Transcript Highlights:

• However, as drafted, SB 1209 expands the authority of the California Department of Insurance without
• So that's a regulatory issue or creation of the Department of Insurance, seemingly?
• , which are filed with the Department of Insurance and are public, as the Senator said.
• We have asked repeatedly members of the Department of Insurance whether there are any admitted carriers
• within the Department of Insurance.

Committee: Senate Insurance

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Director for the Department of Insurance.
• We have Deputy Commissioner and Legislative Director for the Department of Insurance.
• I'm Deputy Commissioner and Legislative Director for the Department of Insurance, under the leadership
• The Department of Insurance is aware of instances where flawed aerial imagery led to wrongful cancellations
• They're actually almost not regulated at all by the Department of Insurance.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met as a subcommittee and heard several bills focused on insurance transparency, wildfire mitigation, market access, and workforce issues. AB 75 would require insurers to give homeowners 30 days’ notice before collecting aerial images of their property and allow homeowners to review those images; supporters said it would improve privacy and prevent inaccurate non-renewals, while consumer and industry groups both sought amendments. AB 234 would add the Assembly Speaker and Senate President pro Tem, or designees, as non-voting members on the California FAIR Plan governing committee; the Department of Insurance supported it as an oversight measure, while Consumer Federation of California said it was only a small first step toward broader transparency reforms. AB 428 would let water corporations join joint powers authorities for pooled insurance, with supporters citing rising insurance costs for small water systems and no remaining opposition after amendments. AB 943 would streamline producer pre-licensing education by removing the 20-hour per-line requirement while keeping ethics training; industry sponsors said it would reduce barriers to entry, while consumer advocates warned it could lower professional standards. AB 1209 would create a pathway for cannabis employers to secure workers’ compensation coverage and related services through a state-coordinated network; supporters said it would help bring the industry into compliance, while one member raised concerns about creating a special carveout for a federally restricted industry. AB 1 would require periodic review of the state’s Safer from Wildfire regulations every five years, and it drew broad support from the department, insurers, local governments, and industry groups as a way to keep wildfire mitigation incentives current. The committee also took up a consent calendar including AB 69, AB 487, and AB 570, all of which were sent to Appropriations. The committee approved AB 75 to Privacy and Consumer Protection, AB 234 to the Assembly Floor, AB 428 to Local Government, AB 943 to Appropriations, AB 1209 to Business and Professions, and AB 1 to Appropriations. Most measures passed on strong or unanimous votes after members added coauthor requests and expressed support for the bills’ consumer protection, transparency, or wildfire-related goals.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, as drafted, SB 1209 expands the authority of the California Department of Insurance without
• So that's a regulatory issue or creation of the Department of Insurance, seemingly?
• We have asked repeatedly, members of the Department of Insurance, whether there are any admitted carriers
• issues within the Department of Insurance.
• So they notified the Department of Insurance that day.

