Articles of Organization & Bylaws
Preamble
We, duly elected representatives of the People to the Legislatures of the 50 sovereign States and territories of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, being concerned with the economic and social importance of insurance to our constituents, to the peoples of the States, to all Americans, and to the enterprises and economic resources of our nation and to its strength in world trade and commerce, and seeking a more effective exchange of insurance information among the legislatures of the States, consumers, and other concerned parties; and seeking to provide a forum for legislators to resolve and communicate their positions on insurance and related issues on a State-by-State basis, do hereby proclaim the need for creating and maintaining the resources and capacity of State legislatures to deal with insurance legislation and regulation.
I. NAME
The name of the organization shall be the National Council of Insurance Legislators (hereinafter “NCOIL.”)
II. PURPOSE
The general purpose of NCOIL is to advance the knowledge and effectiveness of legislators and legislatures when dealing with matters pertaining to insurance law, participate in the formulation of model legislation addressing insurance and financial services issues, serve as a clearing house for information, reaffirm and advocate for the traditional and proper primacy of the States in the regulation of insurance, prepare special studies on insurance or insurance legislation, disseminate educational materials, communicate positions adopted by NCOIL, and any other activities that will promote the general purposes of NCOIL. These purposes may also extend into these same activities in the other areas of financial services, over which the vast majority of committees of insurance jurisdiction in the legislatures of the 50 states also have oversight.
III. MEMBERSHIP
A. General Membership shall be afforded to all States and territories of the United States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
B. General Members who remit to NCOIL annual dues (which shall not be prorated) in an amount fixed by the Executive Committee shall be considered to be Contributing States.
C. Each General Member and Contributing State shall be represented by its legislators who are permitted to attend NCOIL meetings and seminars.
D. The Executive Committee may, at any regular meeting, confer the title of “Honorary Member” on any individual who has served in the legislature of a General Member but is no longer a member of the legislature or is leaving the legislature at the end of the calendar year in which the action is taken and who has participated in no fewer than 15 official NCOIL in-person events, and who the Executive Committee wishes to recognize for outstanding service to NCOIL, and all registration fees shall be waived for a person so titled, unless such person is employed in or providing services to the insurance industry, in which case no such waiver shall be provided.
E. The Executive Committee of NCOIL shall, in accord with the “Purpose” as stated in Section II of the Articles of Organization, offer affiliate non-voting memberships to comparable legislative organizations in non-United States jurisdictions.
IV. MEETINGS/VOTING
A. NCOIL shall meet at times and places designated by the Executive Committee. Special meetings may be called by the President and also shall be called if requested by ten or more members of the Executive Committee.
B. At any meeting of NCOIL, each Committee member shall be entitled to vote on measures before their Committee.
C. A majority vote of those Committee members present and voting shall constitute the requisite vote necessary on measures before their Committee. No more than four (4) legislators from any one State may vote on any matter before any one Committee. If a State has more than four (4) legislators serving and present on a Committee, then the four (4) legislators voting shall be determined in the following order:
1. Chair, Vice Chair, Ranking Member of the Committee that oversees insurance matters;
2. If 1. above has been exhausted, then members serving on the Committee with authority over insurance matters shall have preference in order of seniority in the legislature;
3. If 1. and 2. above have been exhausted, then members shall have preference in order of seniority in the legislature.
D. Voting by proxies shall not be permitted.
V. OFFICERS/EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A. The officers of NCOIL shall consist of the following five (5) officers: a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Immediate Past President. No person shall be elected as an officer of NCOIL who is not a member of the Executive Committee. Effective with the officer election in November of 2025, in order for each officer to advance through the chairs, (s)he shall attend, within the past 12 months, at least two (2) of the prior three (3) NCOIL National Meetings, one (1) of the other NCOIL events (D.C. Educational Fly-in or Corporate & Institutional Partners (CIP) Planning Meeting), and one of the prior three (3) National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) National Meetings. If, for good cause shown, the President excuses an incumbent officer from one of the above requirements, she or he may replace one of the attendance requirements above with attendance at another of the above meetings or events.
