Two Okla. Auto Bills Fail to Pass

Two bills that would have increased the cost of auto insurance in Oklahoma died in the state House/Senate conference committees as the 2001 legislature adjourned on May 25.

The National Association of Independent Insurers (NAII) strongly opposed both bills.

SB 578 would have raised the minimum auto insurance liability limits. SB 498 would have prohibited auto insurers from raising rates on policies under which the insurer paid a claim of less than $2,000.

On other fronts, the legislature passed HB 1952, a producer licensing bill that appears to meet the reciprocity requirements of the federal Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act. Gov. Frank Keating signed the bill. The bill did not contain a specific exemption for customer service representatives, as NAII advocated. Oklahoma already licenses such employees. Other bills signed by Keating included:

• SB 545, protecting injured people who receive structured settlements spread over time.

• SB 192, requiring insurers to pay “clean claims” within 45 days after receiving the claim.Bills that died during the session include:

• SB 770, which would have created an administrative system to hear workers’ compensation cases in place of the present court system.

• HB 1357, which would have exempted an employer from liability for paying workers comp if an employee were injured while using or abusing alcohol, illegal drugs or chemicals, or prescription drugs.

• HB 1465, which would have raised from $2,500 to $10,000 the maximum amount of damages awarded for criminal or delinquent acts of a minor.

• HB 1500 authorizing employers to offer optional term life insurance to employees under the Workers’ Compensation Act. The bill also would have set a maximum weekly income benefit of 150 percent of an employee’s average salary if the employer did not provide term life coverage .

• HB 1739, which would have exempted an employer from liability for compensation to an employee who tests positive for abuse of alcohol, illegal or prescription drugs following a workplace accident.

Topics Auto Workers' Compensation Numbers Oklahoma