Summary: The committee heard three major insurance-related bills. SB 1209 by Senator Allen would give the Insurance Commissioner new authority to require insurers to implement corrective actions found in market conduct and financial exams, with penalties for failure to comply. Supporters, including Commissioner Ricardo Lara and his deputies, said current law leaves CDI without a direct way to compel remediation of repeated violations or obtain needed financial information, while opponents argued the bill expands CDI authority too far, could duplicate existing penalties, and should be limited to legal violations rather than recommendations. After discussion, members and the author agreed to narrow the bill through amendments, including tying it to legal violations, applying penalties per exam rather than per policy, and clarifying accounting language; the committee then passed the bill 5-1 to Appropriations, with one member on call. SB 1301, also by Senator Allen, would reform residential property insurance non-renewals by requiring clearer written explanations, giving homeowners a chance to mitigate correctable issues, and prohibiting certain unfair non-renewal bases such as claims below deductible or claims not paid by the insurer. The author and supporters said Californians face unusually high non-renewal rates and often receive vague notices that make it hard to keep coverage, while opponents warned the bill’s original 180-day notice period and reporting requirements were too burdensome and could worsen availability. Senator Richardson said he would support the bill after the author agreed to reduce the notice period to about three months and continue working on a mitigation-based process; the committee then approved the bill 4-1, with one member on call. The committee also considered SB 1026 by Senator Gonzalez, which would strengthen regulation of bail fugitive recovery agents by allowing CDI to suspend or revoke licenses without a criminal conviction, expanding prohibited conduct, and tightening insurance and appointment requirements. Supporters, including Commissioner Lara, said the 2022 licensing law left loopholes that allow misconduct to continue and that the bill would improve public safety and accountability. Opponents from the bail industry and crime victims groups argued the bill requires unavailable or impractical insurance coverage, including coverage for willful acts, and could reduce the number of recovery agents and delay justice. Members raised concerns about the insurance language and availability, and the author said the bill was still being worked on with opposition; the committee passed it 4-1, with one member on call. Finally, the committee heard SB 982 by Senator Wiener, the Affordable Insurance and Recovery Act, which would let the Attorney General seek recovery from fossil fuel companies for climate-related costs affecting the Fair Plan and private policyholders. The author said Californians are paying rising insurance and disaster costs while fossil fuel companies that contributed to climate change are not, and witnesses from flood and wildfire communities and climate policy experts supported the bill as a way to fund recovery and resilience. Opponents, including business and labor representatives, argued the bill would impose broad liability, invite litigation, and harm jobs and energy affordability. The hearing included extensive testimony, but no vote was taken on SB 982 in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• of insurance.
• Insurance gets treated separate in terms of reconstruction.
• Tony Segerli, Deputy Commissioner of Consumer Services, Department of Insurance.
• We set up what are called insurance villages, usually in partnership with the Department of Insurance
• company could offer to the insured the ability to have 50% of the building insurance, 50% of that covered

Committee: Senate Insurance

Summary: The committee first heard SB 1315 by Senator Cabaldon, the “Drive My Car Act,” which was described as a forward-looking bill aimed at ensuring that owners of vehicles with advanced autonomous or software-driven features retain the right to drive their own cars. Cabaldon explained that, after discussions with stakeholders, the bill would likely be redirected out of the insurance space and into transportation to address concerns about mandatory software updates disabling human driving. Members broadly praised the concept as a timely response to emerging technology, and there was no opposition testimony. The committee voted the bill out on a due pass motion to the Transportation Committee, with members voting aye and the bill held on call until all votes were recorded. The committee then took up SB 876, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, presented by the Insurance Commissioner and supported by the committee chair. The bill was framed as a comprehensive response to wildfire disaster claims problems, especially after the Los Angeles-area fires, and would require more accurate replacement-cost estimates, stronger optional extended replacement-cost coverage, improved building code upgrade coverage, faster claim payments, clearer adjuster communication, pre-disaster emergency response plans, and stronger penalties and restitution for unfair claims handling. Supporters, including United Policyholders, California Environmental Voters, the Los Angeles Mayor’s office, AARP California, and consumer advocates, said the bill would help survivors avoid underinsurance, delays, and repeated trauma in the claims process. Opposition came from several insurance and industry groups, including APCIA, the Personal Insurance Federation of California, the Pacific Association of Domestic Insurance Companies, the Civil Justice Association of California, and the California Building Industry Association. They argued the bill remained too broad, would raise premiums, reduce flexibility, and could worsen availability in an already fragile market, especially because of mandatory coverage expansions and faster payout requirements. Committee members questioned both sides extensively about cost, optional versus mandatory provisions, contents coverage, ALE limits, building code upgrades, and rate-setting timelines. The committee ultimately passed SB 876 as amended to the Judiciary Committee on a due pass motion, with one no vote from Vice Chair Niello and the remaining recorded members voting aye; the bill was held open briefly to add a missing vote before the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• of insurance.
• of insurance.
• Tony Seggerli, Deputy Commissioner of Consumer Services, Department of Insurance.
• We set up what are called insurance villages, usually in partnership with the Department of Insurance
• company could offer to the insured the ability to have 50% of the building insurance, 50% of that covered

Committee: Senate Insurance

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, However, as drafted, SB 1209 expands the authority of the California Department of Insurance
• So that’s a regulatory issue or creation of the Department of Insurance, seemingly?
• We have asked repeatedly, members of the Department of Insurance, whether there are any admitted carriers
• Repeatedly, members of the Department of Insurance, whether there are any admitted carriers that would
• within the Department of Insurance.

