Wyo. Special Session Ends on Good Note for Insurers

Only a handful of insurance-related bills made it through Wyoming’s special legislative session, which ended last week.

“Since this session was designed as a special budgetary session, it’s no surprise that only a few non-fiscal bills made it through,” Gregory LaCost, counsel for the National Association of Independent Insurers (NAII), said. “As it is, several onerous bills died when the session ended, so we’re fairly pleased with the outcome.”

One failed bill was S.B. 92, which would have required insurers to include as a measure of damages for total losses the license fees and motor vehicle taxes assessed to the vehicle. According to the NAII, it was another attempt to intrude on the industry’s ability to control its exposures. NAII opposed the bill and was able to kill it in the House Insurance Committee on a 5 to 4 vote.

Insurance-related bills that passed through the legislature include:

H.B. 155, which increases the blood alcohol concentration level from .02 to .04 for drivers under age 21; designates the fees and criminal penalties associated with a violation; and outlines the suspension of driving privileges for each offense. If signed by the Governor, it will have an effective date of July 1, 2002.

S.B. 87, which allows local jurisdictions to regulate their highway and street speed limits. The municipalities will have to have a “traffic investigation” performed before setting the limits, but an engineer will not be required for such setting. It has been signed by the Governor and is effective July 1, 2002.

Several bills failed to garner the two-thirds majority required for hearing and therefore “failed introduction.” These included H.B. 61, which would have mandated chemical testing of drivers who had been involved in a death or serious injury accident. Other bills would have:

prohibited the use of cellular phones while driving a vehicle;

introduced to law a provision requiring drivers to proceed cautiously around parked vehicles;

included a $10,000 medical payment in policies (costly requirement for Wyoming residents);

created DUI burden of proof modifications;

increased drivers’ license age eligibility requirements; and

prohibited the transporting open alcoholic beverages in motor vehicles.

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