Senate Commerce Committee approves multiple agency rule dockets, advances two construction-related RS bills and forwards insurance-board appointment

The Idaho Senate Commerce Committee approved a package of agency rule dockets from the Department of Insurance and other regulatory bodies, advanced two construction-related RS proposals to print, and voted to send the gubernatorial reappointment of Steve Landon to the Idaho State Insurance Fund Board to the full Senate with a recommendation for confirmation.

Department of Insurance dockets: Dean Cameron, director of the Idaho Department of Insurance, introduced a set of rule reviews the department undertakes annually. Eric Fletcher, company activities bureau chief, told the committee the Department cut the life-settlement rule by 30% and said the changes were intended to "simplify and reduce duplication of statute." The committee approved docket 18-03-02-2401 (life settlements).

Title insurance and surplus lines: Shannon Hole, Market Oversight Bureau Chief, summarized changes to title insurance rules (docket 18-05-01-2401), saying the revisions clarify Idaho Code 41-2708 and modernize a definition of "collected funds" used in escrow and related transactions. Fletcher also presented surplus-lines rule revisions (docket 18-06-06-2401), including a clarification that a broker's annual report can be satisfied by the broker's premium-tax filing. Both dockets were approved by the committee.

Fire code: Idaho State Fire Marshal Knut Bridal presented docket 18-08-01-2401, which adopts the International Fire Code with state edits and clarifies enforcement procedures and progressive enforcement before prosecutorial action. "This rule adopts the fire code and the edits of the state fire marshal as a minimum standard for the protection of life and property from fire and explosion here in the state of Idaho," Bridal said. The committee approved the docket.

Licensing and professional rules: Jessica Spoya of the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses presented two rule chapters. The committee approved docket 24-2201-2401 for liquefied petroleum gas safety board rules, which included adopting the NFPA 58 (2024 edition) and changing a work-experience requirement from one year to 2,000 hours. The committee also approved the rules for professional engineers and land surveyors (docket listed in the packet as 24-32-01-2401), which included adjustments such as lowering required continuing-education hours for engineers from 30 to 24 per renewal cycle and clarifying reciprocity for applicants licensed in other countries.

Bills and appointments: The committee voted to send RS 31,943, which removes a rarely used provision allowing mechanics' and materialmen's liens to move to the top of a court docket, to print after sponsor remarks that the provision had caused confusion in recent litigation. The committee also approved RS 31,944 (a choice-of-law provision intended to require that Idaho projects be governed by Idaho law) to be sent to print. On a separate motion, the committee voted to refer Governor's reappointment of Steve Landon to the Idaho State Insurance Fund Board to the Senate floor with a recommendation for confirmation.

Most items were routine and drew little public comment; committee members voiced questions on technical details such as the definition of collected funds, the process for prosecutorial enforcement of fire-code violations, and reciprocity provisions for engineers licensed in other countries. The committee closed its business and adjourned.