Committee: Senate Insurance

Summary: The committee heard testimony on several insurance-related bills. SB 1209 by Senator Allen, sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, would give the Department of Insurance stronger enforcement tools when insurers fail to implement corrective actions identified in market conduct or financial examinations. Supporters said the bill would close gaps that allow repeated violations, improve solvency oversight, and protect policyholders; opponents argued CDI already has broad authority and raised concerns about duplicative penalties, due process, and the bill’s scope. Members discussed amendments to limit the bill to legal violations rather than recommendations, apply penalties per exam rather than per policy, and clarify accounting language. The committee voted to send SB 1209 to Appropriations, with the bill placed on call after a roll vote that included one no vote from Senator Niello. The committee also considered SB 1301, which would require more detailed non-renewal notices for residential property insurance, give policyholders time and information to address correctable issues, and restrict certain non-renewal reasons such as claims below deductible or not covered by the policy. Support came from homeowners, fire survivors, and consumer groups who said notices are often vague and leave families unable to keep coverage; insurers opposed the bill, warning that California’s notice period is already among the longest in the country and that the bill could worsen availability and add burdensome reporting requirements. The author said he was willing to reduce the notice period from 180 days to about three months and work on a mitigation-based process. The committee passed the bill to Appropriations, with Senator Niello voting no and the item placed on call. SB 1026 by Senator Gonzalez would tighten regulation of bail fugitive recovery agents by allowing the Department of Insurance to suspend or revoke licenses without a criminal conviction, adding conduct restrictions, and requiring continuous liability coverage and proper appointment notices. Supporters, including Commissioner Lara, said the bill addresses serious misconduct and loopholes that have led to unsafe conduct and weak oversight. Bail industry representatives and crime victims’ advocates opposed the measure, arguing that the required insurance coverage is unavailable or unlawful as written, that the bill would be hard to comply with, and that it could reduce the number of recovery agents and delay justice. The committee moved SB 1026 to Appropriations, with Senator Niello voting no and the bill placed on call. The committee then heard SB 982 by Senator Wiener, the Affordable Insurance and Recovery Act, which would authorize the Attorney General to sue fossil fuel companies to recover costs tied to climate disasters and insurance losses, with supporters framing it as a way to shift some climate-related costs away from policyholders and taxpayers. The author said amendments would remove retroactivity and delay liability until 2032, while supporters from flood and wildfire survivor groups and climate organizations said the bill would help fund recovery and stabilize insurance costs. Opponents from industry and building trades argued the bill was legally vulnerable, would create a de facto tax or liability scheme, and could harm jobs, energy production, and affordability. Testimony on SB 982 was extensive, but the transcript ends before any committee vote or final action on that bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires the Department of Transportation or appropriate county department, when disposing of a deceased
• </c><00:20:51.120><c> of</c> you thank you Department of you thank you Department of Transportation<00
• </c> insurance makes mandatory suspension of insurance makes mandatory suspension of the<00:22:21.080
• In front of the judge, go get their insurance and return to show proof of insurance.
• </c> Department of Consumer sorry Department Department of Consumer sorry Department of<01:08:31.400>

