California — Another Atmospheric River Threatens the State: California has been battered by 11 atmospheric rivers this season. The next one is now hitting the state and is expected to further saturate already saturated soil.
Two to four inches of rain is expected in some areas. Rapid runoff and rising rivers will no doubt lead to flooding. Some areas will see 60 to 80 mph winds. So power outages will likely accompany the storm.
Source link: CNN — http://bit.ly/3yWF8Rc
Idaho — DOI Director Receives NCOIL Regulatory Leadership Award
BOISE, ID (March 14, 2023) – Idaho Department of Insurance Director Dean L. Cameron received the National Council of Insurance Legislators’ 2022 Regulatory Leadership Award during the 2023 NCOIL Spring Meeting. This is only the second time this recognition has been awarded.
Director Cameron has been actively involved in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). He served as NAIC Secretary/Treasurer and Vice President, and was NAIC President in 2022. He is currently the Immediate Past-President.
Cameron was recognized for his accomplishments in fostering collaborative relationships between insurance regulators and legislators, as well as defending the state-based insurance regulatory system.
“I am honored and humbled by this recognition. I strongly believe collaboration is critical in protecting consumers,” said Director Cameron.
Cameron was first appointed to serve as Director of the Idaho Department of Insurance by Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, effective June 15, 2015. Director Cameron was then re-appointed by Governor Brad Little on January 4, 2019, and again January 6, 2023, to continue his service as Director of the Department.
Cameron was a third-generation insurance agent for 32 years. He has 32 years of experience in state government with 25 of those years serving in the Idaho State Senate. During his tenure in the Senate, he chaired the Health Care Task Force, the Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee, – the Senate Finance Committee and Co-Chaired the Joint Finance Appropriations Committee (JFAC) the state budget committee.
Montana — Tax Cuts Coming: Montana Governor Greg Gianforte just signed a new tax package into law that will issue about $1 billion in tax rebates and in tax cuts. The rebates will be up to $2.250 for Montanans who own homes, it pays down the debt of the state and some of that money will go to improve highways.
The bills came to him in a package. There are eight of them. The tax cuts are for short-term property and income taxes and comes from the state’s budget surplus.
Gianforte calls it the largest tax cut in Montana history as it also invests in business equipment, pays off $125 million of state debt and restructures the corporate income tax. Other benefits are a streamline of the capital gains tax and $100 million for highway construction.
In total, the bills provide $764 million in tax rebates and tax collections will drop by $150 million on a permanent basis. So in the next two years, Montanans will save about $300 million.
The bills also cut the state’s business equipment tax, pay off $125 million of state debt, restructure the state’s corporate income tax, streamline capital gains taxes and put $100 million into a highway construction fund.
“These are policies that will improve our business climate, grow our economy, create jobs and increase opportunities for Montanans,” said Gianforte, a Republican.
In total, the package will provide $764 million in tax rebates and reduce state tax collections by roughly $150 million a year on a permanent basis, saving taxpayers about $300 million over the state’s next two-year budget period.
“Montana has one of the highest income tax rates in the Rocky Mountain West and the fourteenth-highest in the country,” Gianforte said. “This is hard on middle-class families and small businesses. Higher taxes mean less take-home pay, less job creation, greater burden on hard-working Montanans and more of our kids leaving the state.”
Source link: Montana Free Press – http://bit.ly/405J5yY
Oregon — Three Bills: Three insurance-related legislative bills will be voted on in the House Business and Labor Committee in the coming days. Please take this opportunity now to contact members of the committee (see below for email addresses).
UP FOR WORK SESSION ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22:
HB 3243
Includes insurance in definition of real estate, goods and services that are subject to penalties for unlawful trade practices.
PIA is strongly opposed.
HB 3243 has the potential to really harm Oregon insurance consumers. It would
– redefine the relationship of insurer to insured, to the detriment of insurance consumers
– lead to inflated settlement demands
– encourage more lawsuits
– increase underlying costs related to insurance claims
– raise insurance premiums significantly.
HB 3242
Provides insured with cause of action for insurer’s unfair claim settlement practices.
PIA asks for a YES vote on the dash-one amendment to delete Section 3 which includes insurance producers:
UP FOR WORK SESSION ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29:
HB 2920
Directs insurer to consider only specified information in determining rates for motor vehicle liability insurance policy.
PIA is strongly opposed.
PIA believes that HB 2920 will harm consumers regardless of race or income by:
• reducing competition,
• impacting availability of auto insurance, and/or
• increasing costs for many consumers as it did in Washington.
Click here to see testimony from agents who dealt with Washington consumers facing greatly increased premiums because of a credit-score ban:
51518 (oregonlegislature.gov)
53398 (oregonlegislature.gov)
53078 (oregonlegislature.gov)
Important – Please Help Oppose HB 3243 and HB 2920
Ask legislators to oppose both HB 3243 and HB 2920 by sending some emails to committee members. Send individual emails rather than a group email. Please send a blind copy to lanab@teleport.com.
MEMBERS OF HOUSE BUSINESS AND LABOR COMMITTEE
Rep.PaulHolvey@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.LucettaElmer@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.NathanSosa@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.ShellyBoshartDavis@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.DaciaGrayber@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.ZachHudson@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.TravisNelson@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.RobNosse@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.VirgleOsborne@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Rep.AnnaScharf@oregonlegislature.gov
