Around the PIA Western Alliance States – Week of February 2, 2026
Published February 3, 2026 at 1:55 PM · News Releases and Bulletins
California — Commissioner Lara announced appointments to the CIGA Board of Governors and the Curriculum Board: Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced several appointments to help drive forward the California Department of Insurance’s mission to protect California consumers.
These include naming newly appointed member Stephanie Chan and reappointed member Timothy Hyman to the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA) Board of Governors, and Suzanne Wakamoto-Lee as the newest member of the Curriculum Board.
“I am pleased to announce these appointments to the CIGA Board of Governors and the Curriculum Board,” said Commissioner Lara. “Each of these individuals brings valuable experience and perspective that will strengthen our work to protect consumers and support a healthy, competitive, and diverse insurance marketplace for all Californians.”
The CIGA Board of Governors oversees the guarantee association’s general operations and management in order to protect policyholders in the event of an insurance company insolvency. Established in 1969 by the Governor and California State Legislature, CIGA comprises all insurance companies admitted to sell homeowners, workers’ compensation, automobile, and other specified property and casualty lines of insurance in California.
The Curriculum Board oversees the development of pre-licensing and continuing education curriculum for agents and brokers to uphold professional standards that protect consumers. This includes a list of preapproved courses of study as well as courses of study for professional designations. This Board also develops standards for providers and instructors who offer courses and other training to licensed agents and brokers.
The next CIGA Board of Governors meeting is February 4, 2026 and the next Curriculum Board meeting is February 19, 2026.
More details are available at: www.insurance.ca.gov/boards. All positions are uncompensated.
Appointees include:
CIGA Board of Governors:
Stephanie Chan is Chief Investment Officer at the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) where she is responsible for managing SCIF’s $20 billion investment portfolio, as well as the Treasury and Investment operations. Prior to working at SCIF, Chan had several years of public accounting and auditing experience working at the California Bureau of State Audits as Senior Auditor. She is a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder and a Certified Public Accountant. Chan has been appointed to the CIGA Board of Governors in a member insurer representative seat with a term ending on December 31, 2028.
Timothy Hyman is Vice President, Product Analytics at American Family Insurance. He joined American Family in 2015 and has served in several leadership roles within product management. Prior to joining American Family, Hyman served as Vice President of Enterprise Business Operations at North Carolina-based National General Insurance Company where he focused on new product integration, digital experience development, and other duties tied to operational excellence. He has a broad set of financial service experiences including independent agent, licensed/registered investment consultant, variable insurance wholesaler, and property and casualty product manager. Hyman has been reappointed to the CIGA Board of Governors in a member insurer representative seat with a term ending on December 31, 2028.
Curriculum Board:
Suzanne Wakamoto-Lee is Owner of Cloud Benefits Consulting. Wakamoto-Lee has over 30 years of experience working in health insurance, currently specializing in Medicare plans. She serves as a board member of Ellevate Foundation, an organization with the mission of fostering leadership by providing tools, resources, and events for both existing and aspiring female leaders, and is a member and past board president of the California Agents and Health Insurance Professionals, the largest chapter of the National Association of Benefits and Insurance Professionals. Wakamoto-Lee has been appointed to the Curriculum Board in the life agent trade association representative seat, with a term ending on January 30, 2029.
Oregon — Oregon Insurance Commissioner TK Keen receives key NAIC committee assignments for 2026: Oregon Insurance Commissioner TK Keen has been appointed to several key National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) committees and task forces for 2026, keeping Oregon at the forefront of national insurance policy and consumer protection work.
Keen has been appointed as a member of the Life Insurance and Annuities (A) Committee and the Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation (F) Committee. He has also been assigned to the Consumer Liaison Committee and the American Indian and Alaska Native Liaison Committee. In addition, Keen continues to ensure that Oregon is at the national table on efforts to improve the affordability and availability of insurance in general, as well as climate change and wildfire issues impacting insurance throughout the West.
Promoting and listening to consumer advocates in the insurance space is critical work and ensures a balance of Oregon and national perspectives as the Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) pursues its policy goals. Having these national relationships and trust is paramount to continuing partnerships and sets a policy direction that emphasizes consumer protection. DFR regularly recovers millions of dollars for Oregonians through its consumer protection function.
