Chapter 601

601.58(5)(L) (L) The commission shall maintain its corporate books and records in accordance with the bylaws.

601.58(5)(m) (m) The members, officers, executive director, employees, and representatives of the commission shall be immune from suit and liability, either personally or in their official capacity, for any claim for damage to or loss of property or personal injury or other civil liability caused by or arising out of or relating to any actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred, or that the person against whom the claim is made had a reasonable basis for believing occurred, within the scope of commission employment, duties, or responsibilities; provided, that nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to protect any such person from suit or liability for any damage, loss, injury, or liability caused by the intentional or willful and wanton misconduct of that person.

601.58(5)(n) (n) The commission shall defend any member, officer, executive director, employee, or representative of the commission in any civil action seeking to impose liability arising out of any actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, or that the person against whom the claim is made had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties, or responsibilities; provided, that nothing herein shall be construed to prohibit that person from retaining his or her own counsel; and provided further, that the actual or alleged act, error, or omission did not result from that person’s intentional or willful and wanton misconduct.

601.58(5)(o) (o) The commission shall indemnify and hold harmless any member, officer, executive director, employee, or representative of the commission for the amount of any settlement or judgment obtained against that person arising out of any actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, or that such person had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of commission employment, duties, or responsibilities; provided, that the actual or alleged act, error, or omission did not result from the intentional or willful and wanton misconduct of that person.

601.58(5)(p) (p) Section 893.80 does not apply to claims against the commission.

601.58(6) (6) Article VI — Meetings and Acts of the Commission.

601.58(6)(a) (a) The commission shall meet and take such actions as are consistent with the provisions of this compact and the bylaws.

601.58(6)(b) (b) Each member of the commission shall have the right and power to cast a vote to which that compacting state is entitled and to participate in the business and affairs of the commission. A member shall vote in person or by such other means as provided in the bylaws. The bylaws may provide for members’ participation in meetings by telephone or other means of communication.

601.58(6)(c) (c) The commission shall meet at least once during each calendar year. Additional meetings shall be held as set forth in the bylaws.

601.58(7) (7) Article VII — Rules and Operating Procedures; Rule-making Functions of the Commission and Opting Out of Uniform Standards.

601.58(7)(a) (a) The commission shall promulgate reasonable rules, including uniform standards, and operating procedures in order to effectively and efficiently achieve the purposes of this compact. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the commission exercises its rule-making authority in a manner that is beyond the scope of the purposes of this section, or the powers granted hereunder, then such an action by the commission shall be invalid and have no force and effect.

601.58(7)(b) (b) Rules and operating procedures shall be made pursuant to a rule-making process that conforms to the Model State Administrative Procedure Act of 1981 as amended, as may be appropriate to the operations of the commission. Before the commission adopts a uniform standard, the commission shall give written notice to all relevant state legislative committees in each compacting state responsible for insurance issues of its intention to adopt the uniform standard. The commission in adopting a uniform standard shall consider fully all submitted materials and issue a concise explanation of its decision.

601.58(7)(c) (c) A uniform standard shall become effective 90 days after its promulgation by the commission or such later date as the commission may determine; provided, that a compacting state may opt out of a uniform standard as provided in this subsection. “Opt out” shall be defined as any action by a compacting state to decline to adopt or participate in a promulgated uniform standard. All other rules and operating procedures, and amendments thereto, shall become effective as of the date specified in each rule, operating procedure, or amendment.

601.58(7)(d) (d)

601.58(7)(d)1. 1. A compacting state may opt out of a uniform standard either by legislation or regulation duly promulgated by the insurance department under the compacting state’s administrative procedure act. If a compacting state elects to opt out of a uniform standard by regulation, it must give written notice to the commission no later than 10 business days after the uniform standard is promulgated, or at the time the state becomes a compacting state, and find that the uniform standard does not provide reasonable protections to the citizens of the state, given the conditions in the state. The commissioner shall make specific findings of fact and conclusions of law, based on a preponderance of the evidence, detailing the conditions in the state that warrant a departure from the uniform standard and determining that the uniform standard would not reasonably protect the citizens of the state. The commissioner must consider and balance all of the following factors and find that the conditions in the state and needs of the citizens of the state outweigh all of the following factors:

601.58(7)(d)1.a. a. The intent of the legislature to participate in, and the benefits of, an interstate agreement to establish national uniform consumer protections for the products subject to this section.

601.58(7)(d)1.b. b. The presumption that a uniform standard adopted by the commission provides reasonable protections to consumers of the relevant product.

