Ohio House Passes Legislation to Amend Regulations and Licensing of Insurance Navigators

Release:

COLUMBUS—The Ohio House of Representatives today passed legislation that will provide authority to the State of Ohio in regulating health insurance navigators, which are individuals or entities charged with helping citizens obtain information relating to health insurance offerings through health exchanges.

Substitute House Bill 3, jointly sponsored by State Representatives Barbara Sears (R-Monclova Twp.) and Stephanie Kunze (R-Hilliard), makes changes to the Ohio Revised Code, specifically regarding the licensing and education requirements for insurance agents that wish to serve as a navigator, as well as the manner in which the state will regulate navigators under the federal health care law.

“This legislation is the first step in declaring state authority as it relates to navigators and the exchange,” said Rep. Sears. “It is important that we focus on giving navigators and insurance agents adequate information on the known requirements so they can effectively perform their duties. I applaud the House’s action to move this measure forward.”

“Substitute House Bill 3 is a consumer protection bill,” said Rep. Kunze. “By establishing training and continuing education requirements, criminal records checks, conflict of interest disclosures, and certifications, we are ensuring that Ohio’s consumers are working with knowledgeable and trustworthy professionals.”

Substitute House Bill 3 specifies that navigators are not licensed insurance agents and therefore are prohibited from engaging in selling insurance and related functions. Additionally, the bill enables both licensed and unlicensed insurance agents to be certified as navigators.

Rep. Sears and Rep. Kunze, in partnership with the Ohio Department of Insurance, will be conducting interested party meetings for stakeholders interested in participating in the administrative rule process that will begin following the enactment of Substitute House Bill 3. Starting tomorrow, March 14th, stakeholders have 30 days to submit comments, suggestions and questions to Rep. Sears’ office for consideration.

Substitute House Bill 3 passed with strong bipartisan support and will now be sent to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.

Ohio Seante President Faber Announces Senate’s First 10 Policy Initiatives

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COLUMBUS– Ohio Senate President Keith Faber (R–Celina) today rolled out the top initiatives that the Senate Majority will champion during the 130th General Assembly. The first legislative priorities include ten initial bills and one joint resolution.

“Though Ohio has built great momentum for job creation and a robust economy, there is still much left to do,” added Faber. “Our top priority remains unchanged as we find new, innovative ways to train the state’s workforce and pair Ohio job-seekers with opportunity right here in the Buckeye State.”

The newly elected Senate President offered assurances that the Senate Majority remains staunchly committed to job creation and workforce development in the 130th General Assembly.

“Over the past two years, we’ve made substantial progress in the Statehouse in creating a more efficient, more accountable state government,” said Faber. “Our work has paid off in the form of a budget surplus, an improved state credit outlook, and more than 120,000 new jobs for hard working Ohioans.”

The first Senate bills of the 130th General Assembly are as follows:

Senate Bill 1 – Workforce Development Revolving Loan Fund: Jointly sponsored by Senators Bill Beagle (R–Tipp City) and Troy Balderson (R–Zanesville), this bill uses $25 million in existing casino licensure fees to establish a revolving job training and education loan program to help Ohioans retool their skills and qualify them for expanding job opportunities.

Senate Bill 2 – Workforce Development Improvement Act: This legislation, jointly sponsored by Senators Peggy Lehner (R–Kettering) and Bill Beagle (R–Tipp City), partners the 90 different county “One-Stop” locations with the statewide OhioMeansJobs initiative to improve job training and placement programs. The OhioMeansJobs website currently has approximately 100,000 job listings.

Senate Bill 3 – Job Creation Empowerment Act: Sponsored by State Senator Frank LaRose (R–Copley), this legislation continues efforts to make Ohio a more attractive place to locate or expand jobs by ensuring that state regulations are regularly reviewed to eliminate unnecessary red tape. Specifically, the bill creates a “Rule Watch” system to make it easier for Ohioans and employers to be notified when a rule affecting them is up for review. It also authorizes the creation of a pilot program identifying three to five entrepreneurs annually to assist state agencies in strengthening coordination with small business employers.

Senate Bill 4 – Newborn Healthy Hearts Bill: This bill, supported by the Ohio Heart Association, ensures that all newborns receive a non-invasive pulse oximetry screening to identify congenital heart defects early. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect in the United States and the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths. This legislation is jointly sponsored by Senators Gayle Manning (R–North Ridgeville) and Scott Oelslager (R–North Canton).

Senate Bill 5 – Kelsey’s Law: Jointly sponsored by Senators Edna Brown (D–Toledo) and Gayle Manning (R–North Ridgeville), Senate Bill 5 allows law enforcement officers access to call location information, including GPS tracking, for a missing, abducted person. The bill is named after Kelsey Smith, an abducted and murdered Kansas teenager who might have been located sooner had legal questions not delayed investigators from obtaining cell data.

Senate Bill 6 – Fiscal Officer Integrity Act: At the recommendation of State Auditor Dave Yost, the bill, sponsored by Senator Tim Schaffer (R–Lancaster), establishes continuing education requirements for township and municipal fiscal officers to ensure the protection of public funds and the effective management of tax dollars. It also establishes a standard by which a fiscal officer can be removed from office when they betray the public’s trust.

Senate Bill 7 – Law Enforcement Protection Act: Sponsored by Senators Bill Beagle (R-Tipp City) and Chris Widener (R-Springfield), this bill requires courts to notify law enforcement officers of violent offenders who are sentenced to mental health treatment rather than incarceration. The information is essential to protecting officers who could potentially encounter these offenders during an investigation. The legislation was prompted by the death of a Clark County deputy sheriff who was shot and killed by an offender on conditional release.

Senate Bill 8 – Military Employment Assistance Bill: As part of Ohio’s commitment to supporting military families, this bill, sponsored by Senator Frank LaRose (R–Copley), modifies Ohio law to offer unemployment benefits to individuals who have become unemployed due to their military spouse’s relocation or deployment.

Senate Bill 9 – Health Insurance Accountability Act: Sponsored by Senator Kevin Bacon (R–Minerva Township), this bill adopts accountability standards and restrictions for federally mandated health insurance advisors. These “navigators” act as insurance agents who aid in searching and purchasing insurance under the federally mandated health insurance exchange.

Senate Bill 10 – Polling Access & Integrity Act: Sponsored by Senator Bill Coley (R–Liberty Township), this elections reform bill improves access to polling locations for disabled Ohioans. The proposed law also ensures that journalists have “reasonable access” to a polling location and clarifies that a person in line when a polling location closes is entitled to cast a ballot.

In addition to the introduction of the Senate’s first ten bills, President Faber announced that the Senate would renew its consideration of a bipartisan redistricting reform plan. Senate Joint Resolution 1 mirrors a resolution adopted by the Senate last December with a vote of 32-1. It asks Ohio voters to approve or deny an improved, bipartisan process for redrawing state and congressional district lines.

Ohio Republicans for Freddie Mac?

I've seen this story floating around and I have to say that I am unimpressed... I'm supposed to care that an organization run by Democrats hired a lobbying firm that caters to Republicans tried to convince Republican Senators that Freddie Mac did not need reform in 2005. First of all, the bill in question never made it out of committee which means that whatever resources were thrown at Ohio Senators Mike DeWine and George Voinovich were wasted as neither sat on the committee that dealt with the issue. Secondly, this line of reasoning only makes sense if you forget who Freddie Mac spent the real money, time, and resources lobbying: Democrats.

Were there Republicans who were influenced by lobbying from Freddie Mac? That may be the case, but this is pretty thin gruel at any rate -- definitely in regards to Ohio's Senators....