04/08/2014 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

              SB 214-INSURANCE ADJUSTER LICENSING                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:46:32 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR DUNLEAVY  announced the  consideration of  SB 214.  "An Act                                                               
relating to insurance adjuster licensing."  He noted this was the                                                               
second  hearing and  that there  was a  new committee  substitute                                                               
(CS).                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:46:38 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MICCICHE  moved to adopt the  CS for SB 214,  labeled 28-                                                               
LS1274\P, as the working document.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
STEVE RICCI,  Aide, Senate Labor  & Commerce  Standing Committee,                                                               
Alaska  State   Legislature,  Juneau,  Alaska,   highlighted  the                                                               
changes in  Version P.  He explained that  the CS  recognizes the                                                               
proliferation of  virtual businesses  and exempts an  adjuster of                                                               
portable  electronics insurance  claims from  the requirement  of                                                               
having to maintain a brick  and mortar presence in the adjuster's                                                               
home  state.  These changes  make  Alaska's  law consistent  with                                                               
National   Association   of    Insurance   Commissioners   (NAIC)                                                               
guidelines for licensing independent claims adjusters.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY removed his objection.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:48:51 PM                                                                                                                    
At Ease                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY reconvened  the meeting and asked  Mr. Hester with                                                               
the Division of Insurance to comment on the CS.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:49:35 PM                                                                                                                    
MARTY HESTER, Deputy Director,  Division of Insurance, Department                                                               
of  Commerce, Community  and Economic  Development (DCCED),  said                                                               
the division  worked with this  committee on the language  in the                                                               
CS and  it's consistent with  the NAIC model act  on non-resident                                                               
adjuster  licensing.  He  said  the   bill  also  appears  to  be                                                               
consistent  with the  laws  that other  states  have enacted  for                                                               
portable  electronic licensing.  These  states  have reported  no                                                               
issues  with the  non-resident adjuster  licensees since  the law                                                               
was enacted.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  MICCICHE asked  if this  legislation would  disadvantage                                                               
any Alaskans from participating  in portable electronic insurance                                                               
adjusting.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MR. HESTER said not to his knowledge.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:51:08 PM                                                                                                                    
STEPHEN MCDANIEL,  Outside Regulatory  Counsel for  Asurion, said                                                               
he  was  testifying  on  behalf  of Asurion  in  support  of  the                                                               
committee substitute. He agreed  with Deputy Director Hester that                                                               
the language in  the CS is consistent with the  licensing of non-                                                               
resident portable  electronics adjusters in 28  other states, and                                                               
that it  would make Alaska's  licensure statutes  consistent with                                                               
the NAIC guidelines.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY  closed  public  testimony.  Finding  no  further                                                               
questions or comments, he solicited a motion.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:52:08 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MICCICHE moved  to report CS for SB 214,  Version P, from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY announced  that without  objection CSSB  214(L&C)                                                               
moved from the Senate Labor & Commerce Standing Committee.