seriously fruitful. We were able to lay down some by-laws, at least enough so that we have
something to present to our current association membership.
I was proud of the way we took the best parts of FSAA and Bail Florida, and meshed them
together with Dan Amato’s creative ideas on the Board of Directors. From a Bail Florida
angle, I know the agents will be happy with their representation in the by-laws and that the
insurance companies will be better pleased with their representation. No more taxation
without representation!
I suppose I can expose who the hard heads were, not necessarily in order of hardness.
From FSAA, Dave Valentine, Wanda Zuma, and from Bail Florida, Dan Amato and myself.
We will present the potential bylaws at our meeting on September 24 th at the Seminole Hard
Rock Casino in Tampa. ‘Hard Rock’ seems appropriate.
The short fortune teller who
escaped from prison was
a small medium at-large!
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Continuing Education
Florida Department of Financial Services Provider # 31361
Membership in BAIL Florida entitles you to 7 hours of continuing education for
each year that you are a member. Class cost for all others: $100.00 per 7 hours.
Upcoming Classes
TAMPA
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
5223 North Orient Road, (866) 502-7529
Monday, September 22, 2008
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Chapter 903 Revisited
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
9:00 am to 5:00 pm
FDFS Rules & Clerk’s Best Practices
Check out our website www.bailflorida.com for upcoming classes in your area!
For reservations call Ann Teague at (904) 358-1905.
You may register the day of class, space permitting, at no additional cost.
We would like to thank all of the agents out there who make our classes such a success.
If it were not for you, the agent, BAIL Florida would not be what it is today.
THANK YOU!!
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BAIL FLORIDA
GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
MAY 21, 2008 - NAPLES, FLORIDA
SUBMITTED BY MITCHELL HILBURN, SECRETARY
Meeting called to order by President Ann Teague at 1:15pm.
Pledge of Allegiance led by Sergeant at Arms Michael Alexander
Ann Teague welcomed Guest Philip Muino from Captira.
Secretary’s minutes approved. Ann Teague will rectify problems with Bail Report accessibility online.
Treasurer’s report - Ann Teague for Joann Mahle. Negative balance reflects money owed to lobbyist
Ron Book. It is due whenever we pay it. Report Approved.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
County Liaison - Janet Collins reports that the meeting held earlier this morning was well attended.
Ten counties were represented, each sharing concerns and solutions to ongoing Bail problems.
Publication/Advertising - Janet Collins - The Bail Florida Minutes were not edited last month, but
they will be in the future. Sorry for any mistakes/omissions. On-line Bail Florida minutes should be
available one month before the next meeting. Ann Teague said she will work with Che’ Normandy to
find out why some people cannot access The Bail Report online. Ed Sheppard asked if couldn’t do
color in the report now that it is online. Ann Teague said she would look into that.
Statutory Enforcement - Janet Collins – 1,200 of our brochures were mailed to judges, magistrates,
state attorneys, clerks, etc. these were mailed by Carroll Collins office personnel.
Education - Ann Teague - A Saturday class was tried in Miami, produced 14 new Bail Florida members.
The profit of $15,000; on classes doesn’t include expenses. The total monies of $17,000;
includes membership dues and class fees. On June 2 and 3 Dan Amato will be teaching a class in
Orlando at the La Quinta. More classes will be scheduled to help pay Ron Books fee.
Ed Sheppard asked if enough people could be scheduled in the panhandle to justify a class. Ed said
he will teach it if it can be put together.
Ann Teague thanked the Insurance Companies that contribute rooms etc.
There was general discussion about how to fill 7 hours of class time with the approved class
material. Janet Collins volunteered to teach in Tallahassee and Dan Amato said he would go too.
Mike Nefzger will teach in West Palm Beach.
Legislative - Mike Nefzger - Negotiations with the Clerk’s Office to redo 903 have been going on a
while, but Citizens Right to Know took precedence. This last session was not the worst session we
ever had. No one spoke against us. The legislative committee did an excellent job, we had good
sponsors and the committee chairs were for us. It passed both houses by a wide margin and is
waiting on the Governor’s signature (signed into law as of this printing!). The President of FSAA said
they approve of this bill. Janet Collins asked what happened to the electronic monitoring bill. Mike
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Nefzger said it didn’t make it to committee. Dan Amato said that the probation bill fell by the wayside,
and Ed Sheppard asked why the probation bill receives such flack? Mike Nefzger said no one
talked to DOC about this and they ambushed it. Dan Amato said that the biggest disappointment
was that we couldn’t get anything done on the credit card deal. Government Payment Systems
claimed our actions would eliminate cash bonds Mark Heffernan asked when the Citizens Right to
Know be implemented at the county level? Ed Sheppard said it would be July 1. 2008. Janet Collins
congratulated the Legislative committee for a job well done. Mike Nefzger said we have made a
commitment to the clerks to do 903. Ann Teague said that FSAA has talked about a Blue Ribbon
Panel together. Ed Sheppard said he thinks it is a bad to get bond people and non-bond people
involved.
