Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee advances four insurance-related bills, approves amendments

The Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance on Wednesday advanced four bills affecting insurance board membership, fee-setting authority, reporting requirements and licensing rules, and accepted a bill introduction on uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Senate Bill 20, which would reduce the number of board members appointed by the commissioner for certain insurance-related boards and change the frequency of meetings of the Committee of Unsurity Bonds of Insurance from monthly to “on the call of the chair,” was moved out of committee on a voice vote after a motion by Senator Gossage and a second from Senator Rose. Eileen, committee reviser, described the bill: “Senate Bill 20 was the bill that would request the number of I'm sorry, reduce the number of board members appointed by the commissioner, those insurance related boards. And then would also change the frequency of the meetings on the Committee of Unsurity Bonds of Insurance from monthly to on the call of the” chair.

Senate Bill 24 would authorize the commissioner of insurance to set certain statutory fees and publish the amounts in the Kansas Register. Eileen summarized the measure: “Senate Bill 24 is the bill that would authorize the commissioner of insurance to set the amount of certain fees and then publish the that amount of the fee in the Kansas register. And she would do that for all the statutes that are listed in the bill and on the brief that I provided, by December 1 of each year for the next calendar year.” The committee passed the bill on a voice vote after Senator Gossage moved to advance it and Senator Klooz seconded.

Senate Bill 27 was amended on the floor of the committee and then advanced as amended. The amendment, offered by Senator Francisco and seconded by Senator Fagg, responded to the insurance commissioner’s request to stop the statutory requirement that two annual reports be submitted to the governor while ensuring the department still produces an annual report for public access. As Senator Francisco explained, the change would require the commissioner to “make an annual report, but do as they are already doing now, posting it on their department website and not being required. And this would eliminate or not replace that requirement that has to go to the governor.” After the amendment passed on a voice vote, Senator Fagg moved the bill as amended and Senator Augerbright seconded; the committee approved the amended bill by voice vote.

Senate Bill 28, which would align licensing statutes for public adjusters with those for insurance agents, was advanced as amended. The committee approved a technical amendment clarifying that a 15‑day response period referenced in the bill means business days; Eileen explained the change: the amendment “just simply clarifies that those would be business days.” When asked what constituted business days, Eileen said they were weekdays “unless there was a holiday on Monday through Friday.” Senator Gossage moved the amendment, Senator Francisco seconded; the amendment passed and the committee then voted to pass the bill as amended (motion by Senator Gossage, second by Senator Cluse).

Separately, John Polzar of the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association introduced an RS (25RS1007) relating to uninsured and underinsured motorist liability insurance; the introduction was accepted by the chair.

Committee procedure notes recorded during the meeting: amended bills are not eligible for the consent calendar, while the chair and members discussed whether unamended bills could be placed on consent in the future. Committee staff indicated copies of meeting minutes had been provided and were approved at the start of the session.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Bill 20: Passed out of committee (motion: Senator Gossage; second: Senator Rose). Vote: voice vote; tally not specified. Outcome: passed. - Senate Bill 24: Passed out of committee (motion: Senator Gossage; second: Senator Klooz). Vote: voice vote; tally not specified. Outcome: passed. - Senate Bill 27 (as amended): Amendment offered by Senator Francisco (second: Senator Fagg) to require annual report posting on the department website instead of submission to the governor; amendment passed on voice vote. Bill as amended moved by Senator Fagg and seconded by Senator Augerbright; voice vote; tally not specified. Outcome: passed as amended. - Senate Bill 28 (as amended): Technical amendment clarifying 15‑day response period means business days (mover: Senator Gossage; second: Senator Francisco) passed on voice vote. Bill as amended moved by Senator Gossage and seconded by Senator Cluse; voice vote; tally not specified. Outcome: passed as amended.

What the record shows and what it does not: motions and seconds are recorded in the transcript for each bill; final approvals were by voice vote with “aye”/“any opposed” calls and the transcript does not provide roll-call tallies or individual member votes. The transcript also records staff clarifications about definitions (business days) and about which bills would or would not be eligible for the consent calendar.

The committee indicated it will continue work on additional bills at future meetings and noted upcoming interim reports and hearings on pensions and PMIB modernization.