BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



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          CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
          AB 2084 (Solorio)
          As Amended  July 5, 2012
          Majority vote
           
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          |ASSEMBLY:  |77-0 |(May 30, 2012)  |SENATE: |37-0 |(August 23,    |
          |           |     |                |        |     |2012)          |
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           Original Committee Reference:    INS.  

           SUMMARY  :   Expands the list of eligible policyholders who can 
          purchase blanket insurance.  

           The Senate amendments  :

          1)Clarify the scope of hazards that may be covered for the new 
            classes of policyholder.

          2)Require the Insurance Commissioner (commissioner) to post on 
            the Department of Insurance Internet Web site any letter 
            orders issued pursuant to the discretionary authority granted 
            to the commissioner to expand the classes of eligible 
            policyholders.

          3)Add limited policy form filing requirements that an insurer 
            must comply with before transacting blanket insurance with 
            newly authorized policyholders.

          4)Establish the procedure for the commissioner to follow in the 
            event he or she wishes to withdraw an authorization for a 
            class of policyholder recognized pursuant to the 
            commissioner's discretionary authority.

           AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY  , this bill:  
           
          1)Expanded the list of eligible policyholders who can purchase 
            blanket insurance to include:

             a)   Any governmental fire department, emergency medical 
               services company or similar volunteer or governmental 
               organization, in the event of an accident incurred during 
               activities related to the functions of these organizations.









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             b)   A sports team, camp or sponsor of a sports team or camp, 
               providing benefits to participants, campers, or supervisors 
               for accidents or sickness, provided the sickness first 
               arises during the activities associated with the 
               organization.

             c)   An employer providing accident benefits to any group of 
               workers, dependents or guests, limited to hazards incident 
               to the activities or operations of the employer.

             d)   A common carrier or other owner, operator or lessor of a 
               means of transportation, providing accident benefits to any 
               group of persons who may be lessees or passengers or the 
               carrier.

             e)   An entertainment production company providing accident 
               benefits to any group of participants, volunteers, audience 
               members, contestants, employees or independent contractors 
               while engaged in the activities of the production company.

          2)Authorized the commissioner to, in his or her discretion, add 
            other classes of entities that may be eligible to purchase 
            blanket insurance.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  According to the Senate Appropriations 
          Committee, first year Special Fund costs of $85,000 and ongoing 
          Special Fund costs of $99,000 annually.

           COMMENTS  :  Blanket insurance is a tool to control risk for a 
          broad array of organizations that carry on group activities 
          involving participants or other people not specifically known to 
          the organization in advance, or, if known, the identities of the 
          participants are constantly changing within the class of people 
          participating in the activities.  Blanket insurance is unusual 
          in the sense that the law restricts who can be a policyholder, 
          and which hazards may be insured against.  However, the law has 
          not evolved in many years, and as a result numerous 
          organizations that would like to purchase blanket insurance are 
          unable to do so because California law is outdated.  The 
          modernization of the blanket insurance law will enable 
          California organizations that wish to purchase this protection 
          for those participating in their activities to do so.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Mark Rakich / INS. / (916) 319-2086 








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