[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6099057,"mediaKeyId","2821522-da839db49a09da860399817ae10b3909","parentId",2821522,"title","Senate committee pauses DiFi nomination, asks director nominee to return April 10 with plan on policy notices, NAIC ties and licensing delays","audioSeconds",8213,"startMs",5958000,"endMs",14171000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2821522-da839db49a09da860399817ae10b3909&start=5958&end=14171","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2821522-da839db49a09da860399817ae10b3909/thumbnail_5958000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6099057/Arizona/Senate-committee-pauses-DiFi-nomination-asks-director-nominee-to-return-April-10-with-plan-on-policy-notices-NAIC-ties-and-licensing-delays","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099057-95b4d06e9dc41b8f674d77b15d073f7f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771100165&Signature=NDeyD~vyIzKZR3poBPkFDplyqGZFIEotpvA8OGGDpbsBhUdzSNLJkBd7~ze69rGZ8DKnxsfdQ9WwveLeRox0jMXROWiS1XNB8eBKCZ7B6PqUCa7W7iRXKG8Cxt~hhzoIvSD2CQIXmkwsnsVxOYoaqmd416dujqpoghgYfmMewmpqLxRzD4ytix~dilIaHMxqcbhHeV40AVvWpnkXLJNuWfA1vJ5-u~RZ7OCD-h-08LQbY9vwclwpeCsJgdI~rK4x8qhjb4dt3THd1xOyTxl0Aqo6LRbVW0T-z8Le272rdOnOcvsW8Oq8ucfFJLJ7sEeVsv8PIyViJesmvLryg7-Oaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arizona Legislature","date","2025-03-27T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Committee on Director Nominations did not vote on March 13 on Barbara Richardson’s nomination to lead the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI). After detailed questioning and critical public testimony, Chair Senator Warren Hoffman gave Richardson two weeks to return with a written framework answering committee concerns; the committee will resume Richardson’s confirmation hearing on April 10.

Why it matters: DIFI regulates insurance and many financial services used by Arizona households and businesses. Committee members said the department’s approach to policy notices, its public role in national regulatory working groups and recent delays in licensing and customer service are material to whether Richardson should be confirmed to run the agency.

Richardson, introduced as the governor’s nominee, reviewed her 30‑plus year background in private‑ and public‑sector financial regulation, including prior service as Nevada insurance commissioner and experience with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). \"I stand ready and eager to uphold DiFi's mission to protect consumers, provide certainty on regulatory matters, and perform with efficiency and integrity as good stewards of taxpayer resources,\" Richardson said in her opening remarks.

Committee members pressed Richardson on multiple themes:

- NAIC committee work and scope: Senators asked why Richardson participated in NAIC groups — including a Special Committee on Race and Insurance and associated work streams that examined the use of data and AI in pricing — and whether NAIC work can push state regulatory priorities or policy. Richardson said she focused on technical questions (for example, data inputs and AI fairness), described the NAIC staff and regulator roles and said one NAIC work stream had recently been disbanded. She told the committee that NAIC recommendations do not replace state law and that state legislatures set policy.

- Notices and substantive policy statements: Senators raised concerns about DIFI communications through its electronic filing/notice system (SURF) and whether the department had used those notices to advance interpretations of statute that should instead go through the state's substantive policy/notice process (and GURC review). Richardson said the SURF notices were used to identify statutory compliance issues and to engage companies directly; she acknowledged the department issues formal substantive policy statements when appropriate but defended use of SURF for targeted objections tied to statute.

- Licensing delays and customer service: Several public witnesses and legislators said agent licensing and regulator contact have slowed since Richardson took office, with anecdotal reports of average license processing rising from a few days to as much as 30 days and of an industry hotline moving to voicemail callbacks. Richardson attributed processing delays to staffing turnover in licensing and said the department is working to improve throughput and customer service.

- Wildfire mitigation and consumer outreach: Richardson described a new resiliency and mitigation council at DIFI focused on wildfire‑prone areas and said the department is convening stakeholders to study affordability and availability of homeowners insurance. She emphasized outreach and consumer‑facing materials, including a wildfire information page and public advisory sessions.

Public comment at the hearing included criticism from political and industry speakers who said licensing delays and remote work arrangements have undermined service; one representative of a financial‑technology company, and a lawyer for Earnin, offered supportive testimony about Richardson’s assistance to stakeholders during the transition.

At the hearing's close, Chair Hoffman instructed Richardson to produce a written framework within two weeks addressing the committee’s concerns about the department’s use of SURF/SERF for notices, DIFI’s involvement in NAIC working groups, and concrete steps and timelines to shorten licensing processing times and improve the public hotline. The committee scheduled a continuation of the hearing for April 10, 2025.

