HB 2075--
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HOUSE BILL No. 2075
By Committee on Insurance
1-23
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AN ACT relating to insurance companies; concerning agents and brokers; concerning fines and penalties assessed by the commissioner of insur- ance; amending K.S.A. 40-2,125, 40-755, 40-938, 40-1119, 40-2407 and 40-3311 and repealing the existing sections; also repealing K.S.A. 40-226, 40-939, 40-1120, 40-1705, 40-2214, 40-2236, 40-3205, 40- 3206, 40-3811, 40-4113, 40-4210 and 40-4511. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas: Section 1. K.S.A. 40-2,125 is hereby amended to read as follows: 40- 2,125. (a) If the commissioner determines after notice and opportunity for a hearing that any person has engaged or is engaging in any act or practice constituting a violation of any provision of Kansas insurance stat- utes or any rule and regulation or order thereunder, the commissioner, by order, may require that such person cease and desist from the unlawful act or practice and take such affirmative action as in the judgment of the commissioner will carry out the purposes of the violated or potentially violated provision. in the exercise of discretion, order any one or more of the following: (1) Payment of a monetary penalty of not more than $1,000 for each and every act or violation, unless the person knew or reasonably should have known such person was in violation of the Kansas insurance statutes or any rule and regulation or order thereunder, in which case the penalty shall be not more than $2,000 for each and every act or violation; (2) suspension or revocation of the person's license or certificate if such person knew or reasonably should have known that such person was in violation of the Kansas insurance statutes or any rule and regulation or order thereunder; or (3) that such person cease and desist from the unlawful act or practice and take such affirmative action as in the judgment of the commissioner will carry out the purposes of the violated or potentially violated provi- sion. (b) If any person fails to file any report or other information with the commissioner as required by statute or fails to respond to any proper inquiry of the commissioner, the commissioner, after notice and oppor- tunity for hearing, may impose a penalty of up to $500 for each violation or act, along with an additional penalty of up to $100 for each week thereafter that such report or other information is not provided to the commissioner. (b) (c) If the commissioner makes written findings of fact that there is a situation involving an immediate danger to the public health, safety or welfare or the public interest will be irreparably harmed by delay in issuing an order under subsection (a)(3), the commissioner may issue an emergency temporary cease and desist order. Such order, even when not an order within the meaning of K.S.A. 77-502 and amendments thereto, shall be subject to the same procedures as an emergency order issued under K.S.A. 77-536 and amendments thereto. Upon the entry of such an order, the commissioner shall promptly notify the person subject to the order that: (1) It has been entered, (2) the reasons therefor and (3) that upon written request within 15 days after service of the order the matter will be set for a hearing which shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas administrative procedure act. If no hear- ing is requested and none is ordered by the commissioner, the order will remain in effect until it is modified or vacated by the commissioner. If a hearing is requested or ordered, the commissioner, after notice of and opportunity for hearing to the person subject to the order, shall by written findings of fact and conclusions of law vacate, modify or make permanent the order. (c) If, after notice and an opportunity for hearing, the commissioner finds that a person has violated the insurance laws of this state or a rule and regulation of the commissioner, the commissioner, in addition to any specific power applicable to such violation, may: (1) Censure the person; or (2) issue an order against any person who violates the insurance laws of this state, or a rule and regulation, or order of the commissioner, im- posing an administrative penalty up to a maximum of $5,000 for each violation but not to exceed $25,000 for the same violation occurring within any six consecutive calendar months unless such person knew or reason- ably should have known the act was a violation of the insurance laws, rules and regulations or order of the commissioner. If the person knew or reasonably should have known the act was a violation as aforementioned, the commissioner may impose a penalty up to a maximum of $10,000 for each violation but not to exceed $50,000 for the same violation occurring within any six consecutive calendar months. (d) For purposes of this section: (1) ``Person'' means any individual, corporation, association, partner- ship, reciprocal exchange, inter-insurer, Lloyd's insurer, fraternal benefit society and any other legal entity engaged in the business of insurance, but or any person purchasing an interest