S04235 Summary:

BILL NOS04235B
 
SAME ASSAME AS A01093-C
 
SPONSORLATIMER
 
COSPNSRTKACZYK
 
MLTSPNSR
 
Add S215, Ins L
 
Creates a task force on disasters; provides that such task force shall consist of twenty-three members.
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S04235 Actions:

BILL NOS04235B
 
03/15/2013REFERRED TO INSURANCE
01/08/2014REFERRED TO INSURANCE
03/24/2014AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO INSURANCE
03/24/2014PRINT NUMBER 4235A
06/02/2014REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE
06/03/2014AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO FINANCE
06/03/2014PRINT NUMBER 4235B
06/19/2014COMMITTEE DISCHARGED AND COMMITTED TO RULES
06/19/2014ORDERED TO THIRD READING CAL.1602
06/19/2014SUBSTITUTED BY A1093C
 A01093 AMEND=C Skoufis
 01/09/2013referred to insurance
 05/23/2013reported referred to ways and means
 05/30/2013reported
 05/31/2013advanced to third reading cal.451
 06/04/2013passed assembly
 06/04/2013delivered to senate
 06/04/2013REFERRED TO INSURANCE
 01/08/2014DIED IN SENATE
 01/08/2014RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY
 01/08/2014ordered to third reading cal.66
 01/22/2014committed to insurance
 03/26/2014amend and recommit to insurance
 03/26/2014print number 1093a
 05/29/2014reported referred to ways and means
 05/29/2014reported
 05/30/2014advanced to third reading cal.790
 06/02/2014amended on third reading 1093b
 06/02/2014amended on third reading 1093c
 06/18/2014passed assembly
 06/18/2014delivered to senate
 06/18/2014REFERRED TO RULES
 06/19/2014SUBSTITUTED FOR S4235B
 06/19/20143RD READING CAL.1602
 06/19/2014PASSED SENATE
 06/19/2014RETURNED TO ASSEMBLY
 12/05/2014delivered to governor
 12/17/2014vetoed memo.527
 12/17/2014tabled
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S04235 Floor Votes:

There are no votes for this bill in this legislative session.
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S04235 Text:



 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         4235--B
 
                               2013-2014 Regular Sessions
 
                    IN SENATE
 
                                     March 15, 2013
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  Sen. LATIMER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance  --  recommitted
          to the Committee on Insurance in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8
          --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
          and recommitted to said committee  --  reported  favorably  from  said

          committee  and  committed  to  the  Committee  on Finance -- committee
          discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
          to said committee
 
        AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to creating a task  force
          on disasters
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. The insurance law is amended by adding a new section 215 to
     2  read as follows:
     3    § 215. Task force on disasters.  (a) There is hereby  created  a  task
     4  force  to  examine how insurers who write policies that cover loss of or
     5  damage to real property, personal property,  or  other  liabilities  for
     6  loss  of,  damage to, or injury to persons or property in New York state

     7  respond to disasters, in what ways state and local agencies such as  the
     8  department of financial services and the department of homeland security
     9  and  emergency  services can assist in such response and whether policy-
    10  holders and communities have adequate insurance.
    11    (b) (1) The task force shall consist of twenty-three members,  one  of
    12  whom  shall  be  the  superintendent  or his or her designated represen-
    13  tative, one of whom shall be the commissioner of the department of home-
    14  land security and emergency services or his or her designated  represen-
    15  tative,  five  of  whom shall be appointed by the governor, five of whom
    16  shall be appointed by the governor based upon the recommendation of  the

    17  speaker of the assembly, five of whom shall be appointed by the governor
    18  based  upon the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate,
    19  three of whom shall be appointed by the governor based upon  the  recom-
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05808-09-4

        S. 4235--B                          2
 
     1  mendation  of  the  minority  leader  of the assembly, and three of whom
     2  shall be appointed by the governor based upon the recommendation of  the
     3  minority leader of the senate.
     4    (2) The appointees shall include representatives of the following:

