For Immediate Release
November 29, 2017
Contact: Paul Penna
(732) 201-4133
RAPERT ASSUMES NCOIL PRESIDENCY
Arkansas Senator Has Been a Leader and Long Time NCOIL Participant
MANASQUAN, NJ – The National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) Nominating Committee selected Arkansas Senator Jason Rapert to serve as President during the Annual Meeting held in Phoenix, AZ from November 16th – 19th. The report of the Nominating Committee was affirmed by the Executive Committee.
“I am excited to assume the NCOIL Presidency and look forward to continuing to increase state legislator participation around the nation. Our organization has been a leader in educating policymakers to make informed insurance policy decisions that protect consumers and ensure a vibrant insurance marketplace in every state” Senator Rapert said.
“Rep. Riggs has done an outstanding job as President and I look forward to his counsel as Immediate Past President.”
Senator Rapert has had a successful career in the financial services and insurance industry, has been a member of NCOIL since November of 2011, chairs the Arkansas Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee, serves on the IIPRC and was recently named co-Legislator of the year by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. He assumes the Presidency after serving in all the NCOIL officer steps beginning in 2015 – Treasurer, Secretary and Vice-President. As an officer he has chaired the Audit Committee, the Budget Committee and the NCOIL – NAIC Dialogue.
“I look forward to working with Sen. Rapert as he assumes the NCOIL presidency” said Rep. Riggs. “During my term I worked diligently to formalize a recruitment process that has proven to be successful in increasing participation among insurance legislators and new states.”
Among Rapert’s priorities for the upcoming year include:
• Continue to work to ensure that the state based regulation of insurance continues and work to stave of international encroachment.
• Work with the Department of Labor as they delay the implementation of the Fiduciary Rule to ensure it is better for the states and consumers.
• Continue to engage with states and legislators that do not actively participate with NCOIL.
• Ensure NCOIL continues to educate legislators on emerging and longstanding insurance issues and serve as the only insurance legislative organization that enacts model laws in a timely fashion so they can be considered in state legislatures.
“NCOIL leadership continues to be geographically and politically diverse” said Commissioner Tom Considine, NCOIL CEO. “Bipartisan and bicameral perspectives create better models and resolutions. Sen. Rapert’s drive and enthusiasm will continue to move NCOIL forward, and I look forward to working closely with him in his new role.”
Vermont Rep. Bill Botzow will serve as Vice-President, Indiana Rep. Matt Lehman will remain as Treasurer and California Assemblyman Kenneth Cooley was elected to serve as Secretary. Kentucky Rep. Steve Riggs and Indiana Sen. Travis Holdman will serve as Immediate Past Presidents.
Rapert will announce committee chairs and vice chairs in the coming weeks.
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NCOIL is a legislative organization comprised principally of legislators serving on state insurance and financial institutions committees around the nation. NCOIL writes Model Laws in insurance, works to both preserve the state jurisdiction over insurance as established by the McCarran-Ferguson Act seventy years ago and to serve as an educational forum for public policy makers and interested parties. Founded in 1969, NCOIL works to assert the prerogative of legislators in making state policy when it comes to insurance and educate state legislators on current and perennial insurance issues.