Latest Legislation Headlines

All the headlines from our Legislation Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Former CIAB Head Supports Federal Reforms

Apr 1 2004 // Albert R. Counselman, a past chairman of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, told a House subcommittee that Congress needs to take action to remove the burden of multiple state regulatory requirements on...

National Flood Program Renewal Targets Repeat Victims

Apr 1 2004 // Insurance premiums would be raised for homeowners in flood-prone areas who refuse to relocate or floodproof their homes under legislation that advanced toward a Senate vote this week. The bill, which has cleared the Senate...

Fla. CFO Joins Legislative Leaders to Push for Consumers’ Bill of Rights

Apr 1 2004 // A South Florida family reportedly lost their homeowners insurance after their mortgage company failed to pay premiums from escrow. Another Floridian from Tampa was denied insurance coverage on a home he was purchasing...

Insurance Scoring Legislation Sent to Iowa Governor

Apr 1 2004 // Iowa is the first state this year to pass credit-based insurance scoring legislation based on the National Conference of Insurance Legislators’ (NCOIL) model act. The governor is expected to sign the legislation, the...

Former Mass. Official D’Amato Heads Consumer Group

Mar 31 2004 // A former director of the State Rating Bureau (SRB) within the Massachusetts Division of Insurance and frequent critic of the industry and its regulators has signed on to be executive director at the Center for Insurance...

N.Y., Conn. Reps. File Ground Zero Worker Health Bill

Mar 31 2004 // U.S. Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) have filed legislation they say will significantly improve the way the federal government has responded to the health care needs of September 11...

State Insurance Regulation Harmful to Consumers, Trade Group Tells Congress

Mar 31 2004 // The state insurance regulatory system hurts consumers because it is clogged with so much red tape, inefficiency and unnecessary rules, the American Insurance Association (AIA) said at a House subcommittee hearing...

Md. Governor Signs Isabel Relief Fund Into Law

Mar 30 2004 // Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. yesterday signed into law emergency legislation to provide housing relief for Maryland victims of Hurricane Isabel. The legislation establishes a new emergency housing program, Hurricane...

Study Backs Dual Regulation of Life Industry

Mar 30 2004 // A 10-month study by researchers at the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst finds that federal action is needed to prompt needed improvements in the regulation of the life insurance...

N.C. Senate Candidate Signs Pledge Backing Medical Liability Reform

Mar 29 2004 // The North Carolina Chapter of Doctors for Medical Liability Reform announced that Congressman Richard Burr, currently running for U.S. Senate, has signed their pledge supporting federal legislation that would limit...

Agents Lobby to Renew, Reform National Flood Program

Mar 26 2004 // Members of the Independent Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA) testified before a Senate committee to make a case for renewal and reform of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Bill Stiglitz, an agent with...

Amendment to ‘Model Regulation’ Opens Door for Insurance Agents, Consumers, Life Settlement Industry

Mar 26 2004 // Consumers’ rights received a boost last week when a key committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) approved an amendment to that group’s Model Regulation (for settlements). The...

Norwood & Assoc. Adds Capitol Veterans

Mar 26 2004 // The Sacramento-based lobbying firm of Norwood & Associates announced that Michael Mattoch and Peter Conlin have joined the firm. Mattoch, formerly chief consultant and counsel to the California Assembly Insurance...

Oklahoma Senators Spar Over Workers’ Comp Bill

Mar 25 2004 // Oklahoma Senate Republican leaders made a case in a news conference at the State Capitol that the Senate’s Democrat leadership is refusing to allow a committee chairman access to a landmark workers’...

PCI Says N.J. Auto Reform ‘On the Right Track’

Mar 24 2004 // A bulletin from the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America praised New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey’s announcement Monday of three new automobile insurance reforms. The recently adopted measures will...

Pa. State Senators Reintroduce Lawsuit Reform Measure: ‘Joint and Several Liability’ Legal Doctrine

Mar 24 2004 // Pennsylvania State Senators Hal Mowery (R-31) and Jeff Piccola (R-15) reacted on Wednesday to recent challenges in the courts by introducing for the second time a major lawsuit reform measure that replaces “joint and...

N.Y. Gov. Pataki Offers WC Reform Package

Mar 23 2004 // Governor George E. Pataki, at the Business Council’s Small Business Day in Albany, unveiled a plan to reform New York’s Workers’ Compensation system. Pataki’s plan would reduce workers’...

Judge Denies Motion to Hold Silverstein in Contempt

Mar 23 2004 // Although Judge Michael Mukasey indicated that his testimony wasn’t credible, he refused to hold Larry Silverstein, the head of Silverstein properties, the master leaseholder of the WTC, in contempt over remarks he...

AIA Opposes Legislation to Ban Use of Credit-based Insurance Scores in Colo.

Mar 23 2004 // A proposal to ban use of credit-based insurance scores (HB 1292) would do severe harm to, and cause unintended consequences for, Colorado consumers, according to the American Insurance Association (AIA). “Removing...

Calif. Commissioner Issues Workers’ Comp Rate Proposal

Mar 23 2004 // Calif. Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi made the following statement regarding his issuance of a rate proposal to ensure that workers’ compensation reform savings are passed on to employers: “During the...