For Immediate Release
July 2, 2020
Contact: Cara Zimmermann
(732) 201-4133
NCOIL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES IN-PERSON NATIONAL MEETING; TAKES OTHER ACTIONS
Adopted Proposed Articles of Organization and Bylaws Amendments, & Adopted Resolution Urging NAIC to Refrain from Intruding on Constitutional Role of State Legislators
Manasquan, NJ – The National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) Executive Committee, Chaired by NCOIL President Matt Lehman (Rep. – IN), held an interim conference call meeting on July 1st, announcing it would move forward with its “Summer” National Conference. The event, which had been scheduled for Jersey City, NJ this month, will now be held in Old Town, Alexandria, VA in September.
Additionally, the group passed proposed amendments to the NCOIL Articles of Organization & Bylaws that the NCOIL Bylaws Committee adopted earlier in June. A discussion continued from one held by the NCOIL Property & Casualty Insurance Committee at its most recent meeting this past March in Charlotte, NC regarding the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Casualty Actuarial and Statistical (C) Task Force’s (CASTF) draft Regulatory Review of Predictive Models White Paper (White Paper). This discussion included the consideration and passage of a Resolution urging the NAIC to refrain from intruding on the Constitutional role of state legislators.
Chair Matt Lehman stated, “We thank all who joined and participated on the call. These interim calls are very important, especially in the circumstances we are in. Since the NCOIL ‘Summer’ Meeting is rescheduled two months later than its usual July meeting, we must be sure to continue having open communication and continuous dialogue between the NCOIL policy committees, consumers, regulators, the insurance industry, and other interested parties in the meantime in order to efficiently address timely issues.”
NCOIL Vice President, CA Asm. Ken Cooley said, “As sponsor of the NCOIL Resolution urging the NAIC to refrain from intruding on the Constitutional role of state legislators, I want to say thank you to my colleagues for engaging in a lively discussion on the issue. The Resolution adopted by the NCOIL Executive Committee is another important action taken by NCOIL to protect and uphold state legislators’ jurisdiction over insurance. We continue to hope we can resolve the disagreement through ongoing dialogue with the NAIC.”
“Regrettably, some have tried to twist this Resolution with contentions that it is suborning indirect racial discrimination. To be clear, the purpose of this Resolution is to maintain the proper constitutional jurisdiction of state legislatures over the significant public policy issues related to insurance. NCOIL stands firmly in its belief that racial discrimination in any and every form is wrong,” concluded NCOIL’s President Lehman.
There were over 70 participants on the interim call which included 26 legislators from 18 states. NCOIL heard from the perspectives of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), Center for Economic Justice, former Illinois Director Nat Shapo, and others.
Arizona State Senator David Livingston from LD22, Chair of the NCOIL Articles of Organization & Bylaws Revision Committee said, “We had a very robust discussion on the proposed amendments back in June on the interim call. The amendments better reflect the situation we are in and may potentially face in the future. In the event that NCOIL cannot physically meet, NCOIL needs to be able to carry on. The work we do is too important to come to a halt during these unprecedented times.”
NV Asw. Ellen Spiegel, Vice-Chair of the NCOIL Articles of Organization & Bylaws Revision Committee said, “I want to echo Sen. Livingston’s comments. The amendments to the existing NCOIL model make it stronger and I commend the Executive Committee for adopting these changes.”
NCOIL CEO, Commissioner Tom Considine stated, “This call was a great example of how public policy should be made; legislators hearing from interested parties and sharing views with one another in a spirited, respectful bipartisan public debate. We are really looking forward to seeing all who are able to attend the ‘Summer’ Meeting in September.”
Minutes from the call will be posted on the NCOIL website in the next week.
NCOIL Articles of Organization & Bylaws Amendments can be viewed here.
NCOIL Resolution Urging the NAIC to Refrain from Intruding on the Constitutional Role of State Legislators can be viewed here.
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NCOIL is a national legislative organization with the nation’s 50 states as members, represented principally by legislators serving on their states’ insurance and financial institutions committees. NCOIL writes Model Laws in insurance and financial services, works to preserve the State jurisdiction over insurance as established by the McCarran-Ferguson Act seventy-five years ago, and to serve as an educational forum for public policymakers 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 longstanding insurance issues.