BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



          
                                                                  AB 299
                                                                  Page  1

          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
          AB 299 (Insurance Committee)
          As Amended  July 15, 2009
          Majority vote
           
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          |ASSEMBLY:  |78-1 |(May 11, 2009)  |SENATE: |38-0 |(August 27,    |
          |           |     |                |        |     |2009)          |
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           Original Committee Reference:    INS.  

           SUMMARY :   Makes a series of changes to technical and  
          noncontroversial laws governing the authority and duties of the  
          Insurance Commissioner (IC) and insurance companies to clarify  
          and update existing law.  

           The Senate amendments:  

          1)Specify that each document, pleading or order that remains on  
            the California Department of Insurance's (CDI) Web site  
            pertaining to disciplinary proceedings against a licensee are  
            to be removed 10 years from the date the action becomes final.  
             If an enforcement action is withdrawn, then each document,  
            pleading or order against the licensee shall be removed from  
            CDI's Web site within 30 days of the withdrawal.  If a matter  
            involves multiple licensees and the CDI withdraws all  
            allegations against one or more of the licensees, the CDI will  
            be required to post appropriate clarifying documents  
            indicating the action has been withdrawn on the Web site.

          2)Require mortgage guaranty insurers to notify the IC of CDI if  
            surplus amounts fall below required amounts.  Increase the  
            discretion afforded the IC to issue a waiver of surplus  
            requirements.

          3)Clarify the IC's authority to promulgate all of the  
            substantive provisions of the National Association of  
            Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Annual Financial Reporting  
            Regulation.  Conform existing grant of authority in the  
            Insurance Code to current provisions and terminology used to  
            describe those matters.    

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  Minor absorbable workload to CDI to continue  








          
                                                                  AB 299
                                                                  Page  2

          oversight of insurers and insurance products.  The Senate  
          Appropriations Committee referred this bill directly to the  
          floor pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.  

           COMMENTS  :  This committee bill incorporates a series of  
          corrective and clarifying amendments suggested by CDI.  The  
          provisions in the present version of the bill have been reviewed  
          by all the interested parties, and there is no opposition. 


           Analysis Prepared by :    Tracy Elwell / INS. / (916) 319-2086 


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