Keywords: 910, house, all

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met on February 6, 2025, and heard testimony on several transportation-related bills. HB 667 would require DOT or county departments to scan deceased cats or dogs found on public roadways for microchips, record information, and report it to county animal services. DOT said it supported the bill, and the Hawaiʻi Humane Society and others strongly backed it, describing it as important for grieving pet owners. A private citizen also testified in support, saying the measure could help families learn what happened to missing pets. The chair noted there were nine supporters. The committee then heard HB 230 on sending a carbon copy of traffic citations to vehicle owners, followed by HB 77, which would make civil identification cards free to issue or renew. The Attorney General’s office said it had already submitted comments on HB 77, DOT opposed it, and a private citizen supported it as a way to reduce barriers to basic services. HB 668, which would make license suspension mandatory for operating a vehicle without insurance, drew opposition from the Office of the Public Defender and DOT. The Public Defender argued current law already allows suspension and that a mandatory rule would discourage people from obtaining insurance, increase court burdens, and disproportionately affect indigent drivers; the chair emphasized that driving is a privilege and raised concerns about uninsured driving in rural areas. The Public Defender also said it would look into whether state insurance options could help people who cannot get traditional coverage. The committee also took up HB 12, which would bar inspection certificates for mopeds or vehicles modified to increase NOx emissions. DOT offered comments, Citizens Against Noise supported it, and the Motorcycle Industry Council opposed it; the chair noted six additional supporters and ten opponents. HB 169 would raise the minimum age for moped operators from 15 to 16 and increase the helmet requirement age from 18 to 21; DOT supported it, while Moped Doctors, Moped’s Direct, and seven individuals opposed it. HB 220 would require moped operators to carry insurance under motorcycle/motor scooter insurance laws; DCCA offered comments, DOT supported it, and Moped Doctors and ten individuals opposed it. Finally, the committee heard HB 277, which would establish a statewide vehicle pursuit policy for law enforcement agencies. The Policing Project at NYU and the ACLU of Hawaiʻi supported the bill, citing national data on deaths and injuries from pursuits and arguing for a baseline limit on pursuits for minor offenses; the Hawaii Police Department and Maui Police Department opposed it. The committee also heard HB 54, which would make a third or subsequent excessive speeding offense a Class C felony and allow vehicle forfeiture. DOT supported it, while the Public Defender opposed it, arguing the bill was overly harsh, internally inconsistent, and likely to strain courts, law enforcement, and probation systems by turning a traffic offense into a felony with prison exposure and jury-trial rights. No votes or final actions were taken on the measures in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• With us today to testify in support is Josephine Figueroa on behalf of the Department of Insurance and
• Is Josephine Figueroa on behalf of the Department of Insurance and Richard Brer Otis with United Policyholders
• And then it gives our Department of Insurance the tool to collect catastrophe modeling data from insurers
• Figueroa, who's a great public servant in her own right over at our Department of Insurance.
• Tony Signorelli, Deputy Commissioner, Consumer Services, Department of Insurance. That's correct.

