Insurance & Commerce - Senate

Speed three sixty eight and go straight to Senator Dismang with this be three twenty four. Thank you members Senate bill twenty three twenty four we did amendments last week now said the house co sponsor and just real quick and I'll just say it the basic bones what this does is establishes a nonprofit agricultural membership organization as one of the list of exceptions underneath Arkansas insurance code provides a definition for that on page two it's it's incorporated in the laws of the state has a physical presence in every county in the state has a purpose of promoting the interest of farmers or their affiliates in this state and provides coverage for healthcare services for members and families pursuant to contract the members in the organization or or its affiliates members this is something that is occurring in other states right now in fact Tennessee has seventy five years worth of experience with this type organization that theory is and again that's just allows us to the conversation process to take place that you know the equivalent of a bronze or silver level plan is what would be offered to the members in in I think at the end of the day it's just important that we're doing everything we can to help our farmers in this state be successful it would eliminate the need for instance for a spouse that also wants to work on the farm for having a great and you know have another job to be able for the sole purpose of having health insurance and hopefully would help younger farmers be able to stay in the profession with a more affordable option for health insurance I'd be happy to take any questions and we do have some folks that contest five on the bill and for the bill if needed by the committee. Any questions present deadline set forth. Thank you Mr so I just wanna make sure I completely understand this before I cast a vote so. This is not regulated by the insurance commission so if I'm a physician and I have a practice and I feel like I'm being under reimbursed my only recourse is to not participate in this plan yeah you're not mandating that any you know provider participate inside the plant that's correct and so again so for clarity if will individual providers be able to do it is it going to be like it's all set up through a major plan somehow and like they just you either agree to I just use a Blue Cross blue shield if I'm signed up with Blue Cross blue shield kit could I not participate in this yeah I mean the this plan is going to have to be able to pay a rate enough to establish access for its participants and so I think you know there's some market responsibility that's going to exist and that will occur so but but again if a provider doesn't want to participate you know with this program there's not anything that would mandate to so the patient doesn't have to sign up for the insured would not have to sign up this is nonmandatory and it would be mandatory to participate if that's correct provider and of things that's correct okay thank you. Any other questions percent dismaying. Thirty so so by doing this you just have to be you have to be listed as a non profit agricultural. Organization correct. And then on city on page two. We just has it has a purpose of promoting the interest of farmers or their affiliates in the state so. It basically we're not putting any stipulations on that so if they can show that they're doing that in any way shape or fashion then they're going to be eligible to do this yeah they'll have to hit those four points sentiment right now believe there's probably only one organization it's all for but if there is another one that to you know exists the state clearly qualify also thank you Sir. Any other questions the committee. We've got one here to speak for the bill Brandon Martin. Yes. And and Laura young speak but at the same time working. What I think we got the bad end of the deal there so. Please enter yourself for the record Brandon Martin. Thank you Fred made give me time to speak here today I just want to say that up I am a young farmer in the state We're blessed not to get in the business when I was able to get in. The dream for most young farmers this too far you know so insurance is kind of a low on your thought process but once you get in and you realize how we got kids we need insurance I need my wife on the form help me work full time it's hard enough to. Find help. Good health the healthy on a form I need my what here to help me. And I know. Hendren young farmers that their wives just works for the insurance I think this would give us the opportunity to bring life back to the form to help when needed take care of the kids on the form gives us an opportunity and the option to have a low cost health insurance to be able to help. Young farmers. Get started on the forms. Thank you misspoke a little bit I think he helps her on the farmers with them in this state. In any questions for Mr Martin the Committee. Seeing none thank thank you for your testimony thank. Anyone else here to speak for against the bill an audience. Saying nine Senate is mine because. And what is the will of the committee motion to pass government motion do pass as amended second by Senator Boyd. All those in in favor of do pass please stay with us and I. I was posing sign. J. DISMANG your bill is passed. We have H. B. thirteen thirteen. Members H. B. thirteen thirteen does