Bounty Hunter Accountability and Quality Assistance Act of 1998 - Directs the Attorney General to develop model guidelines for the State control and regulation of bounty hunters, including recommendations regarding whether: (1) a person seeking employment as a bounty hunter should be required to submit to a fingerprint-based criminal background or should not be allowed to obtain such employment if he or she has been convicted of a Federal or State felony; (2) bounty hunters and their employers should be required to obtain adequate liability insurance for actions taken in the course of performing such duties; and (3) State laws should provide for the official recognition of bounty hunters from other States and should prohibit bounty hunters from entering any private dwelling without first knocking on the front door and announcing their presence. Requires published guidelines to include an analysis of their estimated effect on: (1) the cost and availability of bail; and (2) the bail bond agent industry.

Directs the Attorney to publish model guidelines in the Federal Register.

Bounty Hunter Accountability and Quality Assistance Act of 1998 - Directs the Attorney General to develop model guidelines for the State control and regulation of bounty hunters, including recommendations regarding whether: (1) a person seeking employment as a bounty hunter should be required to submit to a fingerprint-based criminal background or should not be allowed to obtain such employment if he or she has been convicted of a Federal or State felony; (2) bounty hunters and their employers should be required to obtain adequate liability insurance for actions taken in the course of performing such duties; and (3) State laws should provide for the official recognition of bounty hunters from other States and should prohibit bounty hunters from entering any private dwelling without first knocking on the front door and announcing their presence. Requires published guidelines to include an analysis of their estimated effect on: (1) the cost and availability of bail; and (2) the bail bond agent industry.

Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to require the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to give priority in awarding drug control and system improvement (Byrne program) grants to States that have adopted the model guidelines.

Directs the Attorney to publish model guidelines in the Federal Register.

Bounty Hunter Accountability and Quality Assistance Act of 1998 - Authorizes: (1) an association of bail enforcement employers designated by the Attorney General to submit to the Attorney General fingerprints or other approved methods of positive identification on behalf of any applicant for a State license or certificate of registration as a bail enforcement officer or employer; and (2) the Attorney General, for licensing and employment purposes, to exchange identification and criminal history records with the State governmental agencies to which the applicant has applied.

Directs the Attorney General to: (1) submit to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees a report on the number and disposition of submissions made by the association; and (2) publish in the Federal Register model guidelines for the State control and regulation of persons employed or applying for employment as bail enforcement officers. Requires such guidelines to include recommendations of the Attorney General regarding whether a person seeking employment as a bail enforcement officer should be: (1) allowed to obtain such employment if that person has been convicted of a felony offense under Federal law or of any offense under State law that would be a felony if charged under Federal law; (2) required to obtain adequate liability insurance; or (3) prohibited, if acting in the capacity of that person as a bail enforcement officer, from entering any private dwelling, unless that person first knocks on the front door and announces the presence of one or more bail enforcement officers.

Amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to require the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance to give priority in awarding drug control and system improvement (Byrne program) grants to States that have adopted the model guidelines.

Considers a bail enforcement officer, whether acting as an independent contractor or as an employee of a bail enforcement employer on a bail bond, to be the agent of that employer for liability purposes.