SB 883 - Currently, the Commissioner of Administration, after consultation with the State Courts Administrator, shall procure any surety bonds required by law and any such surety bonds deemed necessary to protect the state against the acts or omissions of any person within the judiciary that receives compensation by the state. This act provides that the Commissioner, after consultation with the State Courts Administrator, shall procure a blanket bond or crime insurance policy as deemed necessary to protect against acts or omissions of any person within the judiciary that receives compensation by the state. This act further provides that the Commissioner may require and fix the amount of a bond of any officer, employee, or agent of the state who has responsibility for or access to any state money or property, or in which the state may have an interest and who is not otherwise required by law to give a bond. In lieu of individual bonds, the Commissioner may procure blanket bonds or suitable crime insurance policies endorsed to include faithful performance or may assume the risk for any state officers or state employees. Any such bond or policy shall contain such coverage, terms, conditions, limits, and deductibles as deemed adequate by the Commissioner to protect the interests of the state, but not less than the aggregate coverage limits otherwise prescribed by law. This act further provides that procurement of a blanket bond or a crime insurance policy or creation of a self-assumption program shall constitute compliance with any law requiring any officer or employee of the state to be bonded and any such bond, policy, or program shall be paid from the State Legal Expense Fund.
This act is identical to a provision in SS#1/SCS/HCS/HB 1472 (2022), is substantially similar to HB 1708 (2018), HB 1717 (2018), HB 45 (2017), HB 158 (2017), HB 1999 (2016), a provision in HCS/HB 105 (2015), HB 280 (2015), a provision in HCS/HB 2050 (2014), HB 2076 (2014), HB 426 (2013), and HB 1873 (2012), and is similar to a provision in SS#1/SB 997 (2022), HB 1843 (2020), and HB 103 (2019).
KATIE O'BRIEN