2001 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1127 – Legal service expense plans

SENATE BILL NO. 1127

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Daily Data Tracking History



S1127aa.....................................by COMMERCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES
LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSE PLANS - Adds to existing law to define the term
"legal service expense plan"; to exempt legal service expense plans from
regulation as insurance; and to specify code provisions applicable to legal
service expense plans.
                                                                        
02/12    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/13    Rpt prt - to Com/HuRes
02/22    Rpt out - to 14th Ord
    Rpt out amen - to engros
02/23    Rpt engros - 1st rdg - to 2nd rdg as amen
02/26    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg as amen
03/05    3rd rdg as amen - PASSED - 24-11-0
      AYES -- Andreason, Branch, Brandt, Bunderson, Danielson, Darrington,
      Davis, Deide, Frasure, Goedde, Hawkins, Ingram, Ipsen, Keough,
      King-Barrutia, Lee, Lodge, Richardson, Risch, Sandy, Sims, Sorensen,
      Thorne, Wheeler
      NAYS -- Boatright, Burtenshaw, Cameron, Dunklin Geddes, Noh,
      Schroeder, Stegner, Stennett, Whitworth, Williams
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor -- Goedde
    Title apvd - to House
03/06    House intro - 1st rdg - to Jud
03/16    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg as amen
03/19    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg as amen
    Rls susp - PASSED - 62-3-5
      AYES -- Barraclough, Barrett, Bedke, Bell, Bieter, Black, Boe, Bolz,
      Bradford, Bruneel, Callister, Campbell, Clark, Collins, Crow, Cuddy,
      Denney, Ellis, Ellsworth, Eskridge, Field(13), Field(20), Gagner,
      Gould, Hadley, Hammond, Harwood, Henbest, Higgins, Hornbeck, Jaquet,
      Jones, Kellogg, Kendell, Lake, Loertscher, Mader, Marley, Meyer,
      Montgomery, Mortensen, Moss, Moyle, Pearce, Pischner, Pomeroy,
      Raybould, Ridinger, Roberts, Robison, Schaefer, Shepherd, Smith,
      Smylie, Stevenson, Stone, Swan, Tilman, Trail, Wheeler, Young, Mr.
      Speaker
      NAYS -- Deal, Langford, McKague
      Absent and excused -- Chase, Kunz, Sali, Sellman, Wood
    Floor Sponsor -- Clark
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/20    To enrol
03/21    Rpt enrol - Pres signed
    Sp signed
03/22    To Governor
03/23    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 127
         Effective: 03/23/01

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  First Regular Session - 2001
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1127
                                                                        
                         BY COMMERCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSE PLANS; AMENDING CHAPTER 1, TITLE  41,  IDAHO
  3        CODE,  BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 41-114B, IDAHO CODE, TO DEFINE THE
  4        TERM "LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSE PLAN," TO EXEMPT LEGAL SERVICE  EXPENSE  PLANS
  5        FROM  REGULATION AS INSURANCE AND TO SPECIFY CODE PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO
  6        LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSE PLANS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
                                                                        
  7    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  8        SECTION 1.  That Chapter 1, Title 41, Idaho Code,  be,  and  the  same  is
  9    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 10    ignated as Section 41-114B, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 11        41-114B.  LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSE PLANS. (1) The term "legal service expense
 12    plan," as used in this section, means a contract or  agreement  for  a  stated
 13    consideration  between  a plan administrator and a member or group of members,
 14    whereby the member pays the administrator, in advance or by installments,  for
 15    the  receipt  of  professional legal services, advice or representation.  Such
 16    services in Idaho shall be provided by attorneys at law licensed in Idaho. The
 17    attorneys shall be prepaid under a contract or agreement with the  administra-
 18    tor  to  provide  specified legal services for the express benefit of the plan
 19    member.
 20        (2)  The marketing, sale, contracting, issuance of a contract, plan admin-
 21    istration and delivery of services under a  legal  service  expense  plan  are
 22    exempt  from  all  other provisions of title 41, Idaho Code. In addition, such
 23    plans shall not be characterized as "insurance" when marketed in Idaho.
 24        (3)  Legal service expense plans, but not law  firm  retainer  agreements,
 25    shall be subject to the provisions of the Idaho consumer protection act, chap-
 26    ter  6, title 48, Idaho Code, and attorneys providing service shall be subject
 27    to the provisions relating to the regulation of  the  practice  of  law  under
 28    title 3, Idaho Code.
                                                                        
