Senate recognizes “Dog the Bounty Hunter”

The Senate on Tuesday recognized Duane “Dog” Chapman and his wife Beth for their efforts to establish regulations on bail enforcers and bring fugitives to justice. Chapman, formerly the star of the long-running television series, Dog the Bounty Hunter, visited the state Capitol in support of Sen. Ralph Shortey’s Senate Bill 1013, which would create the Bail Enforcement and Licensing Act.

The measure would require all persons acting or engaging in bail enforcement or bail recovery to be certified by the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET).

“The Chapmans have been instrumental in bringing some of the country’s most notorious criminals to justice, and now they are helping the states pass legislation to regulate bounty hunters,” said Shortey, R-Oklahoma City. “I’m grateful for their support of this effort to establish common sense requirements for bail enforcers, who play a very important role in law enforcement. This bill will help guarantee the brave men and women who work in this field are equipped with adequate training for the unique challenges they face.”

Under SB 1013, bounty hunters may be subject to a felony, and a fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for up to three years, if they act without a license. If an unlicensed bounty hunter is also in possession of a firearm or other offensive weapon, an additional $5,000 fine or 3 years imprisonment may be assessed.

The Senate on Tuesday approved Senate Resolution 17, authored by Shortey, recognizing the work of the Chapmans to enact meaningful state regulations for bail enforcers.

“Closing loopholes in this area of the law has been a priority of mine since being elected to the Senate,” Shortey said. “I’m confident my colleagues in the House understand the need to address this issue, and will act quickly to send the measure to the desk of the governor.”

The Senate approved SB 1013 by a vote of 46-0, and the measure was recently advanced by the House Judiciary Committee.