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Insurance and Real Estate Committee advances broad package of insurance, real-estate and consumer-protection bills
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Summary
The Insurance and Real Estate Committee on March 12 voted to send a large package of bills to the floor, advancing measures on contractor disclosures, service-animal protections and multiple health‑insurance proposals while flagging several items for further technical work and fiscal analysis.
The Insurance and Real Estate Committee met Thursday and voted to advance a wide-ranging group of bills to the next stage of the legislative process, including reforms for home‑improvement contracting, protections for landlords with tenants who use service animals, updates for common‑interest communities and a series of health‑insurance mandates.
The committee approved motions to “JFS” — send the bill to the floor with substitute language — on measures including HB5263 (post‑loss assignment and contractor disclosure; LCO 2878), HB5264 (service animals, animal‑abuse task force; LCO 2989, referred to Judiciary), HB5265 (court‑ordered accountings in common‑interest communities; LCO 2875), and a large health package that includes HB5374 (four benefit mandates including scalp‑cooling and fertility coverage; LCO 3164) and SB342 (provider protections and anti‑steering/downcoding provisions; LCO 342). Committee leadership emphasized follow‑up work on several bills to address drafting questions and potential fiscal impacts.
Why it matters: The bills advance issues that affect homeowners, tenants, small businesses, nonprofit service providers and patients. Several measures carried consumer‑protection language the committee said was negotiated with stakeholders; other items — most notably proposals tied to self‑funded association health plans (MEWAs) and several health mandates — drew extended debate over solvency risk, preexisting‑condition protections and premium costs.
Votes at a glance: The committee record shows most JFS motions passed. Members asking the most questions included Senator Lesser and Representative Nuccio, who sought clarifications about substitute language and fiscal implications; Senator Anwar and Representative Meskers pressed for quicker action on patient access and provider payment issues. The committee kept an eye on committee referrals: HB5264 was sent to Judiciary for its penalty components, and chairs noted parallel House and Senate versions of several bills.
What comes next: Bills the committee advanced are scheduled for further consideration on the floor of the legislature or referral to other committees. Chairs and ranking members said they will continue to work with stakeholders to refine language — especially on MEWA solvency protections, formulary and notice rules, nonprofit liability recommendations and health‑care fiscal notes — before final votes.
The committee adjourned after setting procedural notes and keeping votes open through the afternoon.