in a life insurance policy which is licensed pursuant to K.S.A. 40-2,141 and amendments thereto, rating organization, third party administrator, nonprofit dental service corpo- ration, nonprofit medical and hospital service corporation, automobile club, premium financing company, health maintenance organization, in- surance holding company, mortgage guaranty insurance company, risk retention or purchasing group, prepaid legal and dental service plan, cap- tive insurance company, automobile self-insurer or reinsurance interme- diary. The term ``person'' shall not include insurance agents licensed pur- suant to K.S.A. 40-241 or 40-246, and amendments thereto, insurance brokers licensed pursuant to K.S.A. 40-3701 et seq., and amendments thereto, or employees of licensed agents or brokers. Person also means mutual nonprofit hospital service organizations, nonprofit medical service corporations, nonprofit medical and hospital service corporations, as de- fined in articles 18, 19 and 19c of chapter 40 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated and amendments thereto; administrators, as defined in article 38 of chapter 40 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated and amendments thereto; and health maintenance organizations, as defined in article 32 of chapter 40 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated and amendments thereto and prepaid service plans as defined in article 42 of chapter 40 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated and amendments thereto. (2) ``Commissioner'' means the commissioner of insurance of this state. Sec. 2. K.S.A. 40-755 is hereby amended to read as follows: 40-755. (a) Reports shall be filed in accordance with K.S.A. 40-225, and amend- ments thereto, subject to penalty as provided in K.S.A. 40-226, and amendments thereto, for failure to file. (b) As part of the annual statement herein required, each society shall, on or before the first day of March, file with the commissioner of insurance a valuation of its certificates in force on December 31 last preceding, providing the commissioner of insurance may, in the exercise of discretion for cause shown, extend the time for filing such valuation for not more than two calendar months. Such valuation shall be done in accordance with the standards specified in K.S.A. 40-754. Such valuation and underlying data shall be certified by a qualified actuary or, at the expense of the society, verified by the actuary of the department of insurance of the state of domicile of the society. Sec. 3. K.S.A. 40-938 is hereby amended to read as follows: 40-938. No person or organization shall willfully withhold information from, or knowingly give false or misleading information to, the commissioner, any statistical agency designated by the commissioner, any rating organization, or any insurer, which will affect the rates or premiums chargeable under this act. A violation of this section shall subject the one guilty of such violation to the penalties provided in K.S.A. 40-939. If the commissioner finds that any person or organization has violated this section, the com- missioner, after notice and the opportunity for hearing, may impose a penalty of not more than $500 for each such violation. If the commissioner determines that such violation was willful, the commissioner may impose a penalty of not more than $2,000 for each such violation. Such penalties may be in addition to any other penalty provided by law. Sec. 4. K.S.A. 40-1119 is hereby amended to read as follows: 40- 1119. No person or organization shall willfully withhold information from, or knowingly give false or misleading information to the commissioner, any statistical agency designated by the commissioner, any rating organ- ization, or any insurer, which will affect the rates or premiums chargeable under this act. A violation of this section shall subject the one guilty of such violation to the penalties provided in K.S.A. 40-1120. If the com- missioner finds that any person or organization has violated this section, the commissioner, after notice and the opportunity for hearing, may im- pose a penalty of not more than $500 for each such violation. If the com- missioner determines that such violation was willful, the commissioner may impose a penalty of not more than $2,000 for each such violation. Such penalties may be in addition to any other penalty provided by law. Sec. 5. K.S.A. 40-2407 is hereby amended to read as follows: 40- 2407. (a) If, after such hearing, the commissioner shall determine that the person charged has engaged in an unfair method of competition or an unfair or deceptive act or practice, the commissioner shall render an order requiring such person to cease and desist from engaging in such method of competition, act or practice and if the act or practice is a violation of K.S.A. 40-2404 and amendments thereto, the commissioner may in the exercise of discretion order any one or more of the following: (1) Payment of a monetary penalty of not more than $100 $1,000 for each and every act or violation;, but not to exceed an aggregate penalty of $2,500 $10,000, unless the person knew or reasonably should