New Montana state auditor/commissioner of insurance and securities introduces office to Senate committee

James Brown, the newly sworn Montana state auditor (often titled commissioner of insurance and securities), introduced himself and senior staff to the Senate Business and Labor and Economic Affairs Committee and summarized the agency’s consumer-protection and regulatory roles.

Brown said the auditor’s office is entrusted by statute to regulate insurance and securities in Montana and to protect consumers from bad actors. He introduced Frank Cody as the agency’s policy director and primary legislative representative during the session and David Sanders as chief of staff. Brown noted he also serves on the State Land Board as state auditor and handed out the agency’s interim budget report and a recently issued press release describing a consumer-protection settlement.

"The agency plays two very distinct and interesting roles," Brown said: enforcement and consumer education. He described the office as a criminal justice–style agency when it prosecutes fraud and as a consumer protection office when it assists policyholders and investors.

Brown told senators he has prior experience as president of the Montana Public Service Commission and that his staff will assist legislators and constituents with insurance and securities complaints throughout the session. He said the agency’s policy director, Frank Cody, will be the primary point of contact for legislative matters during the session.

Committee members thanked Brown and asked to schedule follow-up meetings; Brown offered to meet with members who requested additional briefings.