B. The Executive Committee shall consist of the five (5) officers, (as stated in Article V, Section A) and not more than four (4) representatives of each Contributing State of NCOIL. New members of NCOIL Contributing States shall be elected by a majority of the Executive Committee Members. Notwithstanding any other provision of the NCOIL Articles of Organization or Bylaws, the chair of the committee responsible for insurance legislation in each legislative house of each Contributing State shall automatically, by the nature of his or her office, be a voting member of the Executive Committee at his or her first meeting. A state committee chair from a Contributing State must attend the Executive Committee meeting at his or her first NCOIL conference to be recognized as a new Executive Committee member unless, upon good cause shown, such attendance is deemed by the President to be unreasonable. Past Presidents who are still state legislators shall be voting, ex-officio members of the Executive Committee and shall not constitute a representative of a member State. The President shall not constitute a representative of his state during his term.
C. There may be a Parliamentarian appointed by the President.
D. In addition to the representatives of each Contributing State, the chairs of all NCOIL standing committees, who are not members of the Executive Committee, shall become members of the Executive Committee and shall continue to be members of the Executive Committee as long as they remain as chairs.
E. The Officers of the Executive Committee shall be elected at the annual meeting of NCOIL. Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected at any meeting of the Executive Committee.
F. Persons elected as officers or members of the Executive Committee must be representatives of Contributing States in good standing at the time of their election. The office of an officer or of an Executive Committee member shall be vacant if the member state of which such person is a Legislator ceases to be a Contributing State in good standing, or if the person shall no longer serve in the Legislature.
G. A majority vote of those present and voting at a meeting of the Executive Committee shall constitute the requisite vote necessary to decide any proposition except as otherwise specified in these Articles of Organization.
H. Except as stated in Article V, Section B, A representative of a Contributing State must attend two meetings prior to being considered for membership on the Executive Committee.
I. Each Executive Committee Member must attend at least one NCOIL Conference in person, and one Executive Committee meeting annually by whatever means held, or be excused by the President for good cause shown, or his/her executive committee membership will terminate automatically.
VI. DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A. The President shall be the highest ranking officer in the NCOIL corporate structure. She or he shall direct the general supervision of the business and affairs of NCOIL, see that all orders and resolutions of the Executive Committee are carried into effect, perform all duties incident to the office of President, perform the usual duties of the presiding officer at the meetings of NCOIL, preside over meetings of the Executive Committee, and appoint Chairpersons of all committees and members of committees in accordance with NCOIL Bylaws and perform such other duties as are provided in the Bylaws.
B. The Vice President shall chair committees and meetings chaired by the President in the absence of the President and shall perform such other duties as are assigned him/her by the President and the Bylaws.
C. The Treasurer shall be entrusted with the receipt, care and disbursement of funds of NCOIL, provided however, that if the Executive Committee shall appoint an Executive Director or CEO, the Treasurer shall coordinate and work with the that appointee in those duties.
D. The Secretary shall have charge of all correspondence to and from NCOIL, manage records of meetings including preparation of the minutes, provided, however, that if the Executive Committee shall appoint an Executive Director or CEO, the Secretary shall coordinate and work with that appointee in those duties.
E. The Executive Committee shall have charge of the management of NCOIL and the direction of its activities. The President shall fill vacancies in the offices of Committee Chairs between annual meetings. The Executive Committee may appoint any individual or organization to function, at its discretion, as Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director. Pursuant to these duties, the Officers, in consultation with appropriate Committee Chairs as needed, shall have, between meetings of NCOIL, the ability to make temporary decisions on behalf of NCOIL pending Executive Committee approval.
VII. AMENDMENTS
These Articles of Organization may be amended or repealed at any meeting of the Executive Committee by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting, provided however, that notice and text of any proposed amendments shall be given in summary form to the NCOIL Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of that meeting in accordance with the NCOIL 30-day rule for submission of documents to NCOIL for approval or disapproval, as stated in NCOIL Bylaws, Section III. G. Amendments shall become effective immediately upon adoption unless otherwise provided therein.