have a fiscal impact stable. Okay Sir Murdock thank you a chair to the committee this is a clean up bill that defiance of exactly what happens to one of our men if if one of us was to leave here you leave of it lives life insurance policy the beneficiary is named this make sure that there is no on wanted on intended consequence it happens to the beneficiary of the remains to proceed to proceed from the life insurance policy this just is a cleanup bill passed ninety nothing in the House images provides this to make sure it was left out of the of some previous legislation that life insurance policy was was critical to this and this is make sure that is is exempt from certain attacks from certain creditors. I take any questions fifteen just kind of go over those different attacks you just mentioned Committee okay Sir go to page two. input on page two the exemption provide association in sub division a want any of this section is garnishment attachment seizure appropriation number two and the demand the bankruptcy. The exemption provided so the exemption provided in this section does not apply to this is important I pledge of insurance policy of the proceeds of the issue as part to set to secure an obligation for repayment of debt which obligor is the insured the beneficiary a business entity family member or a family member of issued or the beneficiary is protecting the beneficiary from creditors of those that should not be able to have the areas is safer is the beneficiary OHL's some money to Medicaid for a federal of Medicaid is a federal law that requires you to pay that back to Medicaid is a federal Medicaid did or say they're in bankruptcy they have a bankruptcy Sullivan this do you have to pay their Sullivan but this is for any others besides those two situations okay thank you any any questions from committee for center Murdock. Senate. So. So what we're saying then is the if if if the member does and the. Beneficiary would receive the money or they would be up for that we're trying to say that. That a garnishment couldn't if there was a garnishment against the member. That it wouldn't attach or against the beneficiary definite member of the member is not all right but the beneficiary is it is we're talking about is to proceed from that life insurance policy okay. Is this consistent with all. All type of life insurance policies or. Thank you senator. Any other questions Senator. Say no other questions then there's no one here to speak for or against the bill. What's the will of committee our center Murdock a motion to pass motion do pass sooner Murdock. Second centreboard. All in favor of do pass to. All opposed same sign. Senator D. Wallace passed thank you. SP three fifty one do not see Senator Brandt. Senator Dismang fourteen thirties H. B. fourteen thirty six. I thank you Mr chairman about to a couple with me so that when I say something wrong they can check their head no and then provide collector correction is needed. So but thirteen forty six it is fairly simple effective and you have a go and introduce yourself a record four star. Good morning Mr chairman members Campbell maclaren interim commissioner of the Arkansas security department. Hi Karen Tierney consumer services and Legislative Affairs Arkansas securities department thank you you're free Senator Dismang thank you Mr chairman so this impacts in news is really trying to adopt national standards in regards to what they're already being required to provide on the application so again this matches the application and how the answer that and I'm thanks that that's the gist of the bill really it's not not real overly complicated. Fourteen thirty six yeah. H. B. fourteen thirty six. Page two is gonna have been convicted of or pled guilty to domestic former military in a domestic for military court of a felony goes list those through down there and then adds fraud false statements or omissions wrongful taking property bribery perjury forgery counterfeiting extortion and that sort of thing but just again at that my understanding and I look at the bill that's what they're already required to disclose in their application just metres that prevents maybe any future issues also brings us into what I think will be more of a a national standard it's being status state by state. Thank you any any questions for Senator Dismang or his guest. Seeing none center very close. Closed. What is it will be a do pass. Yes. At first in the second. A for a do pass all those in favor hi posing sand J. DISMANG. H. B. fourteen thirty six has passed all right thank you House Bill fourteen thirty eight yes Sir. Same group we do have an amendment if we pass it out really quick there were some questions by the payroll industry so they've been removed from the bill just to alleviating concerns that maybe there. And that's what this amendment does. Well just a second. This is a different bill senator Magnus going in there to some sales for the record one more time okay. Well in in on the. If you have any questions on the amendment. Council at the rate I'm going okay did that I've. A good morning again Campbell maclaren interim commissioner the Arkansas securities department. Can't hear any consumer services legislative affairs Arkansas security. Any questions from the committee on the amendment. What is the will of committee. Due to adopt the first we have a second second second Senator