The bill amends the "Producer Licensing Act" in several ways, including adopting gender-neutral language by replacing "his or her" with "their" in the definitions of "Home state" and "Insurance commissioner," and removing the term "Contracted producer report" and its associated fee, suggesting that this report and fee are no longer required. It also revises the fee structure for insurance producer licenses, setting both initial and renewal fees at $55.00, and updates the notification process for insurer-initiated terminations of insurance producers, requiring notification within 30 days and providing a format for terminations related to misconduct. A new subsection (b) is added under 27-2.4-16 for terminations without cause, though the text is not provided.
The bill further specifies the process for insurance producers to submit written comments to the insurance commissioner regarding their termination and establishes confidentiality and immunity provisions for information shared during terminations. It outlines penalties for failing to report terminations or reporting with malice, including license suspension or revocation and fines. The bill also amends definitions related to "Claim Adjusters," updates language for inclusivity, exempts certain individuals from chapter provisions, increases the maximum annual assessment for technology costs from $3,500 to $5,000, and emphasizes insurer responsibilities when using the services of an administrator. It removes the requirement for semi-annual on-site audits of administrators by insurers and changes titles within the Department of Business Regulation to "superintendent of banking" and "superintendent of insurance," except where "health insurance commissioner" is applicable. The act will take effect upon passage, except for section 1, which will become effective on January 1, 2025.
Statutes affected: 7283 SUB A: 27-13.1-7, 27-20.7-7, 42-14-5
7283: 27-13.1-7, 27-20.7-7, 42-14-5