Oregon has nine federally recognized tribes, and engaging in tribal priorities at the national level will help the state stay at the forefront of new and developing ideas.
“These assignments make sure Oregon has a strong seat at the table on the issues that matter most to our consumers and tribal communities,” Keen said. “From property and casualty and life insurance, to keeping tribal members at the forefront, these roles will help us advocate for Oregonians and continue to produce strong consumer protections and a stable insurance market.”
Oregon — DFR fines LoanMart $660,000 for charging excessive interest in consumer loans; company to repay $900,000 to Oregon borrowers: The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR) issued a cease-and-desist order against Wheels Financial Group LLC, doing business as LoanMart, for facilitating consumer finance loans that exceed the 36 percent interest rate cap under Oregon law. The company agreed to remedy all illegal loans and repay $900,000 in excessive interest charges to Oregon consumers. The order also included fines totaling $660,000 that will be suspended and waived after three years as long as the company complies with the terms of the final order.
From 2019 to 2023, LoanMart solicited and brokered consumer finance loans as part of an arrangement with an out-of-state bank. In what is commonly referred to as a “rent-a-bank” arrangement, LoanMart collected finance charges that ranged from 126 percent to 178 percent interest. In addition, the loan agreements provided for attorney fee provisions that exceeded the permissible scope for consumer finance loans and, under certain circumstances, would have required each borrower to pay attorney fees associated with attorneys who were salaried employees of LoanMart. Finally, the loan agreements contained impermissible hold harmless clauses.
The requirements of the order applied equally to LoanMart’s affiliate, WFG Purchaser LLC. WFG purchased a substantial majority economic interest in the loans at issue and did not hold a consumer finance license, prohibiting them from collecting, receiving, or retaining any interest, fee, or charge related to, or in connection with, the loans.
“Consumer finance companies cannot hide behind out-of-state banks to bypass Oregon’s consumer protection laws,” DFR Administrator TK Keen said. “We will continue to take steps to police our market to ensure that Oregonians get a fair shake when it comes to borrowing money.”
Oregon — All Oregon state investment advisers and investment adviser representatives: The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation has issued a bulletin regarding Affordable Housing Commercial Property and Liability Insurance Export List - Oregon SB 829 (2025).
Purpose
This bulletin provides guidance to surplus lines insurers, qualified surplus lines producers, and retail producers by identifying commercial insurance coverages generally unavailable in Oregon’s admitted market for risks associated with affordable housing, and allows coverage placement of the commercial coverages noted in this bulletin via surplus lines carriers without producers placing coverage on behalf of affordable housing entities first needing to perform a diligent search.
Guidance
On the basis of Senate Bill 829 (2025), Section 5, commercial property and general liability coverage for affordable housing may be placed with a surplus lines carrier without completing a diligent search described under ORS 735.410(1)(b).
Click here to review this bulletin:
Oregon — The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation recently announced the following proposed rulemaking: Filing Caption: [Corrected] Establishes new, temporary insurance premium assistance program for affordable housing providers and shelter locations
Rules Proposed: 836-200-0700, 836-200-0705, 836-200-0710, 836-200-0715, 836-200-0720, 836-200-0725, 836-200-0730, 836-200-0735
Rule Summary: Senate Bill 829 (2025) establishes a new, temporary premium assistance program designed to offset some of the rising costs of insurance coverage incurred by affordable housing providers and shelter sites. The bill also provides the Division of Financial Regulation with a one-time General Fund appropriation of $2.47 million, to be paid directly to affordable housing providers, shelter bed sites, Project Turnkey locations, and navigators to offset a portion of their annual insurance premium costs.
Filed: Jan 28, 2026
Hearing date/time: Feb 24, 2026, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Last Day and Time to Offer Comment to Agency: Mar 3, 2026, 5:00 PM
Oregon — The Division of Financial Regulation published the tentative timeline of required filings for the individual and small group major medical and pediatric dental markets for 2027:
Similar to previous years, this is tentative because we still await the NBPP. The NBPP, or federal letter to issuers, may cause necessary timeline adjustments related to binder lock dates and rate transfer deadlines.
