Okla. Commissioner Explains Changes at Insurance Department

Stringent new ethics rules and the elimination of patronage should limit questions about staff integrity at the scandal-plagued Oklahoma Insurance Department, Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland said in an interview.

Employees cannot accept “even a cup of coffee” from an insurance industry representative, she said. Of the department’s 130 employees, Holland said “15 to 20″ people have left, some because of conflicts of interest and others based on performance issues.

Holland was appointed 13 months ago to finish the term of Carroll Fisher, who resigned to avoid an impeachment trial. A jury found Fisher guilty on Feb. 8 of one count each of embezzlement and perjury for depositing campaign funds into an overdrawn personal account and not disclosing the campaign donation on state campaign reports. He also faces charges of bribery, filing a false income tax return, failure to pay over money to the state and failure to report charitable contributions.

In an interview with The Oklahoman, Holland, 50, said she’s not prepared officially to launch her campaign although the Holland for Oklahoma 2006 committee has raised more than $200,000.

She said employees at her department now have greater access to training and job openings have drawn impressive candidates.

“I do think that is somewhat of a fundamental difference in what has occurred historically in that department,” she said. “My observation when I came on board is the business of our business had not been attended to in some time.”

Holland said the department has tried to put the problems of the past behind it.

“I think it’s evident in the performance that’s taking place in that department,” she said.