SLS 23RS-403 ORIGINAL 2023 Regular Session SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 19 BY SENATOR TALBOT LEGIS POWERS/FUNCTIONS. Creates the Task Force on Available and Affordable Commercial Motor Vehicle Insurance. 1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION 2 To create the Task Force on Available and Affordable Commercial Motor Vehicle Insurance 3 to study and report on the impediments to obtaining affordable commercial motor 4 vehicle insurance in Louisiana, the approaches taken by other states to reduce 5 commercial motor vehicle insurance premiums, and to provide recommendations to 6 the legislature on methods for increasing the availability and affordability of 7 commercial motor vehicle insurance in Louisiana. 8 WHEREAS, according to the American Trucking Research Institute, for four years 9 nationwide, the affordability and availability of commercial motor vehicle insurance has 10 been a top issue in truck transportation; and 11 WHEREAS, Louisiana ranks as the second most expensive state for commercial 12 motor vehicle insurance in the nation; and 13 WHEREAS, Louisiana trucking companies and owner-operators continue to struggle 14 to pay for commercial motor vehicle insurance; and 15 WHEREAS, Louisiana pays up to four times more than other states for commercial 16 motor vehicle insurance; and 17 WHEREAS, small fleets in Louisiana, which consists of more than ninety-four 18 percent of all commercial trucking companies, pay up to four times more for commercial Page 1 of 5 SCR NO. 19 SLS 23RS-403 ORIGINAL 1 motor vehicle insurance; and 2 WHEREAS, the situation has deteriorated to an extent where the vast majority of 3 commercial motor vehicle insurance companies refuse to write policies in Louisiana, further 4 exacerbating issues related to affordability and availability; and 5 WHEREAS, the lack of competition negatively affects commercial motor vehicle 6 insurance rates and potentially negatively affects the number of trucking companies 7 registered in Louisiana; and 8 WHEREAS, decreased registered trucking companies in Louisiana may result in 9 increased cost of consumer goods and render Louisiana less economically competitive; and 10 WHEREAS, by reducing the amount of revenue collected from various sources, 11 including corporate income taxes, gasoline tax, motor vehicles sales tax, titling fees, and 12 automobile plate fees increases the potential for a negative economic impact on the State of 13 Louisiana; and 14 WHEREAS, other states, including Texas, Iowa, and Florida have recently acted to 15 considerably lower commercial motor vehicle insurance rates and therefore provide more 16 economically competitive options to commercial motor vehicle carriers; and 17 WHEREAS, alternative insurance options have proven effective in similar 18 circumstances and in other states; and 19 WHEREAS, the legislature desires to form a task force to study available and 20 affordable commercial motor vehicle insurance and to provide a forum to present its 21 findings; and 22 WHEREAS, considering that increased competition among commercial motor 23 vehicle insurance companies in Louisiana should lower rates, the legislature would be 24 further assisted by recommendations on methods to increase the number of commercial 25 motor vehicle insurers offering commercial motor vehicle insurance policies in Louisiana; 26 and 27 WHEREAS, considering that Louisiana generates revenue from commercial motor 28 vehicles registered in the state, the legislature would be additionally assisted by 29 quantification of tax revenue per commercial vehicle unit and per trucking company to 30 assess monetary impact. Page 2 of 5 SCR NO. 19 SLS 23RS-403 ORIGINAL 1 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby 2 establish and provide for the Task Force on Available and Affordable Commercial Motor 3 Vehicle Insurance to study and report on the following: 4 (1) Impediments to obtaining affordable commercial motor vehicle insurance in 5 Louisiana. 6 (2) Approaches taken by other states to reduce commercial motor vehicle insurance 7 premiums. 8 (3) Economic impact of commercial motor vehicle insurance affordability on state 9 revenue. 10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force should include consideration of 11 recommendations, together with specific proposals for legislation on methods for increasing 12 the number of commercial motor vehicle insurers offering commercial motor vehicle 13 insurance policies in Louisiana and the affordability of commercial motor vehicle insurance 14 premiums, by written report to the legislature and to the David R. Poynter Legislative 15 Research Library as required by R.S. 24:771 and 772, no later than March 1, 2024. 16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall consist of the following 17 members: 18 (1) The Commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Insurance or his designee who 19 shall serve as Chairman. 20 (2) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance or his designee. 21 (3) The chairman of the House Committee on Insurance or his designee. 22 (4) The governor of the state of Louisiana or his designee. 23 (5) The chief executive officer of Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation 24 (LWCC) or his designee. 25 (6) The chairman of the Louisiana Property and Casualty Insurance Commission or 26 his designee. 27 (7) The President of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana or 28 his designee. 29 (8) The president of the Professional Insurance Agents of Louisiana or his designee. 30 (9) A chairman of the Louisiana Association for Justice or his designee. Page 3 of 5 SCR NO. 19 SLS 23RS-403 ORIGINAL 1 (10) The chief executive officer of Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance or his designee. 2 (11) The chairman of the American Property Casualty Insurance Agency (APCIA) 3 or his designee. 4 (12) The chairman of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association or his designee. 5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the names of the members designated by this 6 Resolution be submitted to the commissioner no later than June 30, 2023. 7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED a vacancy in the membership shall be filled in the 8 same manner as the original appointment. 9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the commission shall serve 10 without compensation, except per diem or expenses reimbursement to which they may be 11 individually entitled as members of their constituent organizations. 12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the commission shall constitute 13 a quorum for the transaction of business and all official actions of the commission shall 14 require the affirmative vote of a majority of the quorum. 15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commissioner shall call the first meeting of 16 the commission, which shall be held no later than July 31, 2023, at which time the 17 commission shall select a vice chairman and other officers deemed necessary from among 18 its membership, and shall adopt rules of procedure and any additional measures that the 19 commission deems necessary for the timely performance of its duties. 20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the commissioner of insurance shall designate staff 21 from the Department of Insurance to assist the commission in the performance of its duties. 22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the commission shall be domiciled in Baton Rouge 23 but may hold meetings elsewhere in the state. 24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED a copy of this Resolution shall be mailed to the 25 Louisiana Department of Insurance, the Senate Committee on Insurance, the House 26 Committee on Insurance, the governor of the state of Louisiana, Louisiana Workers' 27 Compensation Corporation, Louisiana Property and Casualty Insurance Commission, 28 Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana, Professional Insurance Agents of 29 Louisiana, Louisiana Association for Justice, Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance, American 30 Property Casualty Insurance Agency, and Louisiana Motor Transport Association. Page 4 of 5 SCR NO. 19 SLS 23RS-403 ORIGINAL The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Archana D. Cadge. DIGEST SCR 19 Original 2023 Regular Session Talbot Proposed law creates the Task Force on Available and Affordable Commercial Motor Vehicle Insurance to study and report on the impediments to obtaining affordable commercial motor vehicle insurance in Louisiana. Proposed law provides for the members and officers of the task force, the areas to study, and where to provide reports after the task force has completed its study. Page 5 of 5