Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the director of life and health with the New Hampshire Insurance Department, and I'm here with Ned
• </c> receivership of an insurance company. receivership of an insurance company.
• From the perspective of the insurance department, we do deal with a lot of sensitive financial information
• of the insurance department,<01:03:36.680><c> we</c><01:03:36.800><c> do</c><01:03:37.040><c> deal</c
• </c><01:04:10.000><c> department</c> you know, the insurance department you know, the insurance department

Committee: Senate Finance

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Is the insurance department here? &gt;&gt; Okay. Is the insurance department here?
• do</c> person at insurance department to to do person at insurance department to to do a<04:21:06.960
• I have the pleasure of serving as the commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department.
• </c> inherent to the business of insurance. inherent to the business of insurance.
• So just all of a sudden opening up insurance to 7% of the people is not going to raise insurance prices

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of private health insurance or other types of payments concerning...
• Most of Most of these carriers write malpractice insurance in more than one state.
• insurance, ...contributor to the evolution of insurance tax policy, federal insurance tax policy, federal
• I think the Department of Health, Department of Insurance, and we all may have ideas that have value
• group purchasing organization through the Department of Health, administered by the Department of Health

Committee: Joint Health Insurance Affordability Task Force

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the director of life and health at New Hampshire Insurance Department.
• I'm the director of life and health at the New Hampshire Insurance Department.
• I have the pleasure of serving as the commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department.
• Um, I called the Department of Insurance. They said we don't know how to do that.
• It's going to land somewhere, and the Department of Insurance drew the short straw.

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I do note that the Insurance Department said that premiums could change based on the number of factors
• So that was like a partnership between the Commission of Insurance and the Department of Health and Human
• that are involved, we have the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, the Insurance
• Our board consists of payers, providers, consumers, as well as commissioners of the Insurance Department
• </c> department and the Department of Health department and the Department of Health and<03:14:50.120

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on House Bill 224, which would redirect most money from New Hampshire’s renewable energy fund back to electric ratepayers. The bill sponsor argued the measure would lower energy costs, noting recent utility rate increases and estimating annual savings of roughly $2.5 million to $7.3 million for ratepayers. Supporters said the fund has accumulated money that should be returned to customers rather than used for subsidies, and they emphasized that the state has already rebated similar funds from RGGI for years. Opponents, including Rep. Kat McGee, argued the renewable energy fund is a successful, nonlapsing dedicated fund that supports local clean-energy projects, energy resilience, emissions reductions, and private investment. McGee said the fiscal note overstated the benefit of rebates and understated the loss of investment, claiming the average annual rebate would amount to less than $10 per customer while the program has helped leverage significant private dollars and nearly 10,000 projects. She urged the committee to reject the bill as a poor deal for the state and ratepayers. Committee members questioned the fiscal note, the size of the rebate, whether the bill would set a precedent for other dedicated funds, and whether the program’s incentives amount to picking winners and losers. The Department of Energy testified neutrally, explaining how the renewable energy fund works, including renewable energy credits, alternative compliance payments, and the fund’s use for renewable energy initiatives. No vote was taken in the portion of the hearing provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• However, before a formal complaint is filed with the Department of Labor, the insurance carrier or self-insured
• ><c> self-insured</c> from representatives of self-insured from representatives of self-insured groups
• </c><01:24:19.440><c> of</c> option to appeal the department of option to appeal the department of labor
• </c><01:48:33.840><c> of</c> to be uh heard at the Department of to be uh heard at the Department of
• of Department of Labor, she was director of Department of Labor, she<03:00:52.479><c> interpreted</c

Committee: House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• and Human Services, Department of Safety, Department of Transportation, the Department of Justice to
• and Human Services, Department of Safety, Department of Transportation, the Department of Justice to
• and Human Services, Department of Safety, Department of Transportation, the Department of Justice to
• I have the pleasure of serving as the Commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department.
• of the New Hampshire background of the New Hampshire insurance<03:05:13.640><c> department</c><03:05