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee met to hear several bills related to insurance coverage, wildfire risk, workers’ compensation, and paid family leave. SB 8 by Senator Ashby would extend workers’ compensation and disability protections to Sacramento County park rangers, with testimony emphasizing that they perform law-enforcement-like duties and should receive the same protections as comparable officers. SB 429 by Senator Cortese would create a public wildfire catastrophe model and related wildfire safety program, with support from the Department of Insurance and consumer advocates who said public access to modeling data would improve transparency and help evaluate private insurance risk models. The committee also heard SB 525 by Senator Jones, which would require the FAIR Plan to offer coverage options for manufactured and mobile home owners, including replacement cost coverage. Supporters said the bill would help lower-income residents obtain meaningful insurance protection, while no opposition testified. SB 495 by Senator Allen, as amended, would require insurers to provide a larger contents-coverage advance after a total loss during a declared emergency without requiring an immediate itemized inventory, extend proof-of-loss deadlines, and require insurers to provide catastrophe modeling and reinsurance data to the Department of Insurance. Several insurers withdrew opposition after amendments, and the Department of Insurance and United Policyholders supported the measure. SB 590 by Senator Durazo would expand paid family leave to cover care for designated persons or chosen family members, with strong support from AARP, labor, civil rights, caregiving, and health organizations, and testimony from a parent describing the need to care for a non-legal family member during surgery recovery. The committee also took up consent items SB 230 and SB 854. After roll calls, SB 8, SB 429, SB 495, SB 525, and SB 590 all received do-pass votes, with SB 429 sent to the Committee on Emergency Management, SB 495 to Judiciary, and SB 525 and SB 590 to Appropriations. The consent calendar bills were also approved, and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Office of the Secretary of State to the Insurance Department.
• </c> running the department of insurance. running the department of insurance.
• The Department of Insurance Commissioner and the Department of Insurance has not asked to take this on
• </c><01:36:26.800><c> the</c> insurance department on some of the insurance department on some of the
• </c> the department of insurance. the department of insurance.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The subcommittee took up the pooled risk management program bill and reviewed a new amendment drafted with input from the Insurance Department and Legislative Services. Department witnesses explained that the proposal would move oversight of pooled risk management programs from the Secretary of State’s office to the Insurance Department, add a licensure requirement, preserve the programs’ non-insurer status, and exempt them from third-party administrator licensure. They also described a series of solvency tools in the draft, including financial reporting, risk-based capital standards, minimum capitalization, investment limits, commissioner examination and enforcement authority, rulemaking authority, merger and affiliate-transaction review, confidentiality protections, and a separability clause. A major theme of the discussion was that pooled risk management programs differ from commercial insurers because the risk remains with the member local governments rather than being backed by a state guarantee fund. Witnesses said the bill is designed to emphasize solvency over return of premium and to give the Insurance Department a regulatory “toolbox” to prevent insolvency, including a proposed $5 million excess or stop-loss coverage benchmark, optional accessible policies, and a requirement that boards vote on dividends or premium returns when capital exceeds 600% of risk-based capital. Members questioned how this approach differed from the original Secretary of State bill and whether assessments on towns would still be possible; the department responded that the new framework would allow more flexible oversight and alternatives to immediate court action. The committee also discussed why the statute should continue to say the programs are not insurers, with the department explaining that this preserves their autonomy and avoids applying unrelated insurance laws and premium taxes. Members asked about the department’s workload and were told the department believed it could absorb the new duties without additional funding. No vote or final committee action was taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• That plan of operation is managed through the Department of Insurance.
• So the Department of Insurance regulates us.
• We continue to collaborate with the Department of Insurance on the Sustainable Insurance Strategy.
• Every year in the state of California, the Department of Insurance conducts an audit.
• Every year in state of California, the Department of Insurance conducts an audit of every third year,

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's fair to say, and we can have the Department of Insurance follow up if they'd like to, Everything
• I think it's fair to say, and we can have the Department of Insurance follow up if they'd like to, I
• think it's fair to say, and we can have the Department of Insurance follow up if they'd like to, that
• And Representative Jordan, your question is for the Department of Insurance. Okay. Mr.
• Chairman, members, Barrow Peacock, Chief Deputy, Louisiana Department of Insurance. And Mr.

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I think it's fair to say, and we can have the Department of Insurance follow up if they'd like to...
• I think it's fair to say, and we can have the Department of Insurance follow up if they'd like to, I
• think it's fair to say, and we can have the Department of Insurance follow up if they'd like to, that
• And, Representative Jordan, your question is for the Department of Insurance. Okay. Mr.
• Chairman, members, Barrow Peacock, Chief Deputy, Louisiana Department of Insurance. And Mr.

Committee: House Insurance

Summary: The House Committee on Insurance met on March 25 and took up House Bill 577 by Representative Glorioso, which would change Louisiana’s bad-faith insurance penalty language from a flat 50% to “up to 50%,” giving judges discretion to award a lower penalty in cases involving minor or technical delays. Glorioso argued the bill would correct an omission from the 2024 consolidation of the bad-faith statutes, reduce unnecessary litigation over nominal delays, and potentially help lower reinsurance and homeowners’ insurance costs. Committee members questioned whether the change would weaken consumer protections or reward insurer misconduct, especially in catastrophe claims after storms, and whether any real rate relief would follow. Opposition testimony came from the Louisiana Association of Justice and Real Reform Louisiana. They argued the current penalty provisions are important guardrails that help force timely payment and fair handling of claims, especially after hurricanes, and that the bill would reduce deterrence without producing meaningful premium reductions. They also said insurers already have substantial time and procedural protections under the law, and that penalties are rarely awarded but serve as leverage in settlement negotiations. Supporters and the Department of Insurance said Louisiana’s penalty structure is an outlier compared with other states and that the bill could make the market more competitive, though the department said it did not have court data on bad-faith judgments and could not quantify the bill’s effect on rates. After debate, Representative Glorioso closed by saying he was open to further language changes but asked the committee to advance the bill. The committee then voted 10 yeas and 6 nays to report House Bill 577 favorably. Afterward, the committee moved on to the next item, House Bill 955.

