ALABAMA

SB 3: Homeowner’s insurance -- An Act to amend Section 27-31B-3, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to captive insurance companies being prohibited from providing personal motor vehicle or homeowner's insurance coverage or any component thereof; to remove that prohibition.

HB 649

SB 403 – Workers Comp

ALASKA

ARIZONA

ARKANSAS

CALIFORNIA

SB 1583 – independent contractors

California Outlines Global Warming Plan California outlined for the first time the broadest U.S. attempt to regulate greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, calling for the creation of a new emissions-trading program and increased renewable-energy production, Bloomberg News reported.

California, Washington Cell Phone Laws Take Effect Laws prohibiting hand-held cell phones take effect Tuesday in California and Washington state, the Associated Press reported.

Long Beach Port Approves Clean Trucks Plan The Port of Long Beach, Calif., has approved the final details of its terms required for truckers to register for the port’s new clean trucks program, scheduled to begin Oct. 1.

COLORADO

HB 1020 CONCERNING RECOVERY OF COSTS IN A CASE IN WHICH THE PLAINTIFF RECEIVES A JUDGMENT THAT IS LESS THAN A REJECTED SETTLEMENT OFFER.

CONNECTICUT

SB 640 AN ACT CONCERNING THE APPORTIONMENT OF LIABILITY AFTER A CLAIM IS WITHDRAWN.

DELAWARE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

FLORIDA

HB 589 Civil Remedies

HB 645 Expert Witnesses

HB 661 Insurance Adjusters

HB 1219 Florida Arbitration Code

SB 2076 Arbitration [LPCC]

SB 2860: Insurance Capital Build-Up Incentive Program -- Revises legislative findings with respect to the Insurance Capital Build-Up Incentive Program and the appropriation of state funds for surplus notes issued by residential property insurers. Subjects the business of insurance to the Florida Antitrust Act. Prohibits an insurer from considering certain factors when evaluating or adjusting a property insurance claim, etc.

GEORGIA

Ga. City to Add Fuel Surcharge to Speeding Tickets A Georgia city is going to add fuel surcharges to the speeding tickets of drivers.

HAWAII

HB 94 Enacts the Life Settlements Model Act, which establishes consumer protections in life settlement transactions where the owner of a life insurance policy transfers the death benefit for compensation that is less than the expected death benefit, but more than the surrender value of the policy. Requires the Insurance Commissioner to report annually to the Legislature on the implementation and effects of the Act. Sunsets in 2010. (HB94 CD1)

IDAHO

House Bill 429 – Underinsured Motorist Coverage: Amends Idaho Code Sections 41-2502 and 41-2503 to require that motor vehicle insurance contracts include coverage for underinsured motorist coverage unless the insured rejects the coverage; also defining “underinsured motor vehicle” and requiring that insurers provide a written summary of uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in a form approved by the DOI. Applies to policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2009.

House Bill 493 – Service Contracts: Amends Idaho Code Section 41-114A to provide that service contracts not subject to regulation as insurance may provide for the repair, replacement or maintenance of property for damage resulting from power surges and for accidental damage and handling.

House Bill 494 – Investments by Domestic Reciprocal Insurers: Adds a new section, 41-732, allowing a domestic reciprocal comprised exclusively of political subdivisions of the state that insures property and casualty risks to invest funds subject to the conditions, restrictions and limitations generally applicable to insurers set forth in Chapter 7 of Title 41.

House Bill 522 – Assignment of Health Insurance Contracts: Adds a new section, 41-1847, prohibiting insurers from assigning a preferred provider organization contract between an insurer and provider without the agreement of both parties and requiring notice to the provider of any assignments.

House Bill 547 – Terrorism Exclusion: Amends Idaho Code Section 41-2401 (Standard Fire Policy law) to delete from the definition of “terrorism” a requirement that an act be on behalf of a foreign person or interest. This change makes the statutory definition consistent with the latest version of the federal Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA), which permits coverage exclusions for domestic terrorism as well as foreign.

House Bill 591 – Substance Abuse Exemption from Managed Care Act: Exempts programs administered by the Health & Welfare Substance Abuse Disorder Bureau and its contracted managed care organization from regulation under Chapter 39, Title 41, as a managed care organization.  

Senate Bill 1344 – Cooperation with Dept. of Health & Welfare: Adds a new section, 41-318, requiring that insurers cooperate with the Dept. of Health & Welfare with respect to individuals covered by disability insurance who are provided public assistance, and setting forth a penalty for failure to cooperate.

