Topeka ? A Senate committee on Thursday held off voting on a proposal to tighten regulations on bail bondsmen and bounty hunters.

State Sen. John Vratil, R-Leawood, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, suspended committee work on the legislation after state Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, introduced several amendments to the proposal.

Vratil said he didn’t want the committee voting on the amendments without hearing from interested parties about how those amendments would affect them.

“These are very significant changes to the bill,” Vratil said. “We’ll put it on hold at this point.”

Haley’s amendments would have placed tighter restrictions on surety agents, also known as bounty hunters, than what was already in the bill.

Law enforcement officials have called for a measure to regulate bounty hunters, citing instances where the agents have used heavy-handed tactics to catch bond jumpers.

Haley ‘s proposal would have prohibited surety agents from entering a residence without first explaining why. It also would have prohibited them from wearing a uniform to appear to be a law enforcement officer.

Another amendment would have required that if a surety agent forcibly entered a residence, he or she would have to make sure the residence was secure before leaving.