     5    (A)  four  insurers who write policies that cover loss of or damage to
     6  real property, personal property, or  other  liabilities  for  loss  of,
     7  damage  to,  or injury to persons or property, including representatives
     8  from companies of varying sizes and locations and at least  one  insurer
     9  who writes for the national flood insurance program.
    10    (B)  ten  local  officials  who  respond to disasters and emergencies,
    11  including police officials, professional and volunteer fire and emergen-
    12  cy services personnel, and local officials responsible for  the  coordi-
    13  nation  of  emergency services and the locality's response to a disaster
    14  or emergency.  These appointments shall reflect the geographic diversity

    15  of the state and include representatives from  localities  with  varying
    16  population  densities.   These appointments shall also include represen-
    17  tatives from the following regions: New York city, Long Island, mid-Hud-
    18  son, capital  region,  north  country,  Mohawk  Valley,  Southern  tier,
    19  Central New York, Finger lakes, and Western New York.
    20    (C) two organizations that represent independent and public adjusters.
    21    (D) two non-profits that have experience with disaster relief.
    22    (E) two consumer advocacy groups.
    23    (F)  one  independent  insurance agent who obtains coverage for policy
    24  holders for loss of or damage to real property,  personal  property,  or
    25  other  liabilities for loss of, damage to, or injury to persons or prop-

    26  erty.
    27    (3) Recommendations and appointments shall take into consideration the
    28  expertise of other appointees, so that the task force reflects a  diver-
    29  sity of experience.
    30    (4)  The members of the task force shall not receive compensation, but
    31  shall be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses.
    32    (c) The superintendent, or his or her designated  representative,  and
    33  the  commissioner  of  the department of homeland security and emergency
    34  services, or his or her designated representative, shall  serve  as  the
    35  co-chairs of the task force.
    36    (d)  The  task  force shall report to the governor, the speaker of the
    37  assembly, the temporary president of the senate, and the  chair  of  the

    38  assembly  insurance  committee  and  the  chair  of the senate insurance
    39  committee on the results of its examination one year after the effective
    40  date of this section.  The report shall include information on the chal-
    41  lenges that insurers face when responding to a disaster,  possible  ways
    42  for  insurers to work better with community stakeholders and state agen-
    43  cies to facilitate timely claims investigation and processing, suggested
    44  legislation to address, issues identified by the  task  force,  and  any
    45  other  information  the  superintendent  and  the  commissioners  of the
    46  department of homeland security and emergency services deems relevant.
    47    (e) In completing its task, the task force will consider the following

    48  issues, as well as any other issue that it deems relevant:
    49    (1) Steps insurers currently take in order to respond to  disaster-re-
    50  lated claims in a timely fashion;
    51    (2) Challenges insurers experience when responding to disasters;
    52    (3)  Steps insurers currently take to adequately assess damage so that
    53  homeowners and municipalities can remove debris and make repairs  quick-
    54  ly;

        S. 4235--B                          3
 
     1    (4) Additional steps insurers and state and local agencies can take to
     2  better respond to the needs of communities and policyholders affected by
     3  a disaster;
     4    (5)  Ways  insurers and state and local agencies can proactively reach

     5  out to policyholders and communities following a disaster;
     6    (6) Ways insurers assist  homeowners  and  businesses  affected  by  a
     7  disaster whose premiums are due;
     8    (7)  Steps  insurers  can  take  if  their employees are affected by a
     9  disaster in order to ensure that they  are  still  able  to  respond  to
    10  claims in a timely fashion;
    11    (8) Whether or not New Yorkers have adequate insurance coverage and if
    12  not,  identifying  what  barriers  exist  that  may  prevent people from
    13  purchasing adequate coverage;
    14    (9) Identifying measures to encourage  homeowners  and  businesses  to
    15  purchase flood insurance as needed;
    16    (10) Steps insurers take to prevent disputes with policyholders and to

    17  resolve  those  which  do occur as well as additional steps insurers can
    18  take;
    19    (11) Legislative actions  that  can  be  considered  to  address  such
    20  issues.
    21    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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