§305.__Public complaints

The Public Advocate may investigate complaints affecting the consumers of insurance generally, or particular groups of consumers, and when appropriate make recommendations to the bureau with respect to these complaints.

§306.__Intervention on behalf of public

The Public Advocate may, on behalf of the public consumers of insurance services and products or any particular group of consumers, petition to initiate or intervene and appear in any proceedings before the bureau, appeals from orders of the superintendent or bureau or proceedings before state and federal agencies and courts in which the subject matter of the action affects the customers of any insurer doing business in this State, except that the Public Advocate may not intervene in any proceeding in which the bureau staff is representing a position substantially similar to that of the Public Advocate, as determined by the Public Advocate.

§307.__Annual report

The Public Advocate shall prepare and submit an annual report of activities of the Public Advocate to the Governor and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over insurance matters by August 1st of each year, with copies available to all Legislators on request.

Sec. 2. 24-A MRSA §2382-C, sub-§7 is enacted to read:

7.__Rate change filing fee.__An insurer filing for a rate change under this chapter, in addition to any other fee specified in this Title, shall pay to the superintendent at the time of filing a filing fee of $50,000, which the superintendent immediately shall credit to the Public Advocate.__The fee must be segregated and expended for the purposes specified in chapter 4.__Any portion of the fee not expended for that purpose must be returned to the insurer.

SUMMARY

This bill expands the duties of the Public Advocate to include oversight of the insurance industry by allowing the