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Summary: The meeting featured presentations from the Department of Administrative Services and the Treasury Department on state revenue reporting and unclaimed property. State Comptroller Dana Call explained DAS’s role in compiling statewide revenue reports, including the annual revenue plan set through the budget process and the monthly revenue focus reports that track cash receipts. She noted that unrestricted general fund revenue is about $2 billion annually, while miscellaneous other revenue is a much smaller and less predictable category, averaging roughly $30 million to $32 million a year. She also described two more material internal revenue lines: statewide indirect cost recoveries and post-retirement benefit recoveries, which are billed to agencies and often tied to federal reimbursement rules. Members asked about the interest line in the revenue charts and about how the figures were presented, and Call clarified that the totals were in millions and that the interest item would be explained by the Treasurer. She also explained that the indirect cost and post-retirement recoveries are internal cost allocations that flow back into the unrestricted revenue pool and are reflected in agency budgets as interagency costs. Treasurer Monica Meissner then outlined Treasury Department functions, including bank deposits, statewide disbursements, banking relationships, investments, debt management, compliance, the FONA College Savings Program, the ABLE Plan, scholarship programs, and the abandoned property program. In discussing unclaimed property, she said holders report property after a five-year dormancy period, the state uses automated systems and outreach to locate owners, and claim activity has increased. In fiscal year 2024, the state returned about $12.2 million to citizens through roughly 12,000 claims; over the last 10 years, about $72.6 million has been returned. She also said the state escheated $19.9 million to the general fund and $1.8 million to counties last year, and explained that securities-related proceeds are harder to estimate because they depend on market conditions. No votes or formal actions were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 5173 by Dean, relating to the annual reports of the adoption of title insurance premium rates, is
• Colonel Martin of the Department of Public Safety.
• Department of State. Health.
• for the Department of Human Services.
• HB5586 by Lou Wilson relates to certain readings of the Board of Directors of the Texas Wind Insurance

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• of Insurance Regulation.
• That ties back to the proof of insured value.
• If you're low income, you do not have to show proof of insurance to be part of the program.
• That ties back to the proof of insured value.
• If you're low income, you do not have to show proof of insurance to be part of the program.

Summary: The State Administration Budget Subcommittee heard presentations from the Department of Financial Services on the My Safe Florida Home program, the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot, and the Florida PALM financial system replacement project. For My Safe Florida Home, Stephen Fielder explained the wind-mitigation grant program, including its inspection-first process, two-to-one matching grants for most homeowners, low-income exemptions from the match, and eligible improvements such as roofs, clips/straps, water barriers, and opening protection. He reported roughly 109,000 initial inspections, nearly 59,000 grants approved, 31,000 final inspections, 25,000 reimbursements, and about $240 million paid out through the end of 2024. Members asked about premium savings, contractor pricing, fraud, owner-builder eligibility, reimbursement timing, and whether the program should have a dedicated funding source; Fielder said the program is currently closed, more than 40,000 people have signed up for updates, and the office has seen some price-gouging and impersonation issues but no major fraud trend. The committee also discussed the new prioritization rules that took effect July 1, 2024, which direct grant awards by age and income. Fielder said the program used a survey of existing applicants to implement the new priority groups and that the first group was over age 60 and low-income. Members raised questions about how premium reductions are measured, whether insurance company changes or rising insured values affect the data, and whether the program can track long-term outcomes after reimbursement. Fielder said the office reports raw premium changes based on declarations pages, knows the insurer for participants, and has validated results with multiple insurers, but does not track homeowners after they leave the program or enforce continued insurance coverage. For the My Safe Florida Condo Pilot, Fielder said the program is modeled on the home program but uses association-level applications, a maximum grant of $175,000 per association, and a similar two-to-one match. He said the application window opened briefly in November and was closed quickly because available funding could be exhausted and the department is prohibited from creating a waiting list. He identified several needed statutory changes, including better distinguishing condos from single-family homes, adjusting roof requirements for flat concrete roofs, and revisiting the unanimous unit-owner vote requirement, which he said has been a major obstacle. Chair Lopez noted the pilot is intended to be a learning process and thanked DFS staff for identifying implementation issues. The final presentation covered Florida PALM, the state’s effort to replace the 40-year-old FLAIR accounting system with a PeopleSoft-based financial management system. Fielder and PALM Director Jimmy Cox said the project began in 2014, the state contracted with Accenture in 2018, cash management went live in 2021, and the project was paused in 2022 for legislative review and remediation. They said the system is expected to go live in 2026, possibly in July rather than January, and that the project has spent about $225 million to date, with a current-year budget of about $60.9 million and a projected next-year request of about $64 million. Members asked about cybersecurity, cloud hosting, project scope, and whether the system is unique to Florida; staff said the system is not Florida-specific, access is credentialed through agency identity management, and the cloud host location is confidential. After the presentations, Chair Lopez assigned members to work with specific agencies on budget review meetings, asked them to discuss agency structure, priorities, staffing, waste reduction, and other budget issues, and set a deadline to report findings in the first week of regular session. The meeting then adjourned without objection.

