Representatives in Missouri have proposed HB 1182, which would repeal a $2,000-10,000 surety bond requirement for textbook publishers.
Section 170.081 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, the current surety requirement for textbook publishers, currently reads:
“To insure compliance with the conditions under which school textbooks may be sold in the state of Missouri, the publisher shall file with the state board of education a bond of not less than two thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars, to be approved by the state board and the amount to be fixed by it; upon compliance with this and sections 170.071, 170.131 and 170.141, the publisher shall thereupon be licensed to sell school books in this state.”
If the State of Missouri decides to eventually remove this surety requirement, publishers would not need to post a financial guarantee of compliance when entering into textbook contracts. However, a different form of required insurance may come about in the wake of this law’s removal.
HB 1182, sponsored by District 001 Representative Craig Redmon, was referred on January 30, 2014, to the Missouri House of Representatives Rules Committee.
According to a summary of the committee, as posted on the state’s website, “The Committee on Rules shall formulate and present for consideration the rules of the House; shall consider and report upon all propositions to amend or change the rules, which propositions shall stand referred without reading or consideration and without discussion, explanation, or debate to the Committee on Rules, and upon any bill which merits special consideration.”
At this point in time, state representatives chosen to review all forms of proposed legislation are determining which sections of HB 1182 to keep moving forward and which sections to eliminate. If the Rules Committee does not consider Section 170.081 necessary for removal, the current law will remain intact.
To follow the development of this story, check Legiscan or future Surety Bond Insider posts for updates. For more information about Missouri surety bonds, call 1 (800) 308-4358 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. CST or contact us online 24/7.