Dismang. All those in favor say aye. All the opposing sign. It is mine present the bill as amended please all right thank you Mr chairman again this is largely similar to the others to bring their multiple states trying creates national standards in regards to the uniformed money Services Act this is legislation that's already been adopted in Arizona and South Dakota is being considered today I think in Texas in Texas will be in Tennessee and Missouri and again hope purpose discreet uniformity is when women the weeds on let Karen to that field questions. You for your Speaker. Thank you okay I can't hear any against and. It as senator spent Dismang was saying this is a model legislation that was introduced and in consulted on by industry and regulators state regulators industry worked on this for several years to inform at to create uniform standards for these companies they're operated in you know forty five fifty states to reduce the regulatory burden on the industry but it also does have some safety and soundness protections in here and you know making sure they have adequate net worth for these companies that are you know operating with a hundred billion dollars a year and millions of dollars and then also at you know just make sure that we're aware of who these companies are and creates uniformity between the state so we know who these people are and what they're doing. And at the Commissioner can jump in. Sure you know the the main goal of this amendment is to bring is in in uniformity with all fifty states and that's the goals to standardized regulation in this space across the states to avoid federal preemption and preserve state authority and a lot of our money transmitters or license with us or or national companies license in all fifty states and the feedback we're getting is very difficult for these companies to navigate the state registration process if all fifty states if there have different regulations and so what we want to do is doctors model act which would standardized with other states and and is carousels it was heavily negotiated by industry and are meant member organization at the national level. That's what we're proposing to do today. Anything else that Senator Dismang. Okay Senator Johnson. Thank you Mr chairman of the Senate is mine or the the expert you have with the with you of I just wanna get this straight in my mind I'm trying to think about what it is and what it's not Services traditional services like Western Union it definitely applies to them but like on page three let's the line and twenty two it says money transmission to design clothes providing online services would that include for example vin miles. No then no it's still license under this act anybody who is either taking sending or storing committee would be covered but that's just you know somebody who is operating the background and the operates you know online services use not sending money back just to make sure that. That's covered you know if you're making a payment just because you're doing it you give me example of what it means when is it says it's not that's not is not covered. I believe this those are operational companies providing assistance to money transmitters so if you just providing the online services the back up back office type function for our online money transmitters like for example to pay pal or that which was not named so that that's talking about this PayPal is not they're more of a transmitter rather than one that actually takes the moneys that's the difference between them and then at PayPal is Richard this is like at a software company if they're the ones providing you know how the system operates that would fall under that did this bill but if you're actually either taking the money sending the money or holding the money they would be license to pick about PayPal then Mayo. You know that cash out those are all I will age myself but like what systematics did for banks that is correct okay Sir thank you very much thank you senator my. Senate. Just just one if you don't mind and I don't know they have an issue with this it just seems like overly broad mail page two. Twenty two twenty five. We go through we list all this on the. You know whenever you combine all these people that's where controlling interest would come to. And then I and then we even go as far as a any other person who shares the person's home. I'm just hello Sir I can I can provide a little bit background there so what one of the reasons for the change of control provisions is that uh we we were hearing from industry that they were originally onerous as they stand and. What this amendment proposes to do is provide an actual definition to sort of hone in on wind injured controlled notification is be provided to our department as it stands it's even more broad now and I I get that the definition sort of seems oddly specific but that's in an effort to try to hone in on win industry needs to provide our office with notice of a change of control and when they don't and right now industries have to do that quite often any time there's a certain changes no stock ownership Changin in the officer function that sort of thing they're having a providers notice all the time and what we're trying to do is cut down on the amount of notice that has to be provided and so the these definitions were put in place I get that they are oddly specific but that