Transcript Highlights:

• I have the pleasure of serving as a commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department.
• </c><02:31:23.600><c> of</c><02:31:23.760><c> Insurance</c> Both from the Department of Insurance and
• I had the pleasure of going through a market conduct assessment from the Department of Insurance.
• I had the pleasure of going through a market conduct assessment from the Department of Insurance.
• through a market conduct assessment from the Department of Insurance.

Committee: Senate Health and Human Services

Keywords: 1191, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• volunteer department to help offset that cost and encourage that type of supplemental insurance to be
• Fire Department in November of 2025.
• my department, where I'm a department of the city of Carrington, my role response is contracts that
• Dakota Department of Health and Human Services.
• Commercial insurance is another group of payers.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The committee was called to order, a quorum was established, and the minutes from the prior meeting were approved. The first major presentation came from Montana Public Employees Retirement System executive director William Hollahan, who gave an overview of Montana’s Volunteer Firefighters’ Compensation Act plan. He explained that the plan covers volunteer firefighters in unincorporated areas, is funded by 5% of state fire insurance premium taxes, and currently serves 228 departments with about 2,936 active members and 1,242 retirees. He described eligibility rules, annual training and reporting requirements, benefit levels for partial and full pensions, disability, death, medical, and funeral benefits, and said the plan is actuarially sound with roughly $60 million in assets and a funded ratio slightly above 100%. Committee members asked about prior-service credit, whether EMS personnel are included, the effect on recruitment and retention, and whether expanding coverage would require a funding analysis; Hollahan said prior service is not credited, EMS is not currently included, and any expansion would need financial review. Tim Walleen of Workforce Safety and Insurance then presented a draft North Dakota workers’ compensation solution for volunteer firefighters and volunteer EMS personnel. He explained that volunteer responders are already covered by workers’ comp for medical and wage-loss benefits, but the proposal would set a minimum annual wage of $30,000 for calculating wage-loss benefits for qualifying volunteers, with the benefit paid at two-thirds of that amount. Representative Porter suggested tying the volunteer definition to existing code rather than a fixed dollar amount, and Walleen agreed. Questions focused on whether search and rescue or other volunteer emergency services could be included, whether departments would face new paperwork, and whether volunteer organizations can already elect coverage; Walleen said there would be no additional paperwork and that volunteer coverage is already available. The committee also heard from volunteer fire service representatives and the state fire marshal. An Oakes-area firefighter, Mr. Olson, testified that small departments are struggling with retention, communication, and administrative burdens, especially around separate bookkeeping and funding rules for donated or fundraising money, and he said departments need clearer guidance from the state. State Fire Marshal Dr. Matthew Clark introduced himself and outlined a broader effort to improve education, support, and coordination for fire departments, including a planned 10% audit of certificates of existence beginning in 2027, more outreach through his office, and better assistance with training, reporting, and grant access. He said his office is authorized under current law to provide these services, but the role has been vague and underused. Finally, Arnagard Rural Fire District Chief Rick Schreiber testified in favor of new recruitment and retention ideas, including retirement-style benefits, health insurance, tax incentives, scholarships, grants, and more remote or regional training. He said volunteer departments are losing members, that local tax and donation funds are already stretched, and that any new retirement or incentive program should be sustainable and likely involve a mix of state and local support.

Transcript Highlights:

• of Ecology, Ney Irwin with the Department of Ecology.
• The HST is collected by the Department of Revenue.
• The availability of insurance is based on the perception of risk.
• of insurance, you need to affect the perception of the risk and lower the frequency and severity of
• So this program would be modeled after grant programs in a dozen other states' departments of insurance