VIII. REASONABLE DEPARTURE FROM ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION
In the event of any emergency resulting from a military or terrorist attack, widespread pandemic, or similar disaster resulting in the declaration of a state of emergency (or similar declaration) by Federal or State officials, reasonable departure from these Articles of Organization shall be permitted upon the Officers and Executive Committee declaring that such action is warranted.
BYLAWS
I. QUORUM
A quorum for any meeting of any committee of NCOIL consists of forty percent (40%) of such members of said committee’s roster; however, those members of the committee present may reduce the required quorum percentage for good cause as long as they are meeting with twenty four (24) hours notice to all members with said notice setting forth the date, time and place of such meeting
II. VOTING
A. Voting at meetings of the Executive Committee or any other Committee, whether in person, virtual, or telephonic, shall be by voice vote except that a roll call vote shall be taken at the direction of the Chair or upon the request of a member of that committee in instances where there are dissenting votes.
B. Written Consent in Lieu of Meeting:
1. A decision on any matter previously discussed by the Committee voting, with an opportunity for public comment, and evidenced by the consent in writing (including electronic) of a two-thirds super-majority vote of any Committee shall be as valid as if it had been decided at a duly called and held meeting of that Committee. Each decision consented to in writing may be in counterparts, which together shall be deemed to constitute one decision.
2. Unanimous Consent on any matter previously discussed by the Committee voting, with an opportunity for public comment, as achieved by the lack of objection to a duly valid notice to all Committee members shall also be as valid as if it had been decided at a duly called and held meeting of that Committee.
III. COMMITTEES
A. There shall be an Executive Committee which shall meet at each of the three yearly NCOIL conferences or at the call of the President or upon the written request of ten or more members thereof. Notice shall be given to each member of the Executive Committee setting forth the date, time and place of such meeting.
B. Standing Committees of NCOIL shall be:
1. A Joint State-Federal Relations and International Insurance Issues Committee, consisting of a minimum of seven (7) members with responsibility for representing NCOIL in matters respecting State-Federal relations and international issues related to insurance and coordinating activities of NCOIL relating to Congressional or Federal agency action affecting insurance and the State regulation thereof.
2. A Workers’ Compensation Insurance Committee, consisting of a minimum of seven (7) members with responsibility for representing NCOIL in matters respecting workers’ compensation insurance.
3. A Property-Casualty Insurance Committee, consisting of a minimum of seven (7) members with responsibility for representing NCOIL in matters respecting property casualty insurance.
4. A Health Insurance and Long-Term Care Issues Committee, consisting of a minimum of seven (7) members with responsibility for representing NCOIL in matters respecting health insurance and long-term care.
5. A Life Insurance & Financial Planning Committee, consisting of a minimum of seven (7) members with responsibility for representing NCOIL in matters respecting life insurance and financial planning.
6. A Financial Services & Multi-Lines Issues Committee, consisting of a minimum of seven (7) members with responsibility for representing NCOIL in matters respecting financial services and matters which cross multiple lines of insurance.
7. An Audit Committee, consisting of a minimum of three (3) members appointed by the President and chaired by the Vice President with the responsibility for arranging for and reviewing the audits of NCOIL funds and making recommendations to the Executive Committee with respect to procedures relating thereto. The Treasurer shall be a non-voting, ex-officio member. The Treasurer may vote if the Executive Committee appoints a Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director under Article VI, E of the Articles of Organization.
8. An Articles of Organization and Bylaws Revision Committee, consisting of at least seven (7) members appointed by the President with the responsibility for reviewing the Articles of Organization and Bylaws of NCOIL at each annual meeting.
9. A Budget Committee, consisting of a minimum of seven (7) members, which shall include the Secretary, appointed by the President and chaired by the Treasurer with the responsibility of developing annual budget proposals pursuant to the process enumerated in these Bylaws. The Treasurer may vote if the Executive Committee appoints a Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director under Articles VI, E of the Articles of Organization.