have known such person was in violation of this act, in which case the penalty shall be not more than $1,000 $5,000 for each and every act or violation, but not to exceed an aggregate of $10,000 $50,000 in any six-month pe- riod; (2) suspension or revocation of the person's license if such person knew or reasonably should have known such person was in violation of this act; or (3) redress of the injury by requiring the refund of any premiums paid by, the payment of any moneys withheld from, any consumer and appropriate public notification of the violation. In applying this penalty any requirement for the payment of moneys may include reasonable in- terest at a rate not to exceed the rate specified in K.S.A. 40-2,126 and amendments thereto, with such interest commencing no earlier than the date the consumer's complaint was received by the commissioner and actual costs incurred by the consumer in effecting the payment associated directly with the injury. (b) After the expiration of the time allowed for filing a petition for review if no such petition has been duly filed within such time, the com- missioner may at any time, after notice and opportunity for hearing in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas administrative procedure act, reopen and alter, modify or set aside, in whole or in part, any order issued under this section, whenever in the commissioner's opinion con- ditions of fact or of law have so changed as to require such action or if the public interest shall so require. Sec. 6. K.S.A. 40-3311 is hereby amended to read as follows: 40- 3311. (a) Any insurer, without just cause, failing to file any registration statement within the time prescribed in subsections (a) and (d) of K.S.A. 40-3305 and amendments thereto shall be subject to a penalty of $100 for each day's delay. The maximum penalty under this section is $10,000. The commissioner may reduce the penalty if the insurer demonstrates to the commissioner that the imposition of the penalty would constitute a financial hardship to the insurer. (b) Every director or officer of an in- surance holding company system who knowingly violates, participates in, or assents to, or who knowingly shall permit any of the officers or agents of the insurer to engage in transactions or make investments which have not been properly reported or submitted pursuant to subsection (a) of K.S.A. 40-3305 or subsections (c) or (d) of K.S.A. 40-3306 and amend- ments thereto, or which otherwise violates this act, shall pay, in such directors' or officers' individual capacity, a civil forfeiture of not more than $5,000 per violation, after notice and hearing before the commis- sioner. In determining the amount of the civil forfeiture, the commis- sioner shall take into account the appropriateness of the forfeiture with respect to the gravity of the violation, the history of previous violations, and such other matters as justice may require. (c) (b) Whenever it appears to the commissioner that any insurer subject to this act or any director, officer, employee or agent thereof has engaged in any transaction or entered into a contract which is subject to K.S.A. 40-3306 and amendments thereto and which would not have been approved had such approval been requested, the commissioner may order the insurer to cease and desist immediately any further activity under that transaction or contract. After notice and hearing the commissioner may also order the insurer to void any such contracts and restore the status quo if such action is in the best interest of the policyholders, creditors or the public. (d) (c) Whenever it appears to the commissioner that any insurer or any director, officer, employee or agent thereof has committed a willful violation of this act, the commissioner may cause criminal proceedings to be instituted by the district court for the county in which the principal office of the insurer is located or if such insurer has no such office in this state, then by the district court for Shawnee county against such insurer or the responsible director, officer, employee or agent thereof. Any in- surer which willfully violates this act may be fined not more than $50,000. Any individual who willfully violates this act may be fined in individual capacity not more than $10,000 or, be imprisoned for not more than one to three years, or both. (e) (d) Any officer, director or employee of an insurance holding com- pany system who knew or reasonably should have known they were sub- scribing to or making or causing to be made any false statements, false reports or false filings with the intent to deceive the commissioner in the performance of duties under this act, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned for not more than five to 10 years or fined $100,000, or both. Any fines imposed shall be paid by the officer, director or employee in such person's individual capacity. Sec. 7. K.S.A. 40-226, 40-2,125, 40-755, 40-938, 40,939, 40-1119, 40- 1120, 40-1705, 40-2214, 40-2236, 40-2407, 40-3205, 40-3206, 40-3311, 40-3811, 40-4113, 40-4210 and 40-4511 are hereby repealed. Sec. 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the statute book.