Transcript Highlights:

• the affordability of insurance.
• Tony Segerli, Deputy Commissioner of Consumer Services, Department of Insurance.
• Tony Seggerli, Deputy Commissioner of Consumer Services, Department of Insurance.
• We set up what are called insurance villages, usually in partnership with the Department of Insurance
• company could offer to the insured the ability to have 50% of the building insurance, 50% of that covered

Summary: The committee first heard SB 1315, the “Drive My Car Act,” from Senator Cabaldon. The author explained that the bill was intended to address the overlap between autonomous features and human driving, with a focus on preventing software updates from disabling a purchaser’s ability to drive a vehicle they bought for that purpose. He said the bill would be redirected to the Transportation Committee and amended to remove insurance provisions. Members broadly supported the concept as a forward-looking issue, and the committee voted due pass to Transportation on a roll call vote, with the bill held on call until all members were recorded. The committee then took up SB 876, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, presented by the Insurance Commissioner and the committee chair. The bill would make a broad set of changes to disaster claims handling and coverage after declared wildfires, including stronger replacement-cost and contents coverage, higher additional living expense limits, building code upgrade coverage, faster claim payment timelines, adjuster status updates, insurer emergency response plans, and stronger penalties and restitution for unfair claims practices. Supporters, including United Policyholders, California Environmental Voters, the Los Angeles Mayor’s office, AARP California, and the Consumer Federation of California, said the measure would help wildfire survivors avoid underinsurance, delays, and repeated trauma in the claims process. Opposition came from insurance industry and related groups, including APCIA, the Personal Insurance Federation of California, the Pacific Association of Domestic Insurance Companies, the Civil Justice Association of California, and the California Building Industry Association. They argued the bill remained too broad even after amendments, would raise premiums, increase claim severity, reduce flexibility, and potentially worsen availability in an already fragile market. Committee members questioned several provisions, especially the cost and feasibility of mandatory coverage expansions and faster timelines. The commissioner and author said the bill was about disaster recovery rather than rates, that many provisions were optional or limited to declared disasters, and that any cost impacts could be reflected in future rate filings. The committee ultimately passed SB 876 as amended to Judiciary on a due pass vote, with one member absent and the bill held open briefly for additional votes.

Transcript Highlights:

• So, the solution that we crafted with the Department of Commerce allows the employer and the insurance
• So, the solution that we crafted with the Department of Commerce allows the employer and the insurance
• So, the solution that we crafted with the Department of Commerce allows the employer and the insurance
• So, the solution that we crafted with the Department of Commerce allows the employer and the insurance
• </c><00:51:36.240><c> Insurance</c> National Association of Insurance National Association of Insurance