 29        SECTION  2.  An  emergency  existing  therefor,  which emergency is hereby
 30    declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its
 31    passage and approval.

Amendment


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  First Regular Session - 2001
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                                     Moved by    Goedde              
                                                                        
                                                     Seconded by Risch               
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                             SENATE AMENDMENT TO S.B. NO. 1127
                                                                        
  1                                AMENDMENT TO SECTION 1
  2        On page 1 of the printed bill, in line 19, following "member" insert: "and
  3    shall agree to render services to the member when required".

Engrossed Bill (Original Bill with Amendment(s) Incorporated)


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  First Regular Session - 2001
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                              SENATE BILL NO. 1127, As Amended
                                                                        
                         BY COMMERCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSE PLANS; AMENDING CHAPTER 1, TITLE  41,  IDAHO
  3        CODE,  BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 41-114B, IDAHO CODE, TO DEFINE THE
  4        TERM "LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSE PLAN," TO EXEMPT LEGAL SERVICE  EXPENSE  PLANS
  5        FROM  REGULATION AS INSURANCE AND TO SPECIFY CODE PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO
  6        LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSE PLANS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
                                                                        
  7    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  8        SECTION 1.  That Chapter 1, Title 41, Idaho Code,  be,  and  the  same  is
  9    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 10    ignated as Section 41-114B, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 11        41-114B.  LEGAL SERVICE EXPENSE PLANS. (1) The term "legal service expense
 12    plan," as used in this section, means a contract or  agreement  for  a  stated
 13    consideration  between  a plan administrator and a member or group of members,
 14    whereby the member pays the administrator, in advance or by installments,  for
 15    the  receipt  of  professional legal services, advice or representation.  Such
 16    services in Idaho shall be provided by attorneys at law licensed in Idaho. The
 17    attorneys shall be prepaid under a contract or agreement with the  administra-
 18    tor  to  provide  specified legal services for the express benefit of the plan
 19    member and shall agree to render services to the member when required.
 20        (2)  The marketing, sale, contracting, issuance of a contract, plan admin-
 21    istration and delivery of services under a  legal  service  expense  plan  are
 22    exempt  from  all  other provisions of title 41, Idaho Code. In addition, such
 23    plans shall not be characterized as "insurance" when marketed in Idaho.
 24        (3)  Legal service expense plans, but not law  firm  retainer  agreements,
 25    shall be subject to the provisions of the Idaho consumer protection act, chap-
 26    ter  6, title 48, Idaho Code, and attorneys providing service shall be subject
 27    to the provisions relating to the regulation of  the  practice  of  law  under
 28    title 3, Idaho Code.
                                                                        
 29        SECTION  2.  An  emergency  existing  therefor,  which emergency is hereby
 30    declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its
 31    passage and approval.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                                
                            RS 11011
 Because of the breadth and vagueness of the definition of the term
"insurance" in section 41-102, Idaho Code, an uncertainty has
existed since 1974 as to whether legal service expense plans are to
be regulated by the Department of Insurance.  Despite the existence
of these service plans in the state, no plan has ever sought to
qualify as an insurance company.  This bill clarifies that these
plans are or should be regulated by the Attorney General under the
consumer protection statutes and by the Idaho State Bar Association
under practice of law statutes, and are not to be marketed as
"insurance."
     FISCAL IMPACT
                                

There should be no impact on the General Fund or other state
government funds.

Contact
Name: John Goedde 
Phone: 332-1355




STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                    S 112