Bill
SR 161
Directs the state Department of Insurance to review whether insureds are improperly included in claims information exchanges, seeking privacy, accuracy safeguards and reforms.
Title: INSURANCE DEPARTMENT: Requests the Department of Insurance to review whether insureds are being improperly included in claims information exchanges
Classification: Senate Resolution (non‑binding)
Introduced: February 24, 2025
Status: Enrolled; signed by President of the Senate and transmitted to Secretary of State on June 5, 2025
Sponsors (listed): John F. Kennedy; Gabbard; Donald P. DeWitte; Franklin J. Foil
Related: SCR 201 (companion)
Note on source material: The document provided contains several unrelated draft/resolution texts from different states. The official text of SR 161 as described by the bill title and metadata is not included in full in the materials supplied. This summary is based on the bill title, classification, sponsors, and legislative status provided.
Purpose and intent
- SR 161 is a nonbinding Senate resolution that directs (or requests) the state’s Department of Insurance (DOI) to investigate whether consumers (insureds) are being improperly included in claims‑information exchanges.
- The resolution’s intent is to identify potential privacy, accuracy, or fairness problems arising from data sharing among insurers, claims databases, or other third‑party information exchanges that could harm insureds (for example, causing premium increases, underwriting denials, or credit/consumer‑reporting impacts).
Key provisions (based on title/typical scope of such resolutions)
- Directs the Department of Insurance to conduct a review or study of current claims information exchange practices involving insureds.
- Asks the DOI to evaluate whether insureds are being included in databases or exchanges without proper justification, consent, or accuracy safeguards.
- Likely areas of inquiry include: legal/regulatory compliance, data accuracy and correction processes, notice to insureds, use of exchanged data in underwriting or rating, and the practices of third‑party aggregators or clearinghouses.
- May request the DOI to prepare findings and recommendations for legislative or regulatory action (the enrolled text would specify any reporting deadlines or recipients).
Who would be affected
- Insured consumers (individuals and policyholders) — potential privacy, financial, and coverage impacts.
- Insurers and other entities that participate in claims information exchanges (including third‑party data vendors and clearinghouses).
- The Department of Insurance — tasked with performing the review and issuing any report or recommendations.
- Consumer advocates and regulators if follow‑up regulatory or legislative steps are recommended.
Procedural and timeline notes
- SR 161 is a resolution (non‑statutory): it expresses the Senate’s position or request rather than creating binding law. Any substantive changes would require subsequent regulatory action or legislation.
- Introduced Feb 24, 2025; the resolution progressed through Senate action and was enrolled and transmitted to the Secretary of State on June 5, 2025. If the resolution requests a DOI report, the enrolled text (not provided) would normally set the reporting deadline and recipients.
Potential impacts
- If the DOI’s review identifies problems, it could lead to regulatory changes, guidance to insurers, consumer protection rules, or new legislation governing data sharing, notice and consent, or correction procedures.
- The resolution itself does not change law but can catalyze administrative or legislative responses to protect insureds’ information and address improper inclusion in claims databases.
If you want, I can: (1) locate and summarize the enrolled text of SR 161 if you provide the jurisdiction or full text, or (2) draft likely report questions the DOI would be asked to address based on common practice in these reviews.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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