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Committee on Insurance advances department rename, captive-insurance changes and maternity-center definition
Summary
The Committee on Insurance approved three bills during a brief session: HB 23-33 to rename the state insurance agency and reorganize securities staff, HB 23-34 updating captive insurance rules (including a fee-change amendment), and HB 23-35 adding accredited maternity centers to the state definition of "health care provider."
The Committee on Insurance advanced three bills during a brief meeting, approving a departmental rename, changes to captive insurance law and an expansion of the statutory definition of "health care provider" to include certain maternity centers.
The committee approved House Bill 23-33 to rename the Kansas Insurance Department and to place the Office of the Securities Commissioner within a new Department of Insurance Securities Division, removing the current statutory requirement that the securities commissioner be confirmed by the Senate. Representative Deibert moved the bill be passed favorably, with Representative Penn seconding; the committee approved the motion by voice vote.
House Bill 23-34 would update terms and definitions in the Captive Insurance Act, add provisional certificates of authority and enact a Kansas Protected Cell Captive Insurance Company Act. Committee members described the bill as "in-depth" with "a lot of moving parts." Representative Tarwater successfully offered an amendment changing a fixed application/renewal fee of $2,500 to language allowing a fee of "up to $2,500," and Representative Proctor seconded that amendment. The amendment was adopted by voice vote; Representative Naber later moved the amended bill be passed favorably, and the committee approved it.
House Bill 23-35 would amend KSA 40-3401 to expand the definition of "health care provider" to include a maternity center only if it has been accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers and meets the maternity-center definition in KSA 65-503. Representative Bergquist moved to approve the bill; Representative Proctor seconded and the measure passed by voice vote.
Votes at a glance
- HB 23-33 (department rename; securities office moved into Department of Insurance Securities Division): Motion to pass favorably moved by Representative Deibert; seconded by Representative Penn; outcome: passed (voice vote). Note: removes statutory Senate confirmation requirement for the securities commissioner as described in the bill text.
- HB 23-34 (Captive Insurance Act updates; provisional certificates; protected cell captive act): Motion to pass favorably moved by Representative Naber; amendment by Representative Tarwater (changes fee language to "up to $2,500") seconded by Representative Proctor and adopted; final motion passed (voice vote).
- HB 23-35 (amend KSA 40-3401 to include accredited maternity centers in "health care provider"): Motion to approve moved by Representative Bergquist; seconded by Representative Proctor; outcome: passed (voice vote). The bill references KSA 65-503 for the maternity-center definition.
Committee business and remarks were brief and procedural. The committee approved distributed minutes from prior meetings and adjourned until after turnaround; members noted they expect to be on the floor for the rest of the week.
Direct quotes in this report are drawn from committee discussion and staff explanation during the meeting.
