CSG Committee on Suggested State Legislation

This Act defines autonomous technology and autonomous vehicle and provides legislative intent regarding vehicles with autonomous technology. It authorizes the operation of autonomous vehicles and provides requirements for autonomous vehicles, including liability for autonomous vehicles. The legislation also requires the department of highway safety and motor vehicles to submit a report to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives recommending additional legislative or regulatory action that may be required for the safe testing and operation of motor vehicles equipped with autonomous technology.

This Act defines a “Retained Asset Account” as “any mechanism whereby the settlement of proceeds payable under a life insurance policy, including but not limited to the payment of cash surrender value, is accomplished by the insurer or an entity acting on behalf of the insurer depositing the proceeds into an account where those proceeds are retained by the insurer, pursuant to a supplementary contract not involving annuity benefits.” The legislation precludes insurers from using a retained asset account as the mode of settlement of payment to a life insurance beneficiary unless the insurer discloses the use of a retained asset account to the beneficiary or the beneficiary's legal representative prior to the transfer of life insurance proceeds to a retained asset account.The Act requires insurers to inform a beneficiary about the right to receive a lump-sum payment of life insurance proceeds in the form of a bank check or similar other immediate full payment of benefits. It requires insurers to disclose all payment options available to beneficiaries, in written or electronic format, upon the distribution of anything other than a lump-sum payment of life insurance proceeds. The bill sets forth specific disclosure requirements upon the use of a retained asset account rather than a lump-sum payment. It establishes annual insurer reporting requirements to the department of insurance about retained asset accounts. The legislation requires all marketing materials, disclosure statements, and supplemental contract forms used in connection with retained asset accounts to be filed with the department of insurance prior to their use. The Act authorizes the commissioner to disapprove any materials, statements, or forms that are inconsistent with the provisions of the section or are otherwise untrue, unfair, deceptive, false, or misleading. The legislation requires insurers to return any balance held in a retained asset account to the beneficiary if no funds are withdrawn from the account, or if no affirmative directive has been  provided to the insurer by the beneficiary, during any continuous three-year period.

This Act defines “veterans benefits appeal services” as services which a veteran might reasonably require in order to appeal a denial of federal or state veterans benefits, including but not limited to denials of disability, limited-income, home loan, insurance, education and training, burial and memorial, and dependent and survivor benefits. It directs that such services put in their advertising a notice that similar appeals services are offered at no cost by counties or veterans affairs offices operated by the state. 

This Act implements new regulatory, public information, and financial requirements for cities and joint agencies which provide communication services to the public for a fee.