Newest Bail Bill: No Felons...For Now

Has the bail bond association turned over a new leaf? I was really surprised to read the latest version of the bail bond association’s proposed legislation in SB459, introduced Wednesday by Senator Shoemyer-D. Although it looked very similar the association’s language in the two insurance bills, (SB153 and HB586) I immediately noticed a change. The association’s new bill repeals the VERY controversial 15-year Lee Clause allowing felons to obtain a bail bond license. The association passed the Lee Clause in a 2004 bill sponsored by Representative Bob Behnen-R, Kirksville. (Back in 2004, the association was led by Jack Allison, Lee Jackson and a few others. Jackson wanted the law amended so that he could get a general bail bond license despite his felony convictions. Behnen’s bill created the 15-year felony clause which allowed Jackson and others with felony convictions to get licensed. It was dubbed the Lee Clause in honor of Jackson’s accomplishment. After the bill became law, Jackson was indicted in federal court on new felony charges for conspiring to murder a competitor and being a felon in possession of a firearm.)

The bail bond bill, (SB459) is sponsored by Allison’s senator, Wes Shoemyer of Clarence. Senator Shoemyer, who took office last month, ran a very aggressive campaign against former state representative Bob Behnen last fall. His campaign televised ads criticizing Behnen for working with felons in the bail bond industry and passing legislation to allow them to write bonds. Shoemyer’s introduced bill repeals the Lee Clause, at least for now. I am told that association lobbyist Steve Carroll opposed the repeal of the Lee Clause, although Shoemyer said he could not include the language because he had just run a campaign criticizing Behnen for the felon provision.

Shoemyer doesn’t support legislation allowing felons in the bail bond business, but he is sponsoring legislation promoted by an association president who hires felons. Allison, who has been president of the association since 2003, lobbies for the association at the Capitol. Until his federal indictment and incarceration, convicted felon Lee Jackson worked for Allison. Donald Christian, convicted of drug charges and facing new drug charges, also works for Allison. Greg Tetro, another Allison agent, is currently under federal indictment on drug charges. Last summer, the Joplin Globe ran a series of articles concerning Jerry Mitzner, a convicted felon in the bail bond business. Mitzner works for Allison. The Globe reported that Allison claimed that the state is wrong about felons being bond agents. He said he knows several who had felony convictions in their backgrounds, that they had paid for their mistakes, and that it was all perfectly legal.

Allison has shown through his statements to the press, his past legislation, and the people working for his bail bond company that he has supported felons in the industry. So, we shall see if he and the association have turned over a new leaf or if they are using Shoemyer and intend to restore the felony language as the bill works its way through the legislature. Watch this bill and see where they stand…..