Consumer Protection & Business Committee advances several insurance, repair and kiosk measures; one restitution bill fails

The Consumer Protection & Business Committee on April 2 advanced four measures affecting insurance, consumer finance and repair of mobility devices and rejected one bill that would have limited insurer fines.

Lawmakers voted to report several measures out of committee with ‘due pass’ recommendations and debated amendments that touched on public-records exemptions, repair safety for complex mobility equipment, transaction caps and fees for virtual-currency kiosks, and the authority of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to order restitution and assess fines.

The most prominent vote sent to the floor was engrossed Senate Bill 5721, which would require auto policies effective on or after Jan. 1, 2026, to include a right to appraisal to resolve disputes over a vehicle’s value and loss amount. Representative Reeves, who moved the committee action, said the negotiated amendment reflects a multistakeholder compromise. The committee adopted the amendment and reported the bill out with a due-pass recommendation (11 ayes, 4 nays).

A separate bill to add restitution and higher fines in the insurance code (substitute Senate Bill 5331) drew extended questions about what “per violation” means and whether the agency would have excessive discretion. Representative Santos offered an amendment to cap aggregate fines in a single enforcement action — $35,000 for general violations and $100,000 for willful violations — and that amendment was adopted. After further debate the substituted bill failed to pass the committee (7 ayes, 8 nays).

Committee members also advanced substitute Senate Bill 5262, an omnibus package of insurance-code revisions that includes technical updates and a provision that initially would have created a new Public Records Act exemption for information obtained by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Representative Reeves moved the bill out with a due-pass recommendation; members rejected an amendment (H2063.1) that would have removed the proposed exemption and then voted to advance the bill to the floor (reported out 9 ayes, 6 nays).

Lawmakers sent two other consumer-focused bills onward. Senate Bill 5280 would add requirements to the Uniform Money Services Act for operators of virtual-currency kiosks — including transaction limits, fee caps and disclosures — and was reported out (9 ayes, 6 nays) after members debated alternative amendments to change daily limits and fee ceilings. Senate Bill 5680, a right-to-repair bill for mobility devices, was discussed at length because of safety concerns for devices that require clinical calibration. Committee members considered, then failed to adopt, an amendment that would have exempted parts requiring programming or clinical involvement; SB 5680 was advanced with a due-pass recommendation (8 ayes, 7 nays).

Taken together, the votes show the committee attempting to balance consumer protections, regulatory clarity and safety concerns for vulnerable device users while moving multiple bills toward the floor for further amendment and debate.

Votes at a glance

- Substitute Senate Bill 5721 (auto insurance appraisal right): amendment MOL 575 adopted; reported out as amended — outcome: reported out with due pass recommendation; committee vote: 11 ayes, 4 nays.

- Substitute Senate Bill 5331 (insurance restitution and fines): amendment clod 360 (aggregate caps) adopted; substitute bill failed in committee — outcome: failed; committee vote on final motion: 7 ayes, 8 nays.

- Substitute Senate Bill 5262 (insurance code revisions; Public Records Act provision debated): amendment H2063.1 (would delete a proposed Public Records Act exemption) was not adopted; bill reported out with due pass recommendation — committee vote: 9 ayes, 6 nays.

- Senate Bill 5280 (virtual-currency kiosks / Uniform Money Services Act requirements): multiple amendment proposals discussed and not adopted; bill reported out with due pass recommendation — committee vote: 9 ayes, 6 nays.

- Senate Bill 5680 (right to repair for mobility devices): amendments considered addressing complex rehabilitation technology and safety/calibration exemptions; a proposed exemption for parts requiring calibration or clinical involvement was not adopted; bill reported out with due pass recommendation — committee vote: 8 ayes, 7 nays.

Context and next steps

Committee members said further work on each measure is likely on the floor. Several lawmakers who voted to advance bills urged additional amendment and stakeholder negotiation before final passage; others expressed concern that some bills could increase costs for consumers or create gaps in protections. The failed restitution bill (SB 5331) may return in altered form if sponsors and opponents can resolve differences over aggregate caps and the definition of a “violation.”

Quotes

"This is an insurance commissioner request, miscellaneous corrections of statutes and updates and, sort of good government cleanup bill," Representative Reeves said before moving SB 5262 out of committee. "Welcoming our new insurance commissioner to office with the passage of this today."

Representative Santos, supporting the aggregate-cap amendment on SB 5331, said: "This amendment ... attempts to bring some clarity to the underlying bill by limiting the fines that the Office of the Insurance Commissioner may place on certain violations."

Representative McClintock, urging caution on right-to-repair protections for mobility devices, said: "I don't think this is ready and I think that we need to look out for those most vulnerable that can be harmed by someone that doesn't know what they're doing repairing or working on something."

Ending

Most of the measures now go to the full House for further consideration; committee members signaled they expect continued negotiation, technical fixes and possible floor amendments before any final votes on the bills.