10. A Nominating Committee, consisting of all NCOIL past presidents, the current NCOIL president, the current NCOIL officers seeking to advance through the chairs, and current standing committee chairs with one year or more of service as a standing committee chair that shall interview potential officers for the upcoming year, report nominations for officers to the annual meeting of NCOIL, and reconvene when there becomes a vacancy among the officers in order to nominate a replacement. A Nominating Committee member seeking to be a candidate for an officer shall recuse herself or himself from Nominating Committee participation; if said candidate is a current officer seeking to advance through the chairs, then recusal is warranted only if she or he has an opponent for the position.
C. The Chair and Vice Chair of any standing or special committee shall be appointed by the President and shall serve at the will of the President. However, beginning in 2022, no legislator shall serve as Chair of any one committee for more than three (3) consecutive years. Only members of Contributing States in good standing are eligible to be Chairs or, Vice Chairs of any standing or special committee. Legislators from Member States may sign up for Committees one (1) through seven (7) listed above.
D. The Chair of any Committee with the approval of the President may appoint a chair and members of task forces and subcommittees to assist in the work of NCOIL. Only members of Contributing States in good standing are eligible for appointment as a chair of a task force or subcommittee. A task force or subcommittee shall continue in existence until it has accomplished the purposes for which it was created or until the next annual meeting of NCOIL, whichever occurs earlier.
E. All Standing Committees, except the Nominating Committee, shall be continuing committees and the members thereof shall serve one-year terms or until their successors are appointed.
1. Standing Committees shall be open to all NCOIL Member Legislators during an Open Registration period. At the Annual Meeting each year, Standing Committee Registration Forms for the upcoming year shall be available in the registration area, on which NCOIL Member Legislators shall register for the Standing Committees on which they will serve in the upcoming year, whether or not they currently serve on those committees.
2. Standing Committee Open Registration shall remain so until January 15th of the year of committee service. In the period after the Annual Meeting through January 15th NCOIL Member Legislators wishing to serve on Standing Committees but who had not registered during the Annual Meeting shall send an e-mail, letter or Standing Committee Registration Form to the NCOIL Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director stating the Standing Committee(s) on which she or he will serve.
3. From January 16th through the remainder of the year, NCOIL Member Legislators wishing to serve on Standing Committees shall send an e-mail, letter or Standing Committee Registration Form to the NCOIL Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director stating the Standing Committee(s) on which she or he wishes to serve, and the NCOIL Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director will present the request to either the Standing Committee Chair or the NCOIL President for Appointment.
F. Special Committees may be created by NCOIL at the annual meeting of NCOIL, by the Executive Committee at any meeting of the Executive Committee, or by the President between meetings of the Executive Committee and of NCOIL. Any action creating a Special Committee shall specify its size and duties, and may specify the manner of appointment of members thereof. A Special Committee shall continue in existence until it has accomplished the purposes for which it was created or until the next annual meeting of NCOIL, whichever occurs earlier.
G. 1. Any resolution or other document submitted to NCOIL for its approval or disapproval shall be submitted and sponsored by a legislator to NCOIL at least 30 days prior to the next scheduled NCOIL Conference or Annual Meeting. A legislator must attend at least one NCOIL conference prior to sponsoring any resolution or other document submitted to NCOIL for its approval or disapproval. If a document or substantive amendment to a document is not submitted prior to the 30-day deadline, it shall be subject to a two-thirds vote for Committee consideration and a separate two-thirds vote for adoption. This section is intended to provide advance notice of the matters and items on which NCOIL will vote; it is not intended to limit germane amendments that arise during a discussion. Such germane amendments shall not trigger a supermajority vote.
2. Notwithstanding the existence of the requirement that any resolutions or documents be submitted to NCOIL at least 30 days prior to the next scheduled NCOIL Conference or Annual Meeting, such documents may pass through committees to the Executive Committee at a duly called meeting of the Executive Committee. Any resolution or other document properly considered and adopted by an NCOIL Committee shall be referred to the Executive Committee for its consideration and vote. If adopted by the Executive Committee such resolution or other document shall be considered the official NCOIL position on such matter covered.