Senate Bill 1394 – Dependent Age: Amends Chapters 22, 32, 34, 40, and 41 of Title 41 to require that health plans offered to or sponsored by large groups, fraternal societies, public service corporations and self-funded groups to cover a dependent up to the age of 21 if the dependent is not a full time student and up to the age of 25 if a full time student. Small group and individual contracts were made subject to this requirement in 2007.

Senate Bill 1395 – High Risk Pool Eligibility: Amends Idaho Code Section 41-5510 to make eligible for high risk pool coverage individuals who face a reasonable probability that they will exhaust their lifetime maximum benefit under existing coverage within 90 days.

Senate Bill 1397 – Public Adjuster Licensing: Adds a new Chapter 58 to Title 41 setting forth licensing requirements for public adjusters.

Senate Joint Memorial No. 114 – States findings of the Legislature and joins with the National Conference of Insurance Legislators in expressing Idaho 's strong opposition to the proposed federal National Insurance Act of 2007.  

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

IOWA

KANSAS

HB 2110: Viatical settlements -- An Act concerning viatical settlements; pertaining to stranger-originated life insurance; amending and repealing sections of the Kansas statutes.

KENTUCKY

LOUISIANA

HB 690 – Pleading of damages

HB 758 – recusation of judges

HB 1021 Prohibits operators or passengers of a motor vehicle from smoking when any person under the age of 18 is an occupant

HB 1096 -- Uninsured Motorist Coverage

HB 1312 --Increases the minimum limits for compulsory motor vehicle liability insurance

SB 162 – comparative fault

MAINE

MARYLAND

MASSACHUSETTS

MICHIGAN

MINNESOTA

SB 2822: Standard of conduct -first party good faith insurance practices regulation - A bill for an act relating to insurance; providing for penalties and attorney fees for certain insurance claims practices; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 604.

SF3116 Vexatious insurance claims practices penalties and attorney fees

MISSISSIPPI

MISSOURI

MONTANA

NEBRASKA

NEVADA

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Douglas hits highway weight limits (Burlington Free Press.com)

NEW JERSEY

HB 2573: Damages -- An Act establishing limits for certain damages in medical malpractice actions.

SB 1659: Punitive damages -- Clarifies that punitive damages may not be awarded against public entities or public employees acting within the scope of their employment in any action.

NEW MEXICO

NEW YORK

Proposed Rule Would Keep Trucks Off N.Y. Secondary Roads New York state is considering a policy that would keep large trucks on interstate highways only, except to access terminals or to reach food, fuel, rest or repair locations.

SB 6940 Prohibits insurance companies from refusing to issue or renew an automobile insurance policy when the motor vehicle to be insured is used for fire fighting

SB 7406 Provides that the transportation of food by common carrier is considered selling

SB 7644: Deceptive acts and practices -- An Act to amend the general business law, in relation to deceptive acts and practices.

SB 7673 Removes the state insurance funds exemption from licensing and other requirements of the insurance law

SB 8708 Self-insurers: Relates to individual and group self-insurers and security for payment of compensation and a default offset fund; creates a task force on group self-insurance. 06/30/2008 - Signed by Governor.

NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH DAKOTA

OHIO

HB 555: Benefits Prohibition -- to prohibit an employee from receiving workers' compensation benefits in this state if the employee has received a decision on the merits of a claim filed in another state for the same injury or occupational disease, to allow an Ohio employer to obtain, through the Administrator of Workers' Compensation or an insurance company, workers' compensation insurance for claims arising in other states, and to make other changes to the Workers' Compensation Law regarding interstate workers' compensation claims.

OKLAHOMA

OREGON

PENNSYLVANIA

RHODE ISLAND

HB 7981  – Bad Faith Claims - allow a surety to be sued for bad faith refusal to pay a claim made under any surety bond or otherwise refusing to timely perform its obligation/allow compensatory, punitive damages and attorneys' fees and costs of suit

HB 8067: Producer Licensing Act. This act would remove the requirement for a business entity license, in addition to an individual license, for surplus line brokers but would allow the department to issue business entity licenses for all license types if a resident needs such a license to obtain nonresident licenses in other states. The bill would also allow an exception to prelicensing for good cause at the discretion of the department. Finally, the bill would clarify the annual contracted producer report and would confirm the current filing requirement and fees associated with the report.