that was the reason for that. Hopefully that answers your question. Any other questions. Seeing none is anyone here to speak for against the bill. Seeing the Windsor design pretty close. I'm closed. Do pass by Senator Johnson second senator Boyd as amended as amended. All those in favor say aye opposed same sign dismaying your bill is passed thank you all right last one up is fourteen thirty nine. Representative bill thirty nine all right in this is to and again they can clarify the messes up this just to clarify what happens if someone that is in training for instance boss gets fired or they want to transfer to another mortgage company whatever may be it creates more streamlined process doesn't require them to start the process all over again to places them on inactive status so it's it's really to the benefit of the applicant. Anything else I don't know if you were there or not. Any questions Senator Dismang. Seeing none is there anyone who speak for against the bill. Seeing the winter DISMANG you're pretty close I'm close to. So what's the will of committee do pass the senator Boyd second by a senator Penzo and that is as amended. No no this was not amended was not meant. Okay this. All the favor say aye opposed same sign Senator Dismang your bill is passed. Thank you. Nicks H. B. fourteen ninety one. And we do have a handout for this bill. All right to void of state senator Justin Boyd district twenty seven here to present house bill fourteen eighty one we presented it last week we pulled down to give members an opportunity to have questions answered so hopefully those questions have been answered to the best that they've been just a reminder what this bill does is it affects commercial insurance plans only it takes the rebates that are given on medication so if I'm on a five thousand dollar drug then what it would do is it was use that rebate that was coming back and offset the cost to the patient for co insurance or deductibles so if you know so basically there's usually there's his average around forty eight percent of the cost of the list prices actually rebates in the middle and so this benefits patients who are commercial plans have co insurance or deductibles so that in a simple form when it does happen to try to answer any questions if there are any. For any questions for senator Boyd. You saying none we do have some here to speak. We get the against it Johnson Buxton. And please identify yourself for the record. Thank you Mr chairman of the committee my name is Jonathan Boston on with pharmaceutical care management association we are the national association representing pharmacy benefit managers. I rise today and and respectful opposition to the bill point of sale rebates is an idea that attempts to pass savings on to patients at the counter of the pharmacy but if it fails to recognize that premiums are one of the primary savings that patients receiving primary primary benefits patients receive from their employers and the plan sponsors and those premiums are reduced directly by those rebates rebates are offered on a very very small percentage of the drugs that are available in today about less than ten percent of drugs are offered rebates among those but those small number of drugs drugs where there's competition for highly print you know expensive things they retire they account for over sixty percent and sometimes up to seventy five percent of the drug spend itself and so they're very expensive very specialized and so. Pushing those rebates down past the premiums were all kitchen and to take care of one another actually ends up harming the patience of the entire population and so we would respectfully request that this not move forward because currently those rebates are being used to reduce the premiums and there've been studies by the centers for Medicare Medicaid services that showed that if the point of sale rebates are mandated for part D. the government would see an estimated eighty two billion dollars in increased spending over ten years and premiums for Medicare recipients a party would see an eleven percent increase over that period it rebates drive down premiums and that's with the value that they provide and we would respectfully request and no vote. Committee. Saying none. Thank you Sir thank you. And speaking for the bill we have a doctor lackey. Please do yourself a record. I'm doctor buster lackey I'm the executive director for the National Alliance for mental illness for Arkansas not me and also co founder of the center health and wellness in North Little Rock Arkansas the patients I serve have mental illness issues that are often beyond their control and medications are often essential not not optional House to fourteen eighty one will will help patients period drug manufactures pay rebates to health plans and and PBMs to get favored placement on for Miller's these rebates for brand medicines are forty eight percent meeting that patients are paying more than twice what they should for life saving life sustaining medications the problem is that rebates are making their way to the patients this bill fundamentally changes that. Now you may hear as you heard that this will cost premium increase pay a passing rebates three to patients only impacts or fraction of total rebates received by plan in fact there are three recently published a actuarial studies that show rebates only go up zero point