H. Members of the committee responsible for insurance legislation in each legislative house of each Member state shall be a voting member at his or her first NCOIL conference in meetings of standing committees that he or she has joined.
I. Legislators from Member states who are not members of state committees responsible for insurance legislation shall be eligible to vote on a standing committee of which he or she is a member at her or his second NCOIL conference.
J. NCOIL meetings are open meetings except those involving discussions of the general reputation and character or professional competence of an individual; the legal ramifications of threatened or pending litigation; security issues; price of real estate or professional transactions; and matters involving a trade secret.
IV. FINANCES
The fiscal year of NCOIL shall commence on January 1 of each year and end on December 31 of the same year.
A. The Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director shall submit to the Executive Committee a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year 10 days before the annual meeting of NCOIL. The Executive Committee shall have the power to approve, modify or reject, in whole or in part, the budget.
B. The Executive Committee at the annual meeting of NCOIL shall adopt a budget for the ensuing fiscal year.
C. During the fiscal year, the Executive Committee may provide for an increase or decrease of an appropriation. Such increase or decrease shall only be upon the certification by the Committee of the need thereof.
D. The moneys budgeted pursuant to these Bylaws may include money for the retention of staff, the reimbursement of expenses of staff, and the expenses of Legislators for activities on behalf of NCOIL other than expenses of attending regularly scheduled NCOIL meetings.
E. Checks drawn for expenditures of less than one thousand, five hundred ($1,500) dollars shall be signed by the Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director who shall submit a monthly report of all such checks to the President of NCOIL. No more than one such check shall be paid for any one purpose without the prior express written consent of the President. All other checks drawn upon the funds of NCOIL shall be signed by both the Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director and either the President or Vice President. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the NCOIL Officers may approve a system they deem sufficiently secure whereby the NCOIL President approves in writing expenditures other than by the physical signing of the check. Such system shall be endorsed by NCOIL’s outside auditor.
F. The Executive Committee shall, at the annual meeting of NCOIL, select an independent auditor who shall review NCOIL’s books and accounts for the current fiscal year. The auditor shall submit its report to the Audit Committee by June 30 of the next calendar year. The Audit Committee shall submit its report at the next succeeding meeting of the Executive Committee.
G. In the event that NCOIL shall, for any reason, discontinue its activities and cease to function, any monies remaining in its possession or to its credit after the payment of outstanding debts and obligations shall be distributed in equal shares to the Contributing States of NCOIL in good standing at the time of distribution.
V. RULES OF PROCEDURE
A. Each model act adopted by NCOIL shall be reviewed by the Committee of original reference every five (5) years. The respective Committee shall vote to readopt the model act for an additional five (5) years, readopt the model act for an interim period to allow for additional study or drafting, amend and readopt the model act, or allow the model act to “sunset.” Readopted models shall be sent to the Executive Committee for final adoption. However, by way of a two-thirds vote of Committee members present and voting, the Committee may:
i.) at the time of adoption; or
ii.) subsequent to adoption but not before the one-year anniversary thereof;
decide that a model act shall be reviewed after a two (2) or three (3) year period.
A two-thirds vote of Committee members present and voting shall be required to both review the model act before the scheduled five (5) year timeline, and to sunset the model act early. Any vote other than one that achieves the two-thirds majority results in the model act continuing on its five (5) year timeline.
B. The NCOIL committees shall review previously adopted NCOIL model laws in order to provide an appropriate sunset schedule. Such documents shall be reviewed in the following manner: Spring Meeting shall be Life Insurance & Financial Planning Committee and the Health and Long-Term Care Issues Committee. Summer Meeting shall be Workers’ Compensation Insurance Committee and Property-Casualty Insurance Committee. The Annual Meeting shall be the Joint State-Federal Relations and International Insurance Issues Committee, Financial Services & Multi-Lines Issues Committee, and Executive Committee. Model laws shall sunset every five (5) years within the Committee. Committees shall have the authority to extend the model laws from meeting to meeting.