SB 2599 AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- PRODUCER LICENSING ACT: remove the requirement for a business entity license, in addition to an individual license, for surplus line brokers but would allow the department to issue business entity licenses for all license types) 07/02/2008 Signed by Governor

SB 3015: Civil Procedure -- AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - CITIES AND TOWNS (would reduce the statutory interest assessed against gov. entities on court judgments, would limit instances when gov. employees can be sued in their individual capacity, and would limit the liability of gov. entities with the joint tortfeasors law.)

SOUTH CAROLINA

HB4363 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 1-23-660, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA

SB 669 Insurers responsible for payment of claim

SB 1218 – foreign defendants: RESIDENT OF THIS STATE MAY ACT AS A CLASS REPRESENTATIVE IN A CLASS ACTION WHEN THE CLASS INCLUDES NON-RESIDENTS OF THIS STATE

SOUTH DAKOTA

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

UTAH

HB 342: Insurance code amendments. - This bill modifies definition provisions; addresses the timing of examinations; changes the requirements for appointments to the Title and Escrow Commission; addresses requirements to conduct an insurance business in Utah; addresses filing of evidence of preemption; addresses service contract providers and service contract reimbursement insurance policies including: requiring registration, requiring disclosures, and addressing prohibited acts; and for related purposes. 03/18/2008 - Governor signed.

HB 93: Fraud amendments. - This bill modifies the Insurance Code to address reporting of fraudulent insurance acts; addresses immunity; expands required reporting of fraudulent insurance acts; modifies the requirements of that report; modifies penalties; provides for rulemaking; and makes technical changes. 03/17/2008 - Governor signed.

SB 155 – punitive damages amendments

VERMONT

HB 889 This bill proposes to approve, with modifications, the state’s transportation program for fiscal year 2009 and to make miscellaneous changes in statutes relating to transportation.

JRH 60 Joint resolution requesting immediate congressional action to halt skyrocketing gasoline prices

SR 32 Senate resolution requesting the Attorney General of Vermont to initiate legal action on behalf of the state and its citizens to seek reimbursement for the costs of illegal price-fixing, price-gouging, and conspiracy to restrain trade in retail gasoline and diesel fuel.

VIRGINIA

HB 172: Disclosure of limits. - Allows an injured person, or his or her attorney, to request the disclosure of the liability limits of an insurance policy prior to filing a civil action for personal injuries resulting from a motor vehicle accident. The party requesting this information shall provide the insurer with (i) the date of the accident, (ii) the name and last known address of the alleged tortfeasor, (iii) a copy of the accident report, if any, (iv) the claim number, if available, and (v) the injured person's medical records, medical bills, and wage-loss determination. The insurer only has to disclose the liability limits if the amount of the injured person's medical bills and wage losses equals or exceeds $12,500. The bill also provides that disclosure of a policy's limits shall not constitute an admission that the alleged injury is subject to the policy. 03/09/2008 - Passed House and Senate.

WASHINGTON

House Bill 2594 Distributing the insurance commissioner's examination reports.

Senate Bill 5261 Granting the insurance commissioner the authority to review individual health benefit plan rates.

Senate Bill 6591 Regulating insurance producers.

WEST VIRGINIA

HB 4079 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia relating to Professional Employer Organizations

HB 4137 Clarifying that a municipality and county will be notified by an insurance company when a total loss to a structure occurs

HB 4364 & SB 533 Amending various requirements for motor vehicle dealers

HB 4466 Expanding the powers of the Office of Consumer Advocacy within the Office of the Insurance Commissioner

HB 4476 Public-Private Transportation Facilities Act

HB 4557 Relating to continuing education for insurance producers

HB 4696 Relating to registration and operation of mini trucks

HB4609 Ensuring that homeowners are adequately informed of the nature of the licensed contractor's insurance coverage

SB 90 Exempting certain insurance agents from continuing education requirement

SB 417 Authorizing Department of Revenue promulgate legislative rules

SB 628 Relating to motor vehicle accident reports

SB 653 Permitting internet sales of life, accident and sickness insurance

SB 704 Regulating viatical life insurance settlements

SB 715 Defining certain Public Employees Insurance Agency eligibility

SB 750 Relating to continuing education requirements for insurance producers

W. Va. Delays Truck Registration Fees’ Due Date The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles will delay the due date for annual registration payments for most trucks until Sept. 1, from the usual July 1 deadline, the Associated Press reported.

WISCONSIN

WYOMING