six percent when rebates are passed through one of these studies is by Milliman group are proof that it would only be modest increases in premiums in the low single digits even United an optimum omit there will be a quote very material impact to consumers especially those with chronic diseases meanwhile savings will be ten vote for the patients when repair passed down West Virginia pass this bill and twenty twenty one in Arkansas needs to be the second state even the federal government has been trying to address this issue an announcmenet last week for the house oversight committee will investigate PBMs now this now is the time that we pass this bill thank you for your attention today. Thank you Sir. Any questions. And speaking of against the bill. Max Greenwood. And please identify yourself for the record. Good morning cemex screen over the Arkansas Blue Cross and blue shield Mr chairman members of the committee thank you for letting me speak this morning. House Bill fourteen eighty one will do two things it will increase premiums for your constituents and it will increase the profits for drug manufacturers let me explain from a healthcare plan perspective how the process works. Instead of offering discounts at the front end for individual brand name drugs the pharmaceutical manufacturers established what we call a list price discounts are then offered to members in the form of a coupon that's one thing the doctor didn't mention so members are getting coupons by drug manufacturers to help offset the cost of their expensive drug. The member that uses those coupons when purchasing their job to cover their co pay or their cost share amounts coupons are not available for generic drugs they're only available to the member for high cost brand name drugs and can be obtained online or even through their doctor still even with the coupon that health plan covers on average over eighty five percent of the total cost of the drug. Meanwhile the PBM or the health plan has negotiated with the drug manufacturer for a discount to their health plans in the form of what we call a post service rebate that means that the health plans will receive a rebate after the claim is paid which can range anywhere from a hundred and eighty days to two years after the actual sale of the drug to the member. The amount of rebates for the same drug will vary depending on several factors these include where it's placed on the health plans list of drugs are for military the benefit design whether it's a PPO or a high deductible health plan in the coverage of similar drugs and the same therapeutic class for example insulin is produced by three different manufacturers who are competing for market share so they work are competing against each other with regard to offering rebates to health plans to tear their drug on the formulary. It's also important to note that the amount of the rebate can vary every year as contracts with drug companies to change. It's also important to understand that rebates to drive competition they are literally the only leverage health plans health plans have to access any discounts on them brave jogs offsetting those high cost and spreading the savings among our entire membership not just the individuals to purchase the drugs. If this bill is passed we will be forced to give rebates only to those members who purchase brand name drugs there will be no need for a coupon from the drug manufacturer and the drug company profits from that sale will be higher up to eighty to ninety percent of brand prescription drugs currently have coupons which often decreases the members out of pocket cost to five or ten dollars a month. Basically coupons help insulate the consumers from the true cost of the drug and adding a rebate on top of this would only encourage more folks to use the newest higher cost branded products rather than an equivalent generic if available. Giving consumers a wide choice of products based on their personal health and financial situations is vital for Arkansas Blue Cross because of our utilization of rebates a customer who desires to benefit from drug rebates and have their premiums lowered by those rebates can select a plan that reflects that choice alternatively if a customer would like to buy up and perhaps have a higher premium and lower cost sharing they're able to select that option. This approach accomplishes many objectives for our members it ensures that all customers not just those purchasing name brand drugs gets full credit for all negotiated pharmacy rebates secondly it gives all customers the flexibility on how to enjoy that benefit either through lower premiums or reduced cost sharing depending on their preference. Passage of H. B. fourteen eighty one will prevent us from offering those various plan designs available today an increased premium for all insured members pharmaceutical companies will no longer have to negotiate rebates with PBMs or health plans to get preferred listing on the formularies as you might guess volume is the most important factor in negotiating a higher rebate the more drugs and insurer plans to buy the higher the rebate they can negotiate if the rebate is only applied on an individual basis the PBM or insurer will no longer have that leverage to negotiate a better read date that benefits all their members and finally I would like to give you an example of how our members costs are reduced