Committee advances bill to bar insurers from raising auto liability premiums solely because a driver turns 65

The Senate Insurance Committee reported House Bill 258 favorably on May 28, advancing a bill that clarifies and preserves a 1993 prohibition on increasing automobile liability premiums solely because a policyholder reaches age 65.

The committee’s action updates enforcement language in the law: sponsor Representative Taylor offered an amendment that removed a proposed fixed civil penalty and instead clarified that the Commissioner of Insurance may take regulatory action under Title 22 against insurers found in violation.

Adam Patrick of the Louisiana Department of Insurance explained the revised enforcement language to the committee, saying the amendment makes clear “the Commissioner has the authority to take any regulatory action, given to him in Title 22, against any insurer found to be in violation.” The change was presented to give the department a spectrum of regulatory remedies rather than a single fixed fine.

Senator Bass moved to report the bill favorably; the transcript records no opposition and the committee reported the bill to the Senate floor. Commissioner Tim Temple was present and listed in the record as supporting the measure but did not speak.

Discussion versus decision: the amendment to remove a fixed monetary penalty and confer enforcement authority was a sponsor amendment explained by the Department of Insurance staff; the committee’s subsequent motion and approval to report the bill favorably is the formal committee decision.

Background from testimony: the bill’s sponsor said the original 1993 statute prohibited age‑based premium increases when first enacted and that the amendment reflected conversations with the Department of Insurance about the most appropriate enforcement mechanism. The committee did not record a roll‑call vote in the transcript; the committee’s action was approved by unanimous consent as “seeing no opposition.”