By-Laws - Michael Nefzger - No report.
Meetings - General Discussion - Ed Sheppard asked if we should meet 2 times a year. Mike Nefzger
said that we would have to meet in January for legislative planning. Ann Teague asked if fewer
meetings would require a change in the by- laws? Mike Nefzger said yes - it wouldn’t take effect
until next year. Also, where haven’t we had a meeting? Janet Collins made a motion to have the
next meeting in Tampa area. Motion Carried.
Membership - Ann Teague said that membership is low, probably because people are waiting to see
if the two associations unite.
Old Business – Unification - Dan Amato said we all know there has been an effort towards reunification.
We all know there should be one Association representing this industry. There has been some
progress and some stumbling blocks. He took it upon himself to e-mail company people asking if
they would support this unification. He got mostly positive responses. So he put together some
talking points, some parameters about how things would be put together. He sent those out and
got no responses either yea or nea or here’s a better idea. So he tabled it. However since then he
has gotten many comments and encouragements about the effort. We’ve got to get beyond the
personality issues. Mike Nefzger said he approached Al Estes about a dual meeting and it went
nowhere. Ann Teague said she was not happy with Dan’s efforts at first because of the company
thing, but we have done a lot for bail in a short period. FSAA at one time said they would change
the name, at one time said they would change the by-laws. Still FSAA is not going to join Bail
Florida. Dan Amato said the companies write the checks, the agents have the money, but they
won’t write the check. Mike Nefzger said it all goes back to the Career agent and the Job agent.
Dan Amato said that what he is doing, he is doing independently. Mark Heffernan said that Bail
Florida has done an extraordinary job, which is reflective of the people here. He joined this association
as a personal favor to Ann Teague, but he can’t write a check to this association because it is
taxation without representation. All by-laws would have to be written to fit insurance companies
into Bail Florida. We are absolutely killing ourselves by being divided. Once electronic continuing
education is implemented by some other entity we are done. Agents will sit at home and takes the
class. Carroll Collins said he was with FSAA for a long time and has bad memories. When agents
wanted to get something done they were never heard. He doesn’t want to go back to that. Mike
Heffernan said that the revenue we dearly need to exist is at risk. If someone else come in and
offers the continuing education online we are done. We could have a couple hundred thousand a
year coming in to influence this industry. Mike Nefzger made a motion that this association supports
the idea of a new entity that consists of the best of both associations. Motion Passed.
New Business - Phillip Muino - Captira Analytical Presentation
Meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.
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It’s Time to Give Back
By Ann Teague
I have been a licensed bail agent for over thirty years and I used to be a taker. I would
send in my dues faithfully each year, but I never gave any of my time. I had a business
to run, and a family to raise, and I was the only licensed agent. I let everyone else
make decisions concerning my industry. However, there comes a time when you have to
stand up and do your share. When Bail Florida was formed, I made a personal commitment
to attend meetings and to do my share of the work.
Is it easy to get away from the office? No. Is it a ‘sacrifice’? Yes. Do I pay for my own
gas, hotel rooms, meals? Yes. Do I enjoy taking on more work? Not really.
Do I find it rewarding? Yes. Have I learned anything? Tons. Have I met some movers
and shakers? Definitely. Have I met some characters? Every chance I get. How do I like
teaching? I love it. In addition, I love meeting you. I try to actively listen to your
concerns, and then really listen for the solutions. I like the exchange of ideas for
improving the way we write bail in Florida.
It is time for those of you sitting on the sidelines to step up to the plate now and start
giving back. In Florida, bail is still a strong entity in our criminal justice system. We
need to keep it that way. It takes energy, people and money to keep it that way. It’s
time to get off the benches and get involved. A great place to start is at our September
24 th meeting at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa; join us at 1:00 pm. Let’s hear
from you!
It is time to give back.
A thief fell in wet cement
and broke his leg.
He became a hardened criminal.
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AHHHH YES….CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
Paraphrased and embellished articles from the
‘Weekly Reader for adults’ THE WEEK
WHO SAYS THIS NEVER HAPPENS? A Missouri, man who could have been released in
2006 on bail, spent the last two years in jail. His lawyer never filed the proper paperwork.