by drug rebates. We use one hundred percent of the drug manufacturer rebates to reduce the total claims for rate filings for calendar year twenty twenty which is the last full year we have data for our rebates that we used to offset claims volume by about a hundred and fifty seven million dollars and reduce our member premiums by seven percent that year our individual rate increase was two point eight nine percent without those rebates members would have had a nearly ten percent rate increase small groups the small employers in your communities saw rate increases of three point two nine percent without rebates they would have seen an increase of more than ten percent that is a significant difference for working our Kansans are small businesses. While only a small number of folks may receive a rebate of their brand name drugs at the pharmacy counter counter. The numbers I just read to you show that all members. Benefit from rebates and we'll see higher premiums if this bill passes also remember that many of those buying prescription drugs often are not paying for one hundred percent of their premiums most often employers are also paying a large proportion of the cost but under this bill they would not receive any of the savings I'm guessing this is likely the reason that you all are excluded from this bill AS CPSE is not part of this bill I hope this explanation has been helpful I would ask that you oppose H. B. fourteen eighty one and protect the savings rebates that give that we give to Arkansas consumers and employers thank you and I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have any questions miss remote. Senate just wanna heard what you said about the premiums increase in. You know the up to ten percent remained closed to ten percent are you saying that whole seven percent you see that if this bill is enacted that that that entire increase would go towards. It means we have to go up that much yes or okay yes not just in Asia of it to seven percent was the total amount of rebates that we used to offset premiums okay thank you. Any other questions. Six seven nine thank you. No one else signed up to speak for against is there anyone in the audience wants to speak for against. Saying nine center Boyd pretty close thank you so I think we heard a lot of smoke we heard a lot of confusion but these are the facts go back and look how much drug prices have increased over the last two decades and what will you will see is when you have the intermediary PBM enter intervening and all these back door rebate prices are going up this bill is very narrow and limited to help specific patients who have co insurance that's not a copay of five dollars that's where you have a percentage copay it also helps people that otherwise would pay the full burden with a deductible so again I'm not kidding when they're drugs that are thousand you know you can have something like you merit which is five thousand plus dollars coupons are available on some drugs but not all drugs but the coupon is and what should be driving a decision by the the patient's physician or nurse practitioner or PA it should be good medicine not what coupon is available so while I appreciate coupons they add to the problem in some way by adding complexity to the system and driving down the the cost for some while those who don't know about the coupon still not pay the full price or if they have a another point so. What I'm saying is we have a broken system this offers a small bit of transparency there are three studies that show it most a nominal six tenths percent increase in Premiums and the people who are benefiting that are the ones that the actual patients who are on the drugs are the ones who benefit that's what's called the shared savings plan so they're the ones driving the premium or the the that rebate back into the system they should benefit and again it's very limited to commercial insurance for that reason in those those plans so that said I appreciate a good vote make a motion to pass. We have a motion do pass I have a second ascent center Penzo all those in favor motion say aye aye aye. No certainly. Is have. Senator your bill is passed thank you. Okay we'll skip over SP three eighty eight and SB three ninety six. And that takes us to the H. B. twelve sixty one. Saying no one here to run that will skip over that one as well. Anyone here for H. B. fifteen fifty eight. H. B. thirty fifteen thirty two. President will. Representative Hodges please enter several record. Representative Grant Hodges House District fourteen. I'm said Rosenbaum director business and commercial services for secretary of state's office center Justin Boyd district twenty seven. Please go ahead. Thank you all the the gist of this is us bill came from the secretary of state's office and their business division and it's a bill that helps out our charities smaller charities and a few ways in a let Mr Rosenbaum kind of coverage to the three changes in the that the bill does thank you. Share and this bill does three things the first thing skews me that does it raises the threshold for requiring a full audit to a by a certified public accountant from five hundred thousand to a million dollars they still would require letter from CPA's and said that their financials were were at for good but this just raises the threshold of full audit costs between ten and twelve thousand dollars we've