Keywords: 918, senate, all

Summary: The committee met to walk through nonpartisan side-by-side comparisons of House File 4188, focusing on differences between House and Senate language across consumer protection, insurance, financial services, health, and technical provisions. Staff highlighted numerous Senate-only items, including rules for financial providers communicating through trusted contacts, virtual currency requirements for banks and credit unions, a prohibition on virtual currency kiosks beginning in 2026, mortgage servicing and student loan servicing changes, the Rental Home Marketplace Guarantees Act, insurance and travel-related provisions, scrap metal licensing changes, protections related to minors accessing chatbots and AI companions, and several technical or conforming repealers. Staff also noted that some provisions were identical or substantially similar between the chambers, including mortgage originator standards, student loan borrower protections, securities-related changes, unclaimed property provisions, and technical updates in the bill’s miscellaneous articles. The Senate-only health-related articles were also summarized, including repeal of the prescription drug affordability advisory council, technical changes to the reinsurance program, and a series of health insurance provisions on enrollment-growth notices, limits on officer and director salary increases under certain capital conditions, guaranteed issue rights for certain Medicare supplement enrollees, data-sharing between Commerce and Health, restrictions on using artificial intelligence alone to deny claims, reimbursement for clinical trainees, home care nursing coverage, and PBM transparency. The Senate’s telecommunications article was described as largely technical and conforming, with repeals of obsolete statutes. Staff also noted that some standalone bills had already passed and would be removed from the comparison report. Public testimony followed. Thomas Elness of AARP Minnesota supported inclusion of the cryptocurrency kiosk bill, expressed support for guaranteed issue protections for a narrow group of consumers affected by discontinued plans, and urged adoption of changes to the consumer protection restitution account, including raising the cap to $10 million per fiscal year. Representative Lee testified that the restitution account proposal should be treated as policy rather than finance because it has a zero fiscal note, and said the House would accept the Senate’s $10 million cap. Robin Rowan, representing the Minnesota Insurance and Financial Services Council and the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, urged adoption of Senate travel insurance language, requested a House-style change to lead-generation recordkeeping language, and supported a Senate provision allowing employers and insurers to coordinate notice to employees when group policies are cancelled. The Department of Commerce then responded to questions, explaining that the prescription drug affordability council would be sunset because the board already has other avenues for public input, that the reinsurance changes were technical and did not alter the prior agreement, and that the abandoned cryptocurrency provisions rely on statutory definitions of inactivity and known examples such as keys stored in safes or deposit boxes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Salvador Cruz as director of the Department of Finance.
• Timely communications and continued collaboration with the Idaho Department of Insurance and the Idaho
• to present the Department of Insurance rules docket.
• to present the Department of Insurance rules docket.
• For the record, my name is Wes Trexler, Deputy Director, Idaho Department of Insurance.

Committee: Senate Commerce and Human Resources

Keywords: 989, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the reasons that insurance tends to go up is because of fraud and fraudulent claims in the insurance
• is housed in the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the regulator for insurance.
• ><c> of</c><00:03:40.200><c> Commerce</c> of the Minnesota Department of Commerce of the Minnesota Department
• </c> history of doing this at the Department history of doing this at the Department of<01:12:01.159>
• of of our insurers um to get these of of of our insurers um to get these Commerce<01:30:51.280><c> fraud

Committee: House Commerce Finance and Policy

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• That plan of operation is managed through the Department of Insurance.
• So the Department of Insurance regulates us.
• We continue to collaborate with the Department of Insurance on the Sustainable Insurance Strategy.
• Every year in the state of California, the Department of Insurance conducts an audit.
• Every year in state of California, the Department of Insurance conducts an audit of every third year,

Summary: The Assembly Insurance Committee held an oversight hearing on the California Fair Plan, focusing on its rapid growth, financial stability, rate adequacy, and role in the homeowners insurance market. Committee members described the Fair Plan as increasingly functioning as a “safety net” rather than a true insurer of last resort, while Fair Plan representatives said the plan was created by statute, is privately funded by member insurers, and is now taking on more business because of non-renewals and limited availability in the admitted market. They emphasized that the plan offers residential and commercial coverage, but not a full HO-3 homeowners policy, and said expanding into that product would require major new staffing, vendor, and claims infrastructure. A major topic was pricing and assessments. Fair Plan officials said their rates have historically lagged their projected costs, especially because reinsurance costs were not fully recoverable in rates until recently. They reviewed recent filings, including a 2023 filing that was reduced from an estimated 80% need to a 35.8% request after working with the Department of Insurance. They also discussed the plan’s reinsurance tower, a new catastrophe bond, and the $1 billion assessment triggered by the 2025 Los Angeles fires after losses exceeded available capital. They said AB 226 helped secure a $600 million line of credit to reduce assessment risk, and they thanked lawmakers for supporting that measure. Members raised constituent concerns about coverage limits, underinsurance, and misinformation from agents. Fair Plan officials said they do not deny applicants because their homes exceed the plan’s $3.3 million limit; instead, policyholders can combine Fair Plan coverage with excess insurance. They said broker training and webinars are being expanded to address misunderstandings, and they noted that raising the cap would depend on achieving actuarially sound rates and sufficient financial capacity. Members also asked about smoke claims from the 2025 fires; the Fair Plan said it has paid covered smoke claims under California law, reviewed closed claims, and removed the “sight and smell” language from its policy form after litigation and CDI action. Public commenters from the insurance industry, builders, agriculture, and nonprofit service providers largely urged faster depopulation of the Fair Plan, more adequate rates, and reforms to the clearinghouse process. Some warned that the Fair Plan is now competing with the admitted market because it can be cheaper in some areas, while others said the plan is still essential because the private market is not serving high-risk or specialized properties. The hearing ended without a vote or formal action, but committee members and Fair Plan representatives agreed to continue working on rate, transparency, and depopulation issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• of Insurance.
• Mike Peterson, I serve as senior deputy for the California Department of Insurance.
• Chairman, be at the Department of Insurance in 2018, when SB 824, authored by then Senator, pre-insurance
• It was a negotiation between the industry, the Department of Insurance, and some of the individuals here
• It was a bill sponsored in 2018 by the Department of Insurance and the then-insurance commissioner, and