C. In any issue not covered by the Articles or Bylaws, Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the standard authority.
VI. AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended or repealed at any meeting of the Executive Committee by a favorable vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting, provided however, that notice and text of any proposed amendments shall be given in summary form to the NCOIL Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of that meeting in accordance with the NCOIL 30-day rule for submission of documents to NCOIL for approval or disapproval, as stated in Section III.G of the Bylaws. Amendments shall become effective immediately upon adoption unless otherwise provided therein.
VII. REASONABLE DEPARTURE FROM BYLAWS
In the event of any emergency resulting from a military or terrorist attack, widespread pandemic, or similar disaster resulting in the declaration of a state of emergency (or similar declaration) by Federal or State officials, reasonable departure from these Bylaws shall be permitted upon the Officers and Executive Committee declaring that such action is warranted.
ARTICLES OF ORGANIZATION/BYLAWS AMENDMENTS
Adopted 4th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, November 28, 1972;
Amended 10th Annual Meeting, Detroit, November 14, 1978;
Amended 11th Annual Meeting, Charleston, November 14, 1979;
Amended 12th Annual Meeting, San Antonio, November 22, 1980;
Amended 16th Annual Meeting, Little Rock, November 17, 1984;
Amended 17th Annual Meeting, Phoenix, November 24, 1985;
Amended 18th Annual Meeting, Nashville, November 16, 1986;
Amended 19th Annual Meeting, Palm Springs, November 18, 1987;
Amended 23rd Annual Meeting, Scottsdale, November 20, 1991;
Amended 24th Annual Meeting, Charleston, November 18, 1992;
Amended 26th Annual Meeting, New York City, November 13, 1994;
Amended 27th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, November 11, 1995;
Amended 28th Annual Meeting, Austin, Texas, November 20, 1996;
Amended 30th Annual Meeting, San Diego, California, November 21, 1998;
Amended 31st Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, November 19, 1999;
Amended Spring Meeting, San Francisco, California, February 25, 2000;
Amended 32nd Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 16, 2000;
Amended Summer Meeting, Williamsburg, Virginia, July 11, 2003;
Amended Summer Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, July 16, 2004;
Amended Annual Meeting, San Diego, California, November 19, 2005;
Amended Summer Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, July 21, 2006;
Amended Annual Meeting, Napa Valley, California, November 10, 2006;
Amended Summer Meeting, Seattle, Washington, July 21, 2007;
Amended Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada, November 17, 2007;
Amended Spring Meeting, Washington, DC, March 1, 2008;
Amended Summer Meeting, New York, New York, July 11, 2008;
Amended Annual Meeting, Duck Key, Florida, November 20, 2008;
Amended Spring Meeting, Isle of Palms, South Carolina, March 7, 2010;
Amended Summer Meeting, Newport, Rhode Island, July 17, 2011;
Amended Annual Meeting, Santa Fe, New Mexico, November 20, 2011;
Amended Summer Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 14, 2013;
Amended Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, November 24, 2013;
Amended Summer Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts, July 13, 2014;
Amended Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, November 20, 2014;
Amended Spring Meeting, Charleston, South Carolina, March 1, 2015;
Amended Summer Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 14, 2016;
Amended Annual Meeting, Phoenix, Arizona, November 19, 2017;
Amended Annual Meeting, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, December 8, 2018;
Amended Spring Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, March 17, 2019;
Amended via Conference Call Meeting of Executive Committee, July 1, 2020;
Amended Annual Meeting, Scottsdale, Arizona, November 20, 2021;
Amended Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, November 19, 2022;
Amended Annual Meeting, Columbus, Ohio, November 18, 2023;
Amended Summer Meeting, Costa Mesa, California, July 20, 2024;
Amended Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, November 24, 2024;
Amended Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, November 15, 2025.
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