Senate committee confirms three export-board nominees, advances multiple bills on insurance, public banking and consumer protections

The Senate Business, Financial Services and Trade Committee confirmed three gubernatorial appointments to the Small Business Export Finance Assistance Center Board of Directors and advanced several bills to next committees during an executive session.

The committee confirmed Kimberly Pearson, Christine Scoresmith and Joseph (Joe) Timmons. Each took the oath required by Senate Rule 69 before testifying to the committee. During her public hearing, Kimberly Pearson said, “I have worked for the Boeing company for over 30 years,” and described experience in export financing and working with export credit agencies. Christine Scoresmith described a long career working with small businesses and exporting in medical-device manufacturing and said she brings a small-business perspective; she noted experience establishing and training international distributors. Joseph Timmons described a career that began exporting agricultural products and later moved into banking and export finance, and said organizations like the export finance assistance center are “the perfect needed organization to get those dreams and careers on the right track.” All three nominations received confirmation recommendations by voice vote; the transcript does not show a roll-call tally.

The committee also considered and moved several bills:

- SB 5589 (Insurance-credit study): Committee staff summarized SB 5589 as a bill directing the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) to study insurers' use of credit history and credit-based insurance scores and report to the Legislature, with requested confidentiality protections for submitted data. Amendment A1 (sponsored by the ranking member) would have narrowed the study to credit-history use and require OIC to consider publicly available studies; amendment A2 would have required OIC to contract with an independent nonpartisan research association. Both amendments failed to be adopted in committee. The bill was reported out with a due-pass recommendation to the Rules Committee.

- SB 5622 (Dietary supplements and minors): Staff said the bill would prohibit the sale or promotional giveaway of over-the-counter diet pills and dietary supplements marketed for weight loss or muscle building to persons under 18, require proof-of-age verification and impose penalties; a fiscal note was requested. The committee voted to send SB 5622 to the Ways and Means Committee with a due-pass recommendation.

- SB 5721 (Auto-insurance appraisal): The committee discussed a proposed substitute that would expand and revise appraisal rights in automobile insurance claims and related procedures; the sponsor withdrew that proposed substitute as not ready. The bill received a due-pass recommendation and was sent to the Rules Committee.

- SB 5754 (State public bank): Staff described SB 5754 as creating authority to activate a state public bank with cooperative membership to lend to local and tribal governments under conditions; a fiscal note was requested and historical fiscal estimates from a similar 2023 measure were noted. The committee passed the bill to Ways and Means with a due-pass recommendation.

- SB 5708 (Online services and minors): The committee debated SB 5708 at length; proposed substitute C and amendment D-1 were both rejected in committee. The bill was then reported out with a due-pass recommendation to Ways and Means (detailed coverage of SB 5708 appears in a separate article).

Most committee actions were recorded as voice votes; the transcript records “aye” and “no” responses but does not include roll-call tallies.

The committee adjourned after passing the listed measures; several bills had fiscal notes requested or pending further amendment on the floor.