Committee: Senate Insurance

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Tammy Fellin with the Department of Labor and Industries.
• Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee, Tammy fell in with the Department of Labor and Industries
• Tammy Fellon with the Department of Labor and Industries. I have lots of friends with me today.
• Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee, Tammy Fellon, on behalf of the Department of Labor
• Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the committee, Tammy Fellon, on behalf of the Department of Labor

Summary: The committee first held a public hearing on Senate Bill 6136, which would require Labor and Industries to publish actuarial indicated workers’ compensation rates for each risk class and disclose when rate increases are capped below those indicated levels. The sponsor and supporters from the hospitality, retail, business, and construction sectors said the bill would improve transparency about how rates are set and how reserve funds and investment earnings are used to hold down premiums. L&I testified that the bill would require publication of a large amount of rate-setting information, but said it was already developed in the normal process and that the bill had no fiscal impact. Questions focused on reserve use, advisory committee involvement, and how the actuarial calculations interact with investment returns. The committee then moved to executive session and took action on several bills, adopting substitutes or amendments and advancing bills including SB 5292, 6014, 5972, 5869, 5874, 6058, 6039, 5944, and 6180, with most sent to Rules and SB 5292 sent to Ways and Means. The committee then heard Senate Bill 5847, which would expand injured workers’ access to medical care by allowing treatment outside the L&I provider network when no provider is available nearby, limiting employer steering to specific providers, shortening utilization review timelines, allowing provider deviation from L&I guidelines when medically appropriate, and expanding continued treatment and cancer monitoring. Labor and worker advocates argued the bill would better reflect the Murray decision and reduce delays in care, while L&I and employer groups said the current evidence-based guideline system works for most claims and warned the bill could weaken quality controls, create vague standards, and increase costs. Testimony also raised concerns about the 15-mile access rule, the employer communication restrictions, and the appeal process for provider removal. The sponsor said the goal was to improve individualized care and continue working with stakeholders. Finally, the committee heard Senate Bill 6067, which would change workers’ compensation time-loss calculations so that 100% of the employer-paid health insurance contribution is included in the benefit calculation instead of the current partial inclusion. Supporters said the bill would help injured workers keep health coverage during recovery and reduce pressure to choose between medical care and income, while opponents argued it would not guarantee the money is actually used for health insurance, could be diverted to other uses or attorney fees, and would significantly increase costs for employers and the accident fund. L&I said the bill would require IT and administrative changes and estimated substantial ongoing benefit costs. The hearing ended without further action on SB 6067, and the chair closed the session after public testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• The commissioner of the insurance department released a guidance bulletin on January 2nd of last year
• The commissioner of the insurance department released a guidance bulletin on January 2nd of last year
• I’m director of life and health at the New Hampshire Insurance Department.
• And so I think this bill would help the Department of Insurance ensure that all of the insurers follow
• </c><01:27:24.800><c> of</c> by the New Hampshire Department of by the New Hampshire Department of Insurance

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all