The biggest change you will note is the due date for 2027 major medical rate filings, which has been adjusted to June 3. Dental and Medical binder filings are also due on June 3. This change reflects the removal of the preliminary decision period, and allows you all more time to finalize your rates before submitting them to us. Individual Dental rates are still due in March.
Initial 2027 Filing Deadlines for 2027 form, rate, and binder filings
Visit our Health Filing Requirements page for more information:
Oregon — The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation recently announced the following proposed rulemaking: Filing Caption: Rulemaking for HB 2563 (2025) Insurance Premium Increase Notices
Rules Proposed: 836-054-0110, 836-054-0115, 836-054-0120, 836-054-0125, 836-054-0130
Rule Summary: House Bill 2563 (2025) requires insurers to give a clear and reasonable written explanation for any increase in the amount of premium the insured must pay upon renewing a personal auto, home, or dwelling policy when a written request from an insured is received.
Filed: Jan 28, 2026
Hearing date/time: Feb 24, 2026, 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Last Day and Time to Offer Comment to Agency: Mar 3, 2026, 5:00 PM
Washington — Last week’s report from the Washington Legislature from PIA lobbyist, Brewer Public Affairs: With the first major policy cutoff looming on Wednesday, February 4th, legislative activity intensified over the past week as committees shifted from public hearings to executive sessions to debate and move bills. Several higher-profile proposals advanced out of policy committees, while fiscal committees continued to add new items to already crowded agendas in advance of the fiscal cutoff next Monday, February 9th.
Below are selected highlights from the past week, along with a look ahead to notable committee action scheduled in the coming days. Additional bills under tracking, including those with upcoming committee action, are detailed in the attached bill report.
Taxes
With all eyes trained on an anticipated income tax proposal, supported by Governor Ferguson and Senate and House majority leaders, other high-profile tax measures came to light or received a public hearing.
Income Tax: Originally expected to be introduced Friday, word is that a new income tax bill will be released Monday evening (preliminary draft here). Based on the draft, starting in 2029, the proposal would collect a 9.9 percent tax on Washington adjusted gross income above $1 million, with various credits and adjustments available. This would include business owners’ income from pass-through entities like LLCs and S-Corps, and would hit highly compensated individuals who are out of state, such as professional athletes, for their time worked in Washington. Given that Washington has not had an income tax (debates over characterization of the Capital Gains Tax notwithstanding), once introduced, this will become the central topic of the session. As noted, the Governor and Democratic leaders have said passage of this bill is a top priority.
Payroll Tax: HB 2100, imposes an excise tax on the portion of a Washington employer’s payroll encompassing employees earning $125,000 or more annually. Under a planned amendment, it now applies to employers of 250 or more (as opposed to 20 or more), with gross annual volume of $5 million or more, and a total payroll of $7 million or more. It contains a deduction for Seattle companies subject to the city’s similar JumpStart tax.
New Local Public Utility Tax & Sales Tax: HB 2442 and SB 6294 represent a far-reaching local tax measure that expands the use of local property tax revenues, authorizes a new county-imposed public utility tax, authorizes a new 0.01 percent sales tax increase to fund child and family services, and expands the authorized use of sales tax revenue by counties and cities to include various social services. The House version was voted out of the Finance Committee on Thursday, while the Senate companion has a Ways & Means Committee hearing set for Thursday.
Sales Tax on Services Follow Up: HB 2257 and SB 6113 is a Department of Revenue-requested “technical fix” bill following last year’s SB 5814 sales tax on services measure. While normally an uncontroversial affair, this bill has gained attention for a provision stating that if any part of the law’s provision excluding various activities from the sales tax on advertising services is declared invalid, then the entire list of exclusions would be invalidated. There is pending litigation challenging a portion of that section, which if successful, could invalidate all of the exclusions under this bill – including the negotiated carve-out for billboard advertising, signage at live events, naming rights, fixed in-venue signage – for example, at professional sports venues. The House bill was heard Wednesday in the Finance Committee.
Governor Request B&O Tax Exemption Removal: HB 2487, the House companion to SB 5949, had a public hearing Friday in House Finance. The bill narrows the statutory definition of “insurance business” for purposes of the insurance premium tax, with the effect of expanding the application of the B&O tax to insurance-affiliated activities historically treated as covered by the premium tax.