601.58(7)(d)2. 2. Notwithstanding subd. 1., a compacting state may, at the time of its enactment of this compact, prospectively opt out of all uniform standards involving long-term care insurance products by expressly providing for such opt out in the enacted compact, and such an opt out may not be treated as a material variance in the offer or acceptance of any state to participate in this compact. Such an opt out shall be effective at the time of enactment of this compact by the compacting state and shall apply to all existing uniform standards involving long-term care insurance products and those subsequently promulgated.

601.58(7)(e) (e) If a compacting state elects to opt out of a uniform standard, the uniform standard shall remain applicable in the compacting state electing to opt out until such time as the opt out legislation is enacted into law or the regulation opting out becomes effective. Once the opt out of a uniform standard by a compacting state becomes effective as provided under the laws of that state, the uniform standard shall have no further force or effect in that state unless and until the legislation or regulation implementing the opt out is repealed or otherwise becomes ineffective under the laws of the state. If a compacting state opts out of a uniform standard after the uniform standard has been made effective in that state, the opt out shall have the same prospective effect as provided under sub. (14) for withdrawals.

601.58(7)(f) (f) If a compacting state has formally initiated the process of opting out of a uniform standard by regulation, and while the regulatory opt out is pending, the compacting state may petition the commission, at least 15 days before the effective date of the uniform standard, to stay the effectiveness of the uniform standard in that state. The commission may grant a stay if it determines the regulatory opt out is being pursued in a reasonable manner and there is a likelihood of success. If a stay is granted or extended by the commission, the stay or extension thereof may postpone the effective date by up to 90 days, unless affirmatively extended by the commission; provided, that a stay may not be permitted to remain in effect for more than one year unless the compacting state can show extraordinary circumstances that warrant a continuance of the stay, including, but not limited to, the existence of a legal challenge that prevents the compacting state from opting out. A stay may be terminated by the commission upon notice that the rule-making process has been terminated.

601.58(7)(g) (g) Not later than 30 days after a rule or operating procedure is promulgated, any person may file a petition for judicial review of the rule or operating procedure; provided, that the filing of such a petition may not stay or otherwise prevent the rule or operating procedure from becoming effective unless the court finds that the petitioner has a substantial likelihood of success. The court shall give deference to the actions of the commission consistent with applicable law and shall not find the rule or operating procedure to be unlawful if the rule or operating procedure represents a reasonable exercise of the commission’s authority.

601.58(8) (8) Article VIII — Commission Records and Enforcement.

601.58(8)(a) (a) The commission shall promulgate rules establishing conditions and procedures for public inspection and copying of its information and official records, except such information and records involving the privacy of individuals and insurers’ trade secrets. The commission may promulgate additional rules under which it may make available to federal and state agencies, including law enforcement agencies, records and information otherwise exempt from disclosure, and may enter into agreements with such agencies to receive or exchange information or records subject to nondisclosure and confidentiality provisions.

601.58(8)(b) (b) Except as to privileged records, data, and information, the laws of any compacting state pertaining to confidentiality or nondisclosure may not relieve any compacting state commissioner of the duty to disclose any relevant records, data, or information to the commission; provided, that disclosure to the commission shall not be deemed to waive or otherwise affect any confidentiality requirement; and provided further, that, except as otherwise expressly provided in this section, the commission shall not be subject to the compacting state’s laws pertaining to confidentiality and nondisclosure with respect to records, data, and information in its possession. Confidential information of the commission shall remain confidential after such information is provided to any commissioner.

601.58(8)(c) (c) The commission shall monitor compacting states for compliance with duly adopted bylaws, rules, including uniform standards, and operating procedures. The commission shall notify any noncomplying compacting state in writing of its noncompliance with commission bylaws, rules, or operating procedures. If a noncomplying compacting state fails to remedy its noncompliance within the time specified in the notice of noncompliance, the compacting state shall be deemed to be in default under sub. (14).

601.58(8)(d) (d) The commissioner of any state in which an insurer is authorized to do business, or is conducting the business of insurance, shall continue to exercise his or her authority to oversee the market regulation of the activities of the insurer in accordance with the provisions of the state’s law. The commissioner’s enforcement of compliance with the compact is governed by the following provisions:

601.58(8)(d)1. 1. With respect to the commissioner’s market regulation of a product or advertisement that is approved by or certified to the commission, the content of the product or advertisement shall not constitute a violation of the provisions, standards, or requirements of the compact except upon a final order of the commission, issued at the request of a commissioner after prior notice to the insurer and an opportunity for hearing before the commission.