Completely forgotten by the court system, the defendant finally will be going for a
bond hearing this week. Ever heard of ‘time served‘?
THIS ONE STINKS; A Tampa man locked himself in a porta potty, while fleeing the scene
of a crime, he allegedly just committed. The two incensed burglary victims tipped the
portable john over and when the police arrived, they found the occupant covered in the
unflattering contents. His first words? “Oh S---!”
A HUNK OF BURNING LOVE: A Jersey girl set fire to the house of the Jersey boy who did
not ask her to prom. The boy’s family escaped through the windows and the house
burned to the ground. He will definitely ask her to next year’s.
PARTY! PARTY! PARTY! A Wisconsin vice squad raided a high school kegger party, only
to find out that the kegs were filled with root beer. Just to make sure, they administered
90 breath tests, all of which came up negative. Those darn kids!
ONE RINGY DINGY: A judge in NY threw about 40 people in jail a few months ago. That
was the total number of people in ’HIS’ courtroom who would not admit to their cell
phone ringing. Seemed it irritated the judge just a tad.
WHICH WAY TO THE NEAREST CONFESSIONAL? An Italian inmate was granted a papal
audience for being a ‘model prisoner”. He escaped on the way there and hasn’t been
seen since. The officials do not consider him dangerous, just nervy and fast, very fast.
IT WAS HERE JUST A MINUTE AGO, MAN: Police arrested a Kentucky man for pumping
gas into a car that was not there. After they persuaded him to stop pumping into thin
air, they arrested him for carrying two bags of pot and a bunch of Ecstasy. Unfortunately,
he was not arrested for wasting our valuable oil resources. Where were you Mr.
Gore, when we needed you?
THIS IS AN EMERGENCY! A Florida man (yeah, one of ours) called 911 to complain that
Subway had left the sauce off his Italian sandwich. I mean what is a man to do? It was
after calling 911 a second time, complaining police had not responded fast enough that
he was arrested. Which brings us back to the first paragraph.
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Bail Agent’s Independent League of Florida, Inc.
BAIL Florida
Renewal & New Membership Application
___ Bail Agent (2-34) ___ Temp. Agent (2-34) ___ 0-60/Company
Full Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Agency Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address:___________________________________________________________________
City: _____________________________________ State: ___________ Zip: ________________
Business Phone: _______________________________ Fax: ______________________________
Email Address: ____________________________________________________________________
If you are already a member, please give this application to another agent.
I would like to serve on the following committees:
___ Education ___ Legislative ___ Bylaws ___ Meetings ___ Any
1 Year Membership
__ 2-34 Agent (General Member) dues: $ 150.00 ( 7 hours Continuing Education )
__ Industry Associate Member (Insurance Company Employees) dues: $ 150.00
__ Associate Member (Temp Agent) dues: $ 50.00
2 Year Membership
__ 2-34 Agent (General Member) dues: $ 250.00 ( 14 hours Continuing Education )
__ Industry Associate Member (Insurance Company Employees) dues: $ 250.00
Please mail application along with your check to:
BAIL Florida, 112 E. Forsyth Street, Jacksonville, FL 33202
For BAIL Florida use: Dues Paid $ __________ Date __________ Certificate Issued __________
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BAIL AGENT'S INDEPENDENT
LEAGUE OF FLORIDA, INC.
www.bailflorida.com
BAIL Florida Publication Address
P.O. Box 4114
Fort Pierce, FL 34948
Email: CollinsBonding@aol.com
Phone: (772) 461-2245
Fax: (772) 461-3887
President ~ Ann Teague ~ 112 E. Forsyth Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202 ~ (904) 358-1905
Vice President ~ Janet Collins ~ P.O. Box 4114, Fort Pierce, FL 34948 ~ (772) 461-2245
Treasurer ~ Joann Mahle ~ 112 E. Forsyth Street, Jacksonville, FL 32202 ~ (904) 358-1905
Secretary ~ Mitch Hilburn ~ 326 South 2nd Street, Fort Pierce, FL 34950 ~ (772) 461-2420
The Bail Report is a publication of BAIL Florida, articles and advertisements do not necessarily represent
the official policies of BAIL Florida. Advertising is accepted without endorsement.
Bail Report Advertising Rates
Business Card $ 75.00 Three issues 15% discount
1/4 Page $ 125.00
1/2 Page $ 225.00 Additional 10% off for
Full Page $ 400.00 BAIL Florida Members
Inside Cover $ 500.00
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