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HB 2050

Authorizing the commissioner of insurance to set the amount of certain fees and cause the publication of such fees in the Kansas register, authorizing the commissioner to reduce the number of board members on certain insurance-related boards, renaming the Kansas insurance department as the Kansas department of insurance, renaming the office of the securities commissioner as the department of insurance, securities division, renaming the securities commissioner as the department of insurance, assistant commissioner, securities division and eliminating the requirement of senate confirmation for appointees to such position, requiring the commissioner of insurance to maintain a list of eligible nonadmitted insurers and authorizing such nonadmitted insurers to transact business in Kansas with vehicle dealers and to provide excess coverage insurance on Kansas risks.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Gives the Kansas Insurance Commissioner authority to set and annually publish insurance fees and fines within statutory maxima, changing costs for regulated entities.

Reengrossed on Tuesday, April 1, 2025
#hb2087 #hb2333 #sb20
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Bill Summary · HB 2050

Summary — HB 2050 (Kansas, 2025)

Status: Approved by Governor (April 8, 2025). Effective upon publication in the Kansas Register (and existing rules referenced in the bill remain in effect as of July 1, 2025 until amended).

Main purpose

HB 2050 modernizes administrative authority at the Kansas Insurance Department by:
- Giving the Commissioner of Insurance authority to set many statutorily listed fees and fines (up to existing statutory maxima) and require annual publication of those amounts;
- Changing certain organizational and appointment rules (renaming agencies/divisions and removing senate confirmation for one securities-related position); and
- Expanding and clarifying treatment of nonadmitted insurers and vehicle-dealer insurance arrangements.

Key provisions

  • Fee-setting authority and publication

    • The Commissioner may set the amount of numerous fees and fines (applications, licenses, renewals, certificates of authority, filing fees, penalties, etc.) for entities and public adjusters under department jurisdiction — not to exceed the amounts currently set in statute.
    • The Commissioner must set fees/fines for the next calendar year and publish them in the Kansas Register by December 1 each year.
    • The bill lists many specific fee categories covered (examples: certificate of authority applications, TPA licensure and reports, PBM licensure/renewal and penalties, captive insurer fees, reinsurance intermediary fees, continuing education provider fees, public adjuster renewal fee, and more).

  • Agent appointment fee change

    • Establishes a one-time initial appointment fee for newly certified agents associated with an insurer; that fee is non-recurrent and is the only appointment fee charged for the duration of that agent’s appointment with the company (no annual agent appointment renewal fee payable by companies while the appointment remains active).

  • Organizational and appointments changes

    • Renames the Kansas Insurance Department to the Kansas Department of Insurance.
    • Renames the Office of the Securities Commissioner as the Department of Insurance, Securities Division; renames the Securities Commissioner role to Department of Insurance, Assistant Commissioner, Securities Division.
    • Eliminates the statutory requirement that the Senate confirm the appointee to the Assistant Commissioner, Securities Division position.

  • Boards and committees

    • Authorizes the Commissioner to reduce the number of board members on certain insurance-related boards and reduces the required frequency of meetings of the Committee on Surety Bonds and Insurance (specific statutory sections amended).

  • Nonadmitted (surplus) market

    • Requires the Commissioner to maintain a list of eligible nonadmitted insurers.
    • Authorizes eligible nonadmitted insurers to transact business in Kansas with vehicle dealers and to provide excess-coverage insurance on Kansas risks.

  • Statutory housekeeping

    • Amends and repeals multiple K.S.A. sections to implement the above (enrolled bill lists numerous sections amended and some repealed).

Who is affected

  • Insurers (domestic and foreign), fraternal benefit societies, captive insurers, risk retention/purchasing groups, TPAs, PBMs, reinsurance intermediaries, viatical settlement providers/brokers, public adjusters, rating organizations and other regulated entities.
  • Vehicle dealers (insurer options expanded to include eligible nonadmitted insurers for certain coverages).
  • Staff/leadership of the former Office of Securities Commissioner (title/confirmation change).
  • Regulated entities will be impacted by annual fee-setting decisions (could be lower than statutory maxima).

Fiscal impact & timing

  • The Kansas Insurance Department gains flexibility to reduce many fees; the department cannot precisely estimate revenue changes because amounts will depend on Commissioner-set rates.
  • Department projection: elimination of recurring agent appointment renewal fees is expected to reduce revenue by nearly $6.0 million (estimate in committee testimony).
  • Any fee schedule set by the Commissioner applies starting the next calendar year after publication; the bill is effective upon publication in the Kansas Register.

Legislative history highlights

  • Introduced Jan. 23, 2025 (House Committee on Insurance at request of Kansas Insurance Department).
  • Passed both chambers and enrolled; approved by Governor April 8, 2025.
  • Companion/related measures and prior models: modeled after 2023 HB 2090 (which gave fee-lowering authority for agents/agencies); a companion SB 24 was referenced in committee materials.

If you want, I can:
- Extract the full list of statutory sections amended/repealed;
- Produce a side-by-side showing of current statutory fee maxima vs. practical fee ranges in recent years (if data is available); or
- Draft a short memo on operational steps the Department would need to implement the annual fee publication requirement.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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