[StBernard] BLANCO TRACK: Session Update for May 9, 2007

[Westley Annis]

BLANCO TRACK: Session Update for May 9, 2007
Today's progress on Governor Blanco's agenda to strengthen Louisiana's future

BATON ROUGE - Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco's agenda to strengthen Louisiana's future made significant progress today as key health care and insurance bills cleared their first legislative hurdles. Gov. Blanco was in the House Health and Welfare Committee today to testify in support of expanding health care coverage for at-risk children, and Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon joined her in the House Insurance Committee on the Blanco-Donelon insurance package designed to address the affordability and availability of property insurance in Louisiana. The Governor also testified before the Senate Insurance Committee.

"Insurance is one of the most important issues facing us this legislative session," Gov. Blanco told House Insurance Committee members. "It is inextricably tied to the recovery of South Louisiana and to the future growth of our state. While Louisiana is on the right road to recovery, we all know that journey will be short-lived if we do not have insurance to protect our new investments. The growth we have seen all over this state will be stymied if we do not have affordable insurance." 

Click here <http://gov.louisiana.gov/index.cfm?md=newsroom&tmp=home&catID=36>  to read the Governor's full testimony from this morning's committee meetings.

The following items now move to the House and Senate floors for further consideration: 

House Bill 558-Premium reductions for retrofitting 

*	Sponsored by Representative Karen R. Carter, Chairperson, House Insurance Committee. 
*	This bill mandates that insurance companies provide rate reductions to homeowners complying with the new statewide building codes or hardening their existing structures.
*	Approved by the House Insurance Committee. 

House Bill 862 -Depopulation of Citizens Insurance by competitive bid 

*	Sponsored by Representative Karen R. Carter, Chairperson, House Insurance Committee. 
*	This bill requires Citizens Insurance Corporation to bundle their policies for sale and remove the private market's ability to cherry pick policies.
*	Approved by the House Insurance Committee. 

House Bill 678 -Insure Louisiana Incentive Program 

*	Sponsored by Representative Karen R. Carter, Chairperson, House Insurance Committee. 
*	This bill allows the state to match a company's capital investment dollar for dollar to encourage more companies to write policies in Louisiana. 
*	Approved by the House Insurance Committee. 

Senate Bill 204 -Statewide deductible ranges 

*	Sponsored by Senator Donald R. Cravins, Jr. 
*	This bill allows insurance companies to set deductibles based on the location of property rather than applying the same deductible across the state.
*	Approved by the Senate Insurance Committee. 

Senate Bill 205 -Abolishing insurance rating commission 

*	Sponsored by Senator Donald R. Cravins, Jr. 
*	This bill creates a consumer bill of rights and an office of consumer advocacy in the Department of Insurance. 
*	Approved by the Senate Insurance Committee. 

House Bill 542 -Expansion of health insurance for children 

*	Sponsored by Representative Monica H. Walker and Senator Diana Bajoie. 
*	This bill will allow the state to expand health coverage to more of Louisiana's uninsured children. 
*	Approved by the House Health and Welfare Committee. 

Senate Bill 1 - Health Care Reform Act of 2007

*	Sponsored by Senator Joe McPherson, Chairman, Senate Health and Welfare Committee. 
*	This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Hospitals to develop and implement a redesigned health care delivery system for Medicaid recipients and low-income uninsured citizens. 
*	Approved by the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.

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The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation
Louisiana's Fund for Louisiana's People
www.louisianahelp.org