48-5-156. Surety’s right to demand release from future liability; office vacated by failure to provide new bond; liability of new surety.

The surety on the bond of the tax collector or tax commissioner shall also have the right to report the failure to account for the default alleged by the commissioner or the county governing authority to the Governor and to demand a release from future liability on the bond of the tax collector or tax commissioner. The Governor, upon such demand, shall order the tax collector or tax commissioner to make a new bond or bonds within a time to be set, not exceeding 30 days. Upon the tax collector’s or tax commissioner’s default in so doing, the Governor shall declare the officer removed and the office vacant. Upon the office being declared vacant or upon the new bond being given, the moving surety shall be discharged from all future liability. Unless the Governor requires that the sureties on the new bond shall assume concurrent liability with the sureties on the old bond, the sureties on the new bond shall be liable only for future defaults and the sureties on the old for the preexisting defaults.