601.58(8)(d)2. 2. Before a commissioner may bring an action for violation of any provision, standard, or requirement of the compact relating to the content of an advertisement not approved by or certified to the commission, the commission, or an authorized commission officer or employee, must authorize the action. However, authorization pursuant to this subdivision does not require notice to the insurer, opportunity for hearing, or disclosure of requests for authorization or records of the commission’s action on such requests.

601.58(9) (9) Article IX — Dispute Resolution. The commission shall attempt, upon the request of a member, to resolve any disputes or other issues that are subject to this compact and that may arise between 2 or more compacting states, or between compacting states and noncompacting states, and the commission shall promulgate an operating procedure providing for resolution of such disputes.

601.58(10) (10) Article X — Product Filing and Approval.

601.58(10)(a) (a) Insurers and 3rd-party filers seeking to have a product approved by the commission shall file the product with, and pay applicable filing fees to, the commission. Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict or otherwise prevent an insurer from filing its product with the insurance department in any state wherein the insurer is licensed to conduct the business of insurance, and such filing shall be subject to the laws of the states where filed.

601.58(10)(b) (b) The commission shall establish appropriate filing and review processes and procedures pursuant to commission rules and operating procedures. Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the commission shall promulgate rules to establish conditions and procedures under which the commission will provide public access to product filing information. In establishing such rules, the commission shall consider the interests of the public in having access to such information, as well as protection of personal medical and financial information and trade secrets, that may be contained in a product filing or supporting information.

601.58(10)(c) (c) Any product approved by the commission may be sold or otherwise issued in those compacting states for which the insurer is legally authorized to do business.

601.58(11) (11) Article XI — Review of Commission Decisions Regarding Filings.

601.58(11)(a) (a) Not later than 30 days after the commission has given notice of a disapproved product or advertisement filed with the commission, the insurer or 3rd-party filer whose filing was disapproved may appeal the determination to a review panel appointed by the commission. The commission shall promulgate rules to establish procedures for appointing such review panels and provide for notice and hearing. An allegation that the commission, in disapproving a product or advertisement filed with the commission, acted arbitrarily, capriciously, or in a manner that is an abuse of discretion or otherwise not in accordance with the law, is subject to judicial review in accordance with sub. (3).

601.58(11)(b) (b) The commission shall have authority to monitor, review, and reconsider products and advertisement subsequent to their filing or approval upon a finding that the product does not meet the relevant uniform standard. Where appropriate, the commission may withdraw or modify its approval after proper notice and hearing, subject to the appeal process in par. (a).

601.58(12) (12) Article XII — Finance.

601.58(12)(a) (a) The commission shall pay or provide for the payment of the reasonable expenses of its establishment and organization. To fund the cost of its initial operations, the commission may accept contributions and other forms of funding from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, compacting states, and other sources. Contributions and other forms of funding from other sources shall be of such a nature that the independence of the commission concerning the performance of its duties shall not be compromised.

601.58(12)(b) (b) The commission shall collect a filing fee from each insurer and 3rd-party filer filing a product with the commission to cover the cost of the operations and activities of the commission and its staff in a total amount sufficient to cover the commission’s annual budget.

601.58(12)(c) (c) The commission’s budget for a fiscal year may not be approved until it has been subject to notice and comment as set forth in sub. (7).

601.58(12)(d) (d) The commission shall be exempt from all taxation in and by the compacting states.

601.58(12)(e) (e) The commission may not pledge the credit of any compacting state, except by and with the appropriate legal authority of that compacting state.

601.58(12)(f) (f) The commission shall keep complete and accurate accounts of all its internal receipts, including grants and donations, and disbursements of all funds under its control. The internal financial accounts of the commission shall be subject to the accounting procedures established under its bylaws. The financial accounts and reports including the system of internal controls and procedures of the commission shall be audited annually by an independent certified public accountant. Upon the determination of the commission, but no less frequently than every 3 years, the review of the independent auditor shall include a management and performance audit of the commission. The commission shall make an annual report to the governor and legislature of each of the compacting states, which shall include a report of the independent audit. The commission’s internal accounts shall not be confidential and such materials may be shared with the commissioner of any compacting state upon request; provided, that any work papers related to any internal or independent audit and any information regarding the privacy of individuals and insurers’ proprietary information, including trade secrets, shall remain confidential.

601.58(12)(g) (g) No compacting state shall have any claim to or ownership of any property held by or vested in the commission or to any commission funds held pursuant to the provisions of this compact.

601.58(13) (13) Article XIII — Compacting States, Effective Date, and Amendment.

601.58(13)(a) (a) Any state is eligible to become a compacting state.

