Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas House Bill HB1419 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
2	2	ANS129 02/03/2025 4:11:54 PM ANS129
3	3	State of Arkansas 1
4	4	95th General Assembly A Bill 2
5	5	Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1419 3
6	6	4
7	7	By: Representative Steimel 5
8	8	By: Senator J. Boyd 6
9	9	7
10	10	For An Act To Be Entitled 8
11	11	AN ACT TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION 9
12	12	INSURANCE PLAN; TO REVISE THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 10
13	13	FOR THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION INSURANCE 11
14	14	PLAN; TO AMEND THE ADMINISTRATION AND PLAN SELECTION 12
15	15	PROCESS UNDER THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION 13
16	16	INSURANCE PLAN; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 14
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18	18	16
19	19	Subtitle 17
20	20	TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' 18
21	21	COMPENSATION INSURANCE PLAN; AND TO 19
22	22	REVISE THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR 20
23	23	THE ARKANSAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION 21
24	24	INSURANCE PLAN. 22
25	25	23
26	26	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
27	27	25
28	28	SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 23 -67-313 is amended to read as follows: 26
29	29	23-67-313. Competitive selection. 27
30	30	(a)(1) The Insurance Commissioner shall make a good faith effort to 28
31	31	comply with the intent of the provisions requiring competitive selection of 29
32	32	the administrator of the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Insurance Plan and 30
33	33	servicing carriers. 31
34	34	(2) The administrator and servicing carriers under subdivision 32
35	35	(a)(1) of this section shall be competitively selected no less often than 33
36	36	every three (3) years. 34
37	37	(3) Consideration for the selection of the administrator and 35
38	38	servicing carriers under subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall include 36 HB1419
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41	41	cost, finances, operating and service capabilities, and the record of service 1
42	42	and other factors deemed necessary for the effective and proper operation of 2
43	43	the plan. 3
44	44	(b) The commissioner may suspend formal bidding for the administrator 4
45	45	provided that if: 5
46	46	(1) The commissioner has sought and compared other 6
47	47	administrative services available; 7
48	48	(2) The commissioner deems there to have been in the interim a 8
49	49	satisfactory improvement in administrator and servicing carrier performance; 9
50	50	(3) The commissioner judges continuation of the present 10
51	51	administrator subject to the modifications herein set forth and to hereafter 11
52	52	be under this section and promulgated by rule of the commissioner to be in 12
53	53	the best interests of Arkansas; 13
54	54	(4)(A) Coverage and service is adequately and properly provided 14
55	55	to Arkansas employers entitled to insurance, and coverage is provided in 15
56	56	other states for employees of Arkansas employers to the extent possible and 16
57	57	the proper coverage is in the best interests of the employers and plan 17
58	58	operations. 18
59	59	(B) Adequate coverage of employees while working on a 19
60	60	temporary or occasional basis in other states is essential to Arkansas 20
61	61	employers and employees; and 21
62	62	(5) The administrator has an office in Arkansas and the office 22
63	63	has the staff and authority necessary to properly serve Arkansas employers 23
64	64	and the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of this act under this 24
65	65	subchapter. 25
66	66	(b) The commissioner shall review the plan operations to ensure 26
67	67	compliance with this act. The commissioner shall review and report to the 27
68	68	Legislative Council and the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce and 28
69	69	the House Committee on Insurance and Commerce by September 1 of each year, 29
70	70	with the first report to be submitted no later than September 1, 1997, 30
71	71	including, but not limited to, the following information: 31
72	72	(1) Competitive selection of the administrator and servicing 32
73	73	carriers; 33
74	74	(2) Plan operating performance and service in accordance with 34
75	75	the intent of this act, including performance reviews of the administrator, 35
76	76	servicing carriers, and plan rules; 36 HB1419
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79	79	(3) Proper authority and independence of the Arkansas office to 1
80	80	properly perform and secure prompt, fair, and reasonable service as required 2
81	81	by this act; and 3
82	82	(4) Coverage provided by the plan in other states, including 4
83	83	evidence providing that carriers promptly provide coverage for employees of 5
84	84	Arkansas employers working in other states as provided in this act. 6
85	85	(c) The commissioner is encouraged to hold public hearings as needed 7
86	86	to assist in achieving the objectives of this act and to assist with the 8
87	87	review and report provided to the Legislative Council and the Senate 9
88	88	Committee on Insurance and Commerce and the House Committee on Insurance and 10
89	89	Commerce. 11
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