Michigan Senate Bill SB0133

Michigan 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/6/25
• Refer: 3/6/25

Caption

Insurance: producers; continuing education credit carryover system for insurance producers who belong to a professional insurance association; provide for. Amends sec. 1204c of 1956 PA 218 (MCL 500.1204c).

Impact

This bill is significant as it would impact how insurance producers engage with their professional development. By formalizing continuing education requirements into law, it establishes a standardized framework for knowledge and skill enhancement among licensed producers in the state. Under the new regulations, producers need to complete a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education every two years, including three hours dedicated specifically to ethics in insurance to renew their licenses. This aims to ensure that producers are up-to-date with industry standards and practices.

Summary

Senate Bill 133 aims to amend the 1956 Michigan Insurance Code specifically regarding the continuing education requirements for insurance producers. The proposed changes will require insurance producers to accumulate a certain number of hours in educational activities to maintain their licenses. This bill introduces a system of staggered license renewals that would allow the director of the insurance department to stagger renewal dates for licensees, making the process more manageable. Additionally, if adopted, this system could permit an extension of the licensing period for some producers, enhancing flexibility in license maintenance.

Contention

The bill has faced some contention, particularly in discussions surrounding the proposed reciprocal agreements with insurance commissioners from other states, which could simplify education requirements for producers licensed in multiple states. Concerns have been raised about whether such agreements would maintain the high standards of education and ethics originally intended by the Michigan Insurance Code. Further, the bill’s stipulations regarding waivers for military service and severe hardship could lead to debates about balancing the need for regulatory oversight with accommodating the personal circumstances of insurance producers.