601.58(13)(b) (b) The compact shall become effective and binding upon legislative enactment of the compact into law by 2 compacting states; provided, that the commission shall become effective for purposes of adopting uniform standards for, reviewing, and giving approval or disapproval of, products filed with the commission that satisfy applicable uniform standards only after 26 states are compacting states or, alternatively, only after states representing greater than 40 percent of the premium volume for life insurance, annuity, disability income, and long-term care insurance products, based on records of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for the prior year, are compacting states. Thereafter, it shall become effective and binding as to any other compacting state upon enactment of the compact into law by that state.

601.58(13)(c) (c) Amendments to the compact may be proposed by the commission for enactment by the compacting states. No amendment shall become effective and binding upon the commission and the compacting states unless and until all compacting states enact the amendment into law.

601.58(14) (14) Article XIV — Withdrawal, Default, and Termination.

601.58(14)(a) (a) Once effective, the compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each and every compacting state; provided, that a compacting state may withdraw from the compact (“withdrawing state”) by enacting a statute specifically repealing the statute that enacted the compact into law.

601.58(14)(b) (b) The effective date of withdrawal is the effective date of the repealing statute. The withdrawal shall not apply to any product filings approved or self-certified, or any advertisement of such products, on the date the repealing statute becomes effective, except by mutual agreement of the commission and the withdrawing state, unless the approval is rescinded by the withdrawing state as provided in par. (e).

601.58(14)(c) (c) The commissioner of the withdrawing state shall immediately notify the management committee in writing upon the introduction of legislation repealing this compact in the withdrawing state.

601.58(14)(d) (d) The commission shall notify the other compacting states of the introduction of such legislation within 10 days after its receipt of notice thereof.

601.58(14)(e) (e) The withdrawing state is responsible for all obligations, duties, and liabilities incurred through the effective date of withdrawal, including any obligations, the performance of which extend beyond the effective date of withdrawal, except to the extent those obligations may have been released or relinquished by mutual agreement of the commission and the withdrawing state. The commission’s approval of products and advertisement prior to the effective date of withdrawal shall continue to be effective and be given full force and effect in the withdrawing state, unless formally rescinded by the withdrawing state in the same manner as provided by the laws of the withdrawing state for the prospective disapproval of products or advertisement previously approved under state law.

601.58(14)(f) (f) Reinstatement following withdrawal of any compacting state shall occur upon the effective date of the withdrawing state reenacting the compact.

601.58(14)(g) (g) If the commission determines that any compacting state has at any time defaulted (“defaulting state”) in the performance of any of its obligations or responsibilities under this compact, the bylaws, or duly promulgated rules or operating procedures, then, after notice and hearing as set forth in the bylaws, all rights, privileges, and benefits conferred by this compact on the defaulting state shall be suspended from the effective date of default as fixed by the commission. The grounds for default include, but are not limited to, failure of a compacting state to perform its obligations or responsibilities and any other grounds designated in commission rules. The commission shall immediately notify the defaulting state in writing of the defaulting state’s suspension pending a cure of the default. The commission shall stipulate the conditions and the time period within which the defaulting state must cure its default. If the defaulting state fails to cure the default within the time period specified by the commission, the defaulting state shall be terminated from the compact and all rights, privileges, and benefits conferred by this compact shall be terminated from the effective date of termination.

601.58(14)(h) (h) Product approvals by the commission or product self-certifications, or any advertisement in connection with such product, that are in force on the effective date of termination shall remain in force in the defaulting state in the same manner as if the defaulting state had withdrawn voluntarily under par. (a).

601.58(14)(i) (i) Reinstatement following termination of any compacting state requires a reenactment of the compact.

601.58(14)(j) (j) The compact dissolves effective upon the date of the withdrawal or default of the compacting state that reduces membership in the compact to one compacting state.

601.58(14)(k) (k) Upon the dissolution of this compact, the compact becomes null and void and shall be of no further force or effect, and the business and affairs of the commission shall be wound up and any surplus funds shall be distributed in accordance with the bylaws.

601.58(15) (15) Article XV — Severability and Construction.

601.58(15)(a) (a) The provisions of this compact shall be severable; and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision is deemed unenforceable, the remaining provisions of the compact shall be enforceable.

601.58(15)(b) (b) The provisions of this compact shall be liberally construed to effectuate its purposes.

601.58(16) (16) Article XVI — Binding Effect of Compact and Other Laws.

601.58(16)(a) (a) Nothing herein prevents the enforcement of any other law of a compacting state, except as provided in par. (b).