Employer Assessment/Tax for Employee use of the State Medicaid Program: SB 6173 would assess private employers of more than 100 employees for the full cost of their employees who utilize state Medicaid for health insurance. Committee staff project the measure could yield as much as $700 million annually in revenue. A similar bill in the House, HB 2300, has not been scheduled for hearing. Both proposals are based on the Health Care Authority report that can be found here.
Technology, AI, and Consumer Regulation
Artificial intelligence and digital regulation continued to command significant legislative attention, with several bills advancing toward committee votes. Two highlights:
HB 2481, prohibiting surveillance-based or algorithmic pricing practices and imposing a moratorium on electronic shelf labels in grocery and retail establishments, was voted out of the House Technology, Economic Development & Veterans Committee on Wednesday and was referred to the Appropriations Committee for additional consideration. The Senate version, SB 6312, was heard Wednesday in the Senate Business, Economic Development & Trade Committee, and is scheduled for a vote on that side this coming Wednesday. Industry is actively seeking amendments that would clarify definitional items and remove the moratorium on e-shelf labels.
SB 6284, establishing consumer protections for “high risk” AI systems, was heard Tuesday in the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee and is set for a committee vote this Tuesday. This appears to be the leading contender among several AI-regulation bills this session to make it across the line. It requires risk management planning and various disclosures by deployers of AI systems that impact “consequential decisions” in employment and consumer affairs and prohibits algorithmic discrimination for attributes protected by the Washington Law Against Discrimination.
Labor and Employment
Labor and employment regulation is perennially active. Highlights:
HB 2611, a newly introduced proposal redefining the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours, was heard in the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on Tuesday. It is not scheduled for further action this session.
HB 2471 and SB 6117, originally proposing to extend collective bargaining rights to workers not covered by the National Labor Relations Act, was voted out of both House and Senate Labor Committees on Friday. It was amended in both committees to remove the collective bargaining rights and instead provides state-level labor relations regulation for workers already covered by federal law, but only in the event federal law no longer pre-empts state law or the National Labor Relations Board declines or loses jurisdiction over labor disputes under the NLRA.
HB 1155, last session’s ban on non-compete agreements and limitation on non-solicitation agreements, was pulled from the House Rules Committee and is eligible for a floor vote. Its companion, SB 5437, was voted out of the Senate Labor Committee Friday after picking up an amendment allowing its private right of action to operate on alleged violations before the effectiveness date of the law.
HB 2144, requiring notice to employees regarding electronic monitoring used for performance evaluation, was voted out of the House Labor Committee on Wednesday, and was referred to the Appropriations Committee. Efforts remain underway to strip the private right of action enforcement provision.
SB 5852, the Attorney General’s Immigrant Rights Act, was voted out of the Senate Labor Committee on Friday. Its House companion, HB 2105, is moving and is before the Appropriations Committee. The bill requires 72-hours’ notice to current and former employees of a federal I-9 work eligibility audit, backed by stiff penalties for failure to provide the notice.
Payroll-Tax-Funded Programs and Workers’ Compensation
With long-term care insurance dormant and unemployment insurance non-controversial this session, big-ticket bills in workers’ compensation and a tweak to rate-setting for the paid family & medical leave insurance program are moving.
HB 2218 and SB 5847, narrowing the Labor & Industries medical provider network and imposing penalties for employers found to have directed medical care, saw additional committee action. The Senate version was voted out of Senate Labor on Friday, while the House version is scheduled for a vote on Tuesday. Employers continue to seek amendments clarifying the prohibition and penalty around directed medical care.
HB 2243 and SB 6152, expanding the definition of attending provider to include physical and occupational therapists, moved on the Senate side, advancing with a committee vote on Friday.
HB 2372 and SB 6067, a highly expensive bill to include the value of employer-provided health insurance in an injured worker’s time loss or pension benefits when an employer does not continue to provide coverage, moved forward in both chambers. The House bill was voted out of committee on Wednesday and is before the Appropriations Committee, while the Senate version was voted out of committee on Friday.
HB 2188, requiring additional transparency in industrial insurance rate-setting, was heard Wednesday in House Labor, and is set for a committee vote on Tuesday. Its Senate companion, SB 6136, was voted out of committee on Friday.
