Jul 5, 2018

New Hampshire session ends with a number of victories for PIANH members

The New Hampshire 2018 legislation session concluded last month. The session was successful for PIANH members, as your association worked to pass a number of measures while also stopping some harmful legislation from going into effect.

H.B.1252 was passed by the General Court and was signed by Gov. Chris Sununu on May 15. The new law provides additional protection for agents and brokers to the current certificate of insurance law. It states that a producer does not warrant or analyze the policy included in the supplemental questionnaire requested by banks and lending institutions. PIANH testified in favor of this legislation. It is effective July 14, 2018.

H.B.1308 also passed both chambers and signed by the governor on May 15. This legislation enhances the current protections of consumers, while strengthening the agents’ and brokers’ ability to provide service to their clients. It requires carriers to notify any appointed agents and the New Hampshire Insurance Department of their decision not to renew all, or substantially all, of a line of business 120 days prior to the nonrenewal effective date. PIANH testified in favor of this bill. The bill is effective Jan. 1, 2019.

A bill (H.B.1360), which PIANH opposed, failed to make it out of the House. This bill would have prohibited carriers from using credit reports in the underwriting process.

There were a number of labor-related bills that PIANH opposed that also failed to gain passage. Measures to enact predictive scheduling create paid family leave and prohibit employers from asking for salary history all failed in the House or Senate or were sent to study.