Ending: The committee paused consideration of Richardson’s nomination and set a return date for April 10 to review the written framework and decide whether to recommend confirmation to the full Senate.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03/27/2025 - Senate Director Nominations","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Committee on Director Nominations did not vote on March 13 on Barbara Richardson’s nomination to lead the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI). After detailed questioning and critical public testimony, Chair Senator Warren Hoffman gave Richardson two weeks to return with a written framework answering committee concerns; the committee will resume Richardson’s confirmation hearing on April 10.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature Arizona, Arizona","taxId",78572,"location","Arizona","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6099062,"Senate committee recommends Thomas D. Cole for Arizona Registrar of Contractors after hourlong hearing",5891,15000,5906000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2821522-da839db49a09da860399817ae10b3909&start=15&end=5906","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2821522-da839db49a09da860399817ae10b3909/thumbnail_15000.jpg","/articles/6099062/Arizona/Senate-committee-recommends-Thomas-D-Cole-for-Arizona-Registrar-of-Contractors-after-hourlong-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6099062-c06076c82bb89453e10a1008d1a12902/orig.mp4?Expires=1771100165&Signature=FodVHuepCa1lCRWCGLvF8Fdryyro72vcyhBt1sP7nKMDdAddwqhoKsACdlGQWG-hleqpevFU~7Jd2-VtTkpodyT3-L1P6GVWjPQtUXBg0GbnoREYnQfd0pmZeAG8WPi3lUNA8uPgiywUT7dIxgCSid7g71K-CgZHt-zfpev~nyG261vTGfOOp~U5fghyvbbXsXMs-yQUKsnw6T3F3YeYp3wJBL2fwhhfcRuZJ6UBZoNAUWTLg8-tMszqigGfDk9RQ66DNl6LJuxU1Ubkhwa5xKyRKUbhjkEiuHM5k1eRGXuFzCRIgJCw~TW-rZDkHYAGLTnXtUQjnXVReILVt69vvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Director Nominations voted 4-1 on March 13 to recommend Thomas David Cole for confirmation as director of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) after a roughly 90-minute hearing where members praised operational improvements but pressed Cole on his construction experience, enforcement approaches and interactions with federal agencies.

Cole, the agency's interim director since October 2023, told the committee he has led ROC efforts to reduce overhead, balance the budget and improve customer service while maintaining enforcement against unlicensed contractors. \"I pledge to serve with integrity, fairness, and innovation, ensuring that the ROC remains a pillar of trust and professionalism for all Arizonans,\" Cole said in his opening remarks.

The committee's brief nut graf: the ROC oversees contractor licensing for a rapidly growing Arizona construction sector and handles complaints that affect homeowners, businesses and public safety. Members focused on whether Cole's background as a long‑time public safety executive and administrator equips him to lead a licensing and enforcement agency that regulates construction professionals and adjudicates consumer disputes.

Most of the committee's questions centered on Cole's qualifications and specific ROC operations. Cole described agency metrics and workload: the ROC lists more than 58,000 active licenses, processed nearly 7,000 license applications in 2024 and investigated about 7,800 complaints last year, with roughly 412 referrals for prosecution. He said the agency now averages about 6.4 days to issue a license and roughly 45 days to close an investigative case, noting that recovery‑fund matters can take substantially longer.

Senators pressed Cole on three recurring topics:

- Construction background and vetting: Several members noted Cole's professional résumé centers on fire and emergency services rather than hands‑on contracting. Cole acknowledged he has not worked as a contractor but described long experience supervising building operations, coordinating construction of fire stations and participating in construction project teams.

- Enforcement and proactive investigations: Cole said the ROC remains primarily complaint‑driven but has authorized limited proactive enforcement, including outreach on advertising platforms where unlicensed providers may solicit work. He described a graduated approach that begins with education and warning letters and escalates to cease‑and‑desist notices and criminal referrals when necessary.

- Interagency agreements: Senators questioned Cole about a November 2023 memorandum of understanding between the ROC and the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division. Cole said the MOU is voluntary, nonbinding and contains a 30‑day withdrawal clause; he described it as an information‑sharing arrangement used when federal investigations uncover potential misclassification that intersects ROC licensing rules. \"We entered into it so we could learn more about them,\" he said, and added the ROC has not undertaken joint investigations under the MOU.

Committee members acknowledged operational improvements Cole reported, including a move to a Salesforce environment to speed licensing and a reconstituted industry advisory council. Senator Bravo and others cited faster licensing throughput, outreach to schools and workforce development events, and the ROC's publication of performance metrics.

The committee then voted to recommend Cole's confirmation to the full Senate. Roll call recorded the following votes: Senator Bravo — yes; Senator Kavanaugh — yes (after a brief explanation); Senator Diaz — yes; Senator Jarrett — yes; Senator Hoffman (chair) — no. The committee recommendation will be forwarded to the full Senate for final confirmation.

Ending: Cole told the committee he looks forward to Senate consideration and to continuing the ROC's focus on consumer protection, contractor accountability and workforce development in Arizona's construction industry.","The Senate Committee on Director Nominations voted 4-1 to recommend Thomas D. Cole for confirmation as director of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors after questioning his construction experience, enforcement priorities and a November 2023 MOU with the U.S. Department of Labor.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate committee pauses DiFi nomination, asks director nominee to return April 10 with plan on policy notices, NAIC ties and licensing delays

Senate committee recommends Thomas D. Cole for Arizona Registrar of Contractors after hourlong hearing