Summary: The committee first heard updates on the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) and related funding. Department of Ecology staff explained how MTCA and the hazardous substance tax support cleanup, prevention, stormwater, and local assistance programs, but said forecasted revenues have declined while appropriations and transfers have outpaced incoming funds. Ecology said the operating account will require underspending to stay balanced this biennium and that the problem is ongoing, with further reductions possible if forecasts worsen. Ecology also reviewed the state cleanup program, noting there are more than 14,500 cleanup sites in Washington and that new sites continue to be discovered faster than they are cleaned up. A question from Representative Lee raised the long-term issue of declining fossil-fuel-based revenue, and Ecology agreed that this is a future structural concern even though the current shortfall is driven more by forecasts and transfers than by fuel-use decline. The Pollution Liability Insurance Agency described its underground storage tank and heating oil programs, saying it has modernized from a reinsurance model to a financial assurance model with stronger state oversight and cleanup milestones. Russ Olson said the agency’s dedicated petroleum tax account is in strong financial condition, but emphasized the importance of preserving that funding source. He also discussed the loan and grant program for historic commercial releases and a new heating oil loan/grant program, while noting the agency is working on equity concerns where liens can be disproportionate to property values in smaller communities. Practitioners and advocates then offered differing views on MTCA’s performance: one attorney urged a collaborative review process to make cleanups faster, less expensive, and more certain, while another consultant argued the program is too conservative and process-heavy and should focus more narrowly on actual exposure and realistic cleanup standards. Environmental and community groups countered that MTCA is essential for cleanup, pollution prevention, stormwater control, and public participation, and that it is especially important for environmental justice communities such as the Duwamish Valley. Port and city representatives stressed that MTCA grants and cleanup funding are critical for large redevelopment projects, but said long timelines, permitting delays, and funding uncertainty can slow projects and jeopardize commitments. The committee then shifted to utility wildfire risk. Staff summarized recent legislation, including requirements for utility wildfire mitigation plans, creation of a wildfire mitigation standards work group, authorization for captive insurance by local governments and PUDs, securitization authority for disaster costs, and the existing wildfire response and resilience account. Chelan County PUD and Puget Sound Energy described extensive mitigation efforts such as vegetation management, grid hardening, undergrounding, AI smoke cameras, weather stations, enhanced operating settings, public safety power shutoffs, and community outreach. Both said wildfire risk is rising and insurance costs are increasing, and Chelan PUD asked the Legislature to restore funding to the wildfire response and resilience account. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner said a 2022 utility liability market study found insurance availability is tightening as perceived risk rises, and reported that a 2025 work group recommended restoring community resilience funding, requiring insurers to share wildfire risk scores and mitigation steps with property owners, and creating a grant program based on insurance industry wildfire standards. A PNNL scientist added that wildfire probability is increasing in parts of Washington and that mitigation requires long-term, landscape-scale coordination. The final speaker began describing California’s approach to wildfire risk, but the transcript cuts off before that presentation concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• of Insurance Deputy Commissioner Ron Henderson.
• Franco Pelka, with the Department of Insurance, is also here willing to provide information if necessary
• Amber Shreve from the Department of Insurance at the table.
• of Insurance.
• I think Frank Palka, Louisiana Department of Insurance.

Committee: House Insurance

Keywords: 965, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:09:30.240><c> of</c> many years but the department of many years but the department of commerce
• In response to the Department of Commerce complaint, the insurance company stated that it had reviewed
• the Department of Commerce complaint, the<00:11:34.480><c> insurance</c><00:11:34.880><c> company</c>
• </c> that through the Department of Commerce. that through the Department of Commerce.
• </c><01:59:24.719><c> of</c> with the Minnesota Department of with the Minnesota Department of Health's

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the director of the Criminal Investigation Division of the Arkansas Department of Insurance.
• I wanted to know about false advertising of insurance.
• If I could, so health insurance is— private health insurance is my department.
• That's our insurance department.
• of it, but I can't carry insurance against you as one of my customers getting defrauded.

Summary: A joint House-Senate Insurance and Commerce meeting focused on the growing threat of financial fraud in Arkansas, with members and witnesses describing scams targeting seniors, small businesses, and working families. The committee first approved the November 3, 2025 minutes, then heard from the Arkansas Bankers Association, the American Bankers Association, banks, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, the Arkansas Mortgage Bankers Association, the State Bank and Securities Department, the Insurance Department, and AARP. Witnesses described common schemes including spoofed bank calls and texts, government imposter scams, romance and investment scams, business email compromise, fake job postings, gift card scams, check fraud, wire fraud, reverse mortgage scams, identity theft, and insurance fraud. Several witnesses emphasized that cryptocurrency kiosks and crypto transfers make recovery difficult or impossible, and that artificial intelligence is making scams more convincing and scalable. Witnesses repeatedly stressed education, verification, and coordination among banks, law enforcement, regulators, and consumers. Bank and mortgage representatives urged consumers to slow down, independently verify wire instructions, avoid clicking unexpected links, use tap-to-pay rather than chip or swipe when possible, and never share account credentials or one-time codes. The Attorney General’s office said it investigates consumer complaints, mediates disputes, works with social media platforms to remove scam ads, and recently created a Financial Fraud Task Force with bankers and other stakeholders. The State Bank and Securities Commissioner highlighted the Safe AR Act, the state’s crypto kiosk framework, and fraud education efforts such as “fraud bingo,” while the Insurance Department described its law-enforcement role and a range of insurance-related fraud schemes it prosecutes. AARP said fraud is widespread and underreported, especially among older adults. Members asked about reporting scams, how losses are handled, whether tap is safer than chip, how crypto fraud works, whether Arkansas has model legislation to address telecom and social media impersonation, and how local law enforcement and state agencies coordinate investigations. Witnesses said banks generally absorb much of the financial loss under federal rules, while consumers bear the inconvenience and account changes. Several witnesses said Arkansas should consider additional legislation to hold telecom companies and social media platforms accountable for spoofed caller IDs and impersonation ads, and one witness said a federal Scam Act is moving in Congress. No additional votes or formal actions were taken beyond approval of the minutes, but witnesses agreed to share consumer education materials and model legislation with committee staff.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> of lieutenant within that department. of lieutenant within that department.
• of insurance I hope erase the healths of insurance I hope they're<03:52:03.279><c> longsighted</c><03
• ><c> that</c> insurance department, some numbers that insurance department, some numbers that I've<03
• of Insurance with some of the data that you're interested in.
• as the commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department.