SB 5292, modifying the statutory basis for setting Paid Family & Medical Leave premium rates in favor of actuarial determination, is up for a public hearing in the Senate Ways & Means Committee on Monday.
Liability Reform and Litigation
Several measures affecting tort liability and enforcement authority moved during the week, with additional action scheduled.
HB 2255, regulating third-party litigation funding and requiring disclosure of funding arrangements, is now scheduled for executive session on Wednesday in the House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee.
HB 2095, creating a presumption of negligence for motorists involved in collisions with “vulnerable roadway users,” was scheduled for and pulled from executive session twice since its public hearing, while opposition has built and amendments have been considered. It is now scheduled for a vote in Civil Rights & Judiciary on Tuesday.
SB 6239, requiring non-binding arbitration for tort claims against the state and its political subdivisions, was heard in the Senate Law & Justice Committee on Tuesday and subsequently voted out of committee on Thursday. After provoking opposition from the plaintiffs’ bar, it was amended to narrow the arbitration requirement to a smaller subset of claims against the state. It is now in the Ways & Means Committee.
HB 2706, a slightly different approach to dealing with the state’s tort liability difficulties, was introduced Thursday. It would declare sovereign immunity for the state for claims against the state’s Division of Children, Youth & Families and would require tort claims against the division be subject to an administrative adjudication commission within the Administrative Office of Hearings. It is before the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee, likely considered a bill “necessary to implement the budget,” and thus exempt from cutoffs.
HB 2585, establishing a state false claims act with a qui tam private right of action, received a public hearing in Civil Rights & Judiciary on Wednesday, but is not scheduled to move before cutoff.
Insurance
Insurance-related legislation continued to move, with several Commissioner-requested bills advancing and additional regulatory proposals scheduled for action.
SB 5928, having previously cleared the Senate Business, Trade & Economic Development Committee, was pulled from the Rules Committee on Wednesday and is moving toward a floor vote. Both the Commissioner and industry have proposed amendments, which are under discussion with sponsors.
SB 6079, establishing a wildfire mitigation grant program while restricting underwriting based on IBHS designations, is scheduled for a committee vote on Wednesday. Industry is working to place an amendment to eliminate the bill’s underwriting restrictions and sunset its use of the Commissioner’s regulatory account surplus for initial funding of the grant program.
SB 6031 and HB 2394, strengthening OIC’s fraud prevention tools, continues to move with the Senate version in the Rules Committee and House version set for a committee vote on Tuesday.
SB 6178 and HB 2399, the Commissioner’s request to ban post-loss assignments of benefits, are also moving, with the Senate version pulled from the Rules Committee to the floor on Wednesday and the House version set for a committee vote this coming Wednesday.
HB 2087, adopting NAIC model travel insurance regulation, is scheduled for executive session on Wednesday. It does not appear the Senate version will move.
SB 5871, regulating motor vehicle glass repair claims, has been pulled from the executive session schedule and isn’t moving further this session.
HB 2428, requiring proof of delivery for life insurance lapse notices and notice of reinstatement rights, is set for a committee vote on Wednesday, with a clarifying amendment worked out between the bill’s sponsor and industry.
Washington — Balance Billing Protection Act (BBPA) dispute resolution mechanism: The OIC has released several previous requests for information (RFI) related to the Balance Billing Protection Act (BBPA) dispute resolution mechanism. OIC solicited comments as to whether, under the authority provided in RCW 48.49.040, Washington state should transition to the federal No Surprise Act Independent Dispute Resolution (NSA IDR) process or continue to use the BBPA arbitration system to resolve disputes between nonparticipating providers and carriers or self-funded group health plans that have elected to participate in the BBPA.
Based on comments received on the most recent RFI issued in February 2025, OIC announced it would be delaying the transition to the NSA IDR system for a minimum of 12 months, or July 1, 2026.
We are now releasing a fifth RFI related to the BBPA dispute resolution mechanism and are soliciting comments as to whether Washington state should continue using the BBPA arbitration system to resolve disputes between nonparticipating providers and carriers or self-funded group health plans that have elected to participate in the BBPA.
For more information on this RFI or the BBPA, please visit our webpage on arbitration.
Comments on this RFI are due on February 11, 2026, by close of business and should be sent to policy@oic.wa.gov. OIC will provide an update on this issue on or before March 1, 2026.