heard from an and number CPA's who would like to see this rate so we like to see racial five hundred thousand to one million dollars the second point is that it gives the sos the option to grant a second extension for just three additional months this isn't in line with the R. S. giving a second smaller extension they do give six month extensions and we just like to be able to give that the extension on a rare occasion if somebody needs if electric time to complete their financials and in the third point this increases the contribution exemption for entities from twenty five thousand fifty thousand dollars this leaves the burden on many small local charities like volunteer fire department school fundraising organizations and a smaller animal shelters in alliance with the arts requirement for the tax form nine ninety in which is fifty thousand dollars or more. Any. The finished. Got questions Senator Johnson. Thank you Mr chairman of. Representative Hodges Mr Rosenbaum I'm. I got a few questions but the the first one I ask is is this audit report not saying we were already doing this at a lesser threat shall is it subject to for it. Yes Sir yes it's available publicly okay so what we're really doing we're not changing any exposure to I'm sorry the privacy of of these nonprofits were simply raising the the number which they have to do this that's correct now it wants is a million dollars in a year I can think of organizations that. Bob along in their annual budget is way less than that but they might be involved in a capital campaign which kind of puts a ball in their budget and therefore that would be included so they might then have to have of an audit done by CPA and most of them probably use of but I'm just this would if it's an anomaly like a capital campaign we would to require that they go through. That's correct sooner okay all right thank you very much thank you Mr sure if you don't mind was on the same lines just a little bit different so the the old language says that they are required to file an audit report so have we been because we have we been requiring actual audited financial statements because the cost of those are significant yes Sir so. And we've been requiring those for the five hundred thousand dollar ones yes Sir over five hundred thousand we have been okay so they've actually been required to get an audited financial statement so we're not we're not changing any of that an increase in the call whatsoever correct okay thank you Sir. Any other questions. Anyone here to speak for against the bill. Saying no one Senator you're pretty close. I'm closed amid make a motion to pass a motion to pass a second the center Johnson all those in favor say aye. Follows the same sign. Center if your bill is passed. Representative Hodges please enter yourself again. Yet representative Grant Hodges House District fourteen. This is H. B. fifteen twenty five. Go ahead Senator representative thank you so this bill came for me actually it's a constituent driven bill last fall when I was campaigning amid insurance agent in my district who is a State Farm agent and he let me know that do you like to do kind of some small promotional items and giveaways throughout the year but there was something at the state level he wasn't quite sure it was a law rule Iraq but something that prevented him from doing more than twenty five dollars and so I told my look into that and when I got down here for session I reached out to the insurance department and I've been working with Bruce ran over there and it's a bulletin from the Department is what it is that essentially recommends that agents don't do more than twenty five dollars and these kind of token gifts or what we're in the law referred to as rebates and so the insurance department said they they get a lot of calls on this almost as much as anything else they have to deal with and they kind of welcome to being able to clarify this in the law and so what this bill does is simply clarifies that these token gifts or rebates are allowed in it raises that limit from where it is now the bulls and twenty five dollars up to one hundred dollars that Bolton is several decades old on from the department has been updated in a very long time and so they were comfortable with the one hundred dollar limit. I also reached out to the independence runs agents clear sign and they also didn't have any any problems with that and on the house side at least we didn't have anybody speak against in committee OR I wasn't contact with any opposition as well so with that I would be happy to take any questions and I'd ask Mister Randy come up if you'll have any questions for the department. Any questions the committee. Seeing none is there anyone here to speak for against the bill. Saying no one represented pretty close I'm closed. The motion do pass the center Johnson Sekhemre Senator Boyd all those in favor say aye opposed same sign as have it represented your bill is passed thanks Committee suffer some running bill in Senate committee in about four years so I appreciate you all treat me with the velvet gloves of promotion most time is not that easy. Okay Senator Irvin is not here for SP one nineteen center king is not here. restricted overs Senator Hammer is a B. thirty H. B. eleven twenty one as anyone here to run. From that. Sing NO one H. B. twelve seventy one. Seeing no one that being said. We're Journal.