601.58(16)(b) (b) For any product approved by or certified to the commission, the rules, uniform standards, and any other requirements of the commission shall constitute the exclusive provisions applicable to the content, approval, and certification of such products. For advertisement that is subject to the commission’s authority, any rule, uniform standard, or other requirement of the commission that governs the content of the advertisement shall constitute the exclusive provision that a commissioner may apply to the content of the advertisement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no action taken by the commission shall abrogate or restrict any of the following:

601.58(16)(b)1. 1. The access of any person to state courts.

601.58(16)(b)2. 2. Remedies available under state law related to breach of contract, tort, or other laws not specifically directed to the content of the product.

601.58(16)(b)3. 3. State law relating to the construction of insurance contracts.

601.58(16)(b)4. 4. The authority of the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection or the attorney general of the state, including, but not limited to, maintaining any actions or proceedings, as authorized by law.

601.58(16)(c) (c) All insurance products filed with individual states shall be subject to the laws of those states.

601.58(16)(d) (d) All lawful actions of the commission, including all rules and operating procedures promulgated by the commission, are binding upon the compacting states. All agreements between the commission and the compacting states are binding in accordance with their terms. Upon the request of a party to a conflict over the meaning or interpretation of commission actions, and upon a majority vote of the compacting states, the commission may issue advisory opinions regarding the meaning or interpretation in dispute.

601.58(16)(e) (e) In the event any provision of this compact exceeds the constitutional limits imposed on the legislature of any compacting state, the obligations, duties, powers, or jurisdiction sought to be conferred by that provision upon the commission shall be ineffective as to that compacting state, and such obligations, duties, powers, or jurisdiction shall remain in the compacting state and shall be exercised by the agency thereof to which such obligations, duties, powers, or jurisdiction are delegated by law in effect at the time this compact becomes effective.

601.58 History History: 2007 a. 168.

subch. V of ch. 601 SUBCHAPTER V

PROCEDURES AND ENFORCEMENT

601.61 601.61 Auxiliary procedural powers. The commissioner may administer oaths, take testimony, issue subpoenas and take depositions in connection with any hearing, meeting, examination, investigation or other proceeding that the commissioner may conduct.

601.61 History History: 1979 c. 102 s. 236 (6).

601.62 601.62 Hearings.

601.62(1) (1) Hearing required. Whenever chs. 600 to 655 expressly so provide, the commissioner shall hold a hearing before issuing an order.

601.62(2) (2) Special insurance hearings. Chapter 227 shall apply to all hearings under chs. 600 to 655, except those for which special procedures are prescribed.

601.62(3) (3) Adjudicatory hearings. In addition to the requirements of ch. 227, the following provisions apply:

601.62(3)(a) (a) Subsequent hearings. Whenever an order is issued without a hearing, any person aggrieved by the order may demand a hearing within 30 days after the date on which the notice of the order was mailed. Failure to demand a hearing within the period prescribed therefor is waiver of a hearing. The demand shall be in writing and shall be served on the commissioner by delivering a copy to the commissioner or by leaving it at the commissioner’s office. The commissioner shall thereupon hold a hearing not less than 10 nor more than 60 days after service of the demand.

601.62(3)(c) (c) Reduction and extension of periods. Upon request of the person demanding the hearing or of any other aggrieved person, the commissioner may reduce or extend the period prescribed by par. (a) for holding a hearing.

601.62(4) (4) Fees in investigations and hearings. The fees for stenographic services in investigations, examinations, and hearings may not exceed the sum provided for like services in the circuit court. The fees of officers, witnesses, interpreters, and stenographers on behalf of the commissioner or the state shall be paid by the secretary of administration, authorized by the certificate of the commissioner, and shall be charged to the appropriation under s. 20.145 (1) (g) 1.

601.62(5) (5) Immunity from prosecution.

601.62(5)(a) (a) No natural person is excused from attending and testifying or from producing any document or record before the commissioner, or from obedience to the subpoena of the commissioner, or from appearing in any proceeding instituted by the commissioner, on the ground that the testimony or evidence required from the person may tend to incriminate the person or subject the person to a penalty or forfeiture; but no such person may be criminally prosecuted for or on account of his or her testimony or evidence, after claiming privilege against self-incrimination, except that the person testifying is not exempt from prosecution and punishment for perjury, false swearing or contempt committed in testifying.

601.62(5)(b) (b) The immunity provided under par. (a) is subject to the restrictions under s. 972.085.

601.62 History History: 1975 c. 371; 1975 c. 414 ss. 27, 28; 1975 c. 421; 1977 c. 203 ss. 81, 82, 102; 1977 c. 339 ss. 30, 43; 1979 c. 89; 1983 a. 358 s. 14; 1989 a. 122; 1989 a. 187 s. 29; 1995 a. 396; 2003 a. 33; 2007 a. 20.