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• But before we get to that, we've got some very special guests with us this morning: Department of Insurance
• Franco Pelka, with the Department of Insurance, is also here willing to provide information if necessary
• Amber Shreve from the Department of Insurance at the table.
• of Insurance.
• I think Frank Apalka, Louisiana Department of Insurance.

Committee: House Insurance

Summary: The House Insurance Committee met on April 15 and first considered HB 909, which would require commercial health insurance coverage for behavioral health crisis services. Representative Spell and Office of Behavioral Health interim assistant secretary Dr. Holly Howitt described the Louisiana crisis response system, the goal of reducing emergency room and 911 use, and the need to expand provider participation beyond Medicaid. A technical amendment and a stakeholder-driven amendment allowing insurers to require documentation of crisis, medical necessity, and follow-up plan were adopted, and the bill was reported as amended with support cards from several health care and local government entities. The committee then advanced HB 1151, which changes investment limits for domestic insurers, especially life insurers, by capping equity holdings and aligning the rules with solvency concerns. After questions about whether the bill would increase profits at consumers’ expense, the author and Department of Insurance staff explained it was intended to provide guardrails and keep insurers solvent; the bill was reported favorably. HB 1154, dealing with prior authorization for certain generic medications, also received technical and substantive amendments. The bill would generally eliminate prior authorization for non-opioid generics, with a $250 wholesale acquisition cost cap and physician-specialty exceptions; it was reported as amended after support testimony from the Louisiana Dermatological Society and other health groups. HB 869, which sought coverage for injectable drugs used for glucose control or weight loss, prompted extended debate over cost, obesity, and long-term savings. Several members raised concerns about premium increases and the large fiscal note, while the author argued the bill was preventive and could save money over time. Representative Jordan proposed a 25% coverage amendment, but the committee declined to take up the substantive amendment that day, and the bill was voluntarily deferred to the next meeting. Later, the committee reported HB 1196 favorably, clarifying that screening colonoscopies remain screening even if polyps are found, and HB 1176 favorably, restoring Medicare Advantage coverage for certain integrative cancer care services. The committee also heard HB 771, which would have changed Medicare coordination rules for retirees who return to state employment, but staff explained the issue is governed by federal CMS rules and preemption concerns; the bill was voluntarily deferred so the author could review the governing law. HB 751, dealing with term life insurance disclosures, was likewise voluntarily deferred after the author said more work was needed and noted concerns about existing law and consumer understanding. At the end of the meeting, the committee also deferred HB 920 and HB 1199 to the following week and briefly stood at ease before moving on to other business.

Transcript Highlights:

• We received a Department of contract.
• </c> Department of Commerce. Department of Commerce.
• </c><01:17:46.360><c> of</c> Association and the Department of Association and the Department of Commerce
• <c> low</c> keep the cost of health insurance as low keep the cost of health insurance as low as<01:25
• </c><01:36:31.120><c> Insurance</c> Association of Benefit and Insurance Association of Benefit and Insurance

Committee: Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I have the pleasure of serving as the commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department, and I will
• Insurance is not my field of expertise, which is why I've leaned so heavily on the Department of Insurance
• </c><05:49:38.240><c> of</c><05:49:38.480><c> Insurance</c> heavily on the Department of Insurance heavily
• Uh, I was told by the Department of Insurance that that's basically unprecedented.
• 52:15.440><c> insurance</c><05:52:15.840><c> that</c> by the department of insurance that by the department

Committee: House Commerce and Consumer Affairs

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• House File 4347 on behalf of the Department of Commerce.
• </c><00:23:48.640><c> of</c> with both uh DHS and the Department of with both uh DHS and the Department
• </c> on behalf of the Department of Commerce. on behalf of the Department of Commerce.
• ><c> aware</c><00:25:59.200><c> of</c><00:25:59.360><c> these</c> Department of Commerce is aware of
• The Department of Commerce is ongoing.

Keywords: 1183, house