On behalf of the National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP), a national trade organization of professional surety bond producers and brokers, representing over 5,000 personnel who specialize in surety bonding, whose membership includes licensed resident bond agents and licensed non-resident bond agents in Florida, I am writing you to respectfully request your prompt review of resident agent and Broward County resident agent countersignature requirements concerning the Sunny Lakes Bird Sanctuary, B-11-15, located in Davie, FL.
It has come to my attention that your office is requiring the contract bond be countersigned by the surety’s “resident Florida agent” and also by a “resident agent in Broward County.” This requirement appears in the bid document located in Article 20, “Qualification of Surety.”
However, according to Section §624.425 of the Florida Statutes, the term “resident of this state” was removed in 2004 when the Florida legislature removed the resident agent signature requirement. I have attached, as an exhibit to this letter, a photocopy of the applicable Florida statute, §624.425, and an annotated version, which indicates the history of amendments to this law.
NASBP Letter Addressing Locality Requirements in VA Bid Bond