[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6620127,"mediaKeyId","2818651-3bcc9076a3e00ac06aeb20a44bcea0e2","parentId",2818651,"title","Senate adopts conference report tightening licensure and consumer protections for public adjusters","audioSeconds",1103,"startMs",1775000,"endMs",2878000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2818651-3bcc9076a3e00ac06aeb20a44bcea0e2&start=1775&end=2878","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2818651-3bcc9076a3e00ac06aeb20a44bcea0e2/thumbnail_1775000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6620127/Mississippi/Senate-adopts-conference-report-tightening-licensure-and-consumer-protections-for-public-adjusters","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620127-f0419b6a4a70f0c007ecd971df311f17/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191959&Signature=KM5VhdIOXObk-~9d~Sh-Yc1E~UpBe0jB50mt5hmWqNJvxo1pCmW6N7tWRZgoj6I6fn8D3Bxyteitx8P~oP0b9xE6XJ4xNV-lkLhXFRrvcH7BxE9ADFiQpG1DMWzccUM5QSiumq4YAnXECahjcjb3yfop1XWycWgaij~WaijYCsOvwQjwlDAAFrjCZp7UxuZTUcv7qFUNMAuwe9IWm1le9HADMMn2GJgCSzcCwK7ndG-I26l~lT9YgW4lpxivc3E69GsA1Oi4zB9h3Cm0XJVuP2BcqTSpeRVZUyg5ZqdZK8HOxfTcuHpGz-9F4wHwOhh9pwO1mqNf9Q6Wj6DFL0aE5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mississippi Legislature","date","2025-03-29T16:36:28.373Z","article","The Mississippi Senate adopted the conference report on House Bill 1174, a measure that establishes new licensing standards and consumer protections for public adjusters who represent insured policyholders.

The bill requires public adjusters to be licensed by the state insurance commissioner, be at least 21 years old, be a Mississippi resident (with a reciprocity process for out-of-state adjusters), pass an exam, and provide financial responsibility by obtaining either a surety bond or a letter of credit. The measure also requires public adjusters to deposit client funds into fiduciary trust accounts and lists specific information that must appear in written contracts, including the adjuster’s license number and proof of required bonding.

Senator (unnamed), who explained the conference report on the chamber floor, said the legislation narrows the bill to focus on public adjusters representing insureds and removes references to independent adjusters who represent insurers. “All this consumer protection language has been established as a model bill by the National Conference of Insurance Legislators, and it’s been vetted on a nationwide basis by insurance companies, by insurance commissioners, and by legislators throughout the 50 states,” the senator said.

Why it matters

Supporters said the bill aims to raise the professionalism and ethical standards of public adjusters and give consumers clearer protections when they hire someone to negotiate insurance claims on their behalf. Senators asked whether the measure or the insurance commissioner’s implementation might slow the arrival of experienced out-of-state adjusters after large disasters, when quick access to help can be important.

Key provisions and points of debate

- Licensing and standards: The bill requires licensing by the insurance commissioner, a minimum age of 21, Mississippi residency (subject to reciprocity), and a passing score on an exam. It also authorizes the commissioner to investigate and determine whether an applicant is “trustworthy, reliable and of good reputation.”

- Financial safeguards: Public adjusters must obtain a bond or letter of credit; if the required bond lapses, the adjuster’s license terminates. The bill also requires adjusters to maintain client funds in fiduciary trust accounts and lists items that must appear in written agreements (address, phone number, license number, loss description and verification of bonding).

- Reciprocity and emergency licensure: The conference report includes reciprocity: an out-of-state adjuster may apply if their home state offers similar licensure on the same basis. The Senate debate noted an existing emergency statute the insurance commissioner can use to temporarily license out-of-state adjusters for up to 90 days (and extend for additional 90-day periods) during catastrophic events; that emergency authority was not changed by this bill.

- Oversight and discretion: Several senators pressed the presenter on language that allows the commissioner to “require additional information or submissions” from applicants, expressing concern that open-ended investigatory authority could delay approvals. Senator Hill warned that undefined additional requirements might lengthen the approval timeline and hamper timely access to adjusters after losses. The presenter said the additional information clause is intended to ensure the commissioner can vet applicants and protect consumers.

Questions from the floor

Senator Thompson asked whether the bill gives the insurance commissioner authority to add regulations beyond the statute’s text; the presenter replied he was not aware of such authority in the bill. Senator Hill pressed about the meaning of the commissioner’s investigation of “trustworthy” and whether that language reintroduces character-based licensing standards that other recent licensing bills had removed; the presenter confirmed the language remains and that the commissioner would use available tools, including records of complaints and bond compliance, to vet applicants.

Senator Hobson and others asked whether Mississippi currently licenses public adjusters (the presenter said yes) and how many are licensed in the state (not specified). The presenter said many public adjusters still operate as small shops in Mississippi, but larger firms may be used after major losses. The presenter and other senators said the emergency licensure statute should help bring in out-of-state adjusters quickly when needed.

Final action and vote

A motion to adopt the conference report was made and the chamber recorded several negative votes on the morning roll call (names entered in the record included Chisholm, Hobson, Thompson, Macan and Sparks). The clerk announced 14 no votes; the presiding officer then declared the bill passed by morning roll call.

What the bill does not do

The conference report does not change the emergency licensure statute referenced during debate, does not specify the detailed timeline for processing reciprocity applications, and does not include a numerical count of currently licensed public adjusters in Mississippi.

Next steps and implementation

The measure will proceed in the process as adopted by the Senate. The insurance commissioner’s office will be responsible for implementing licensure procedures, examinations and any administrative guidance allowed by existing law. Senators on the floor asked the commissioner’s office and staff to ensure vetting does not unduly delay access to qualified adjusters in disaster areas.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","MS Senate Floor - 29 March, 2025; 10:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The Mississippi Senate adopted the conference report on House Bill 1174, imposing new licensure standards and consumer-protection requirements for public adjusters.","taxTitle","Senate, Committees, Legislative, Mississippi","taxId",29102,"location","Mississippi","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6620117,"Appropriations chair: dozens of conference reports ‘effectively dead’ after House docket closed; senators weigh suspension or special session",934,3859000,4793000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2818651-3bcc9076a3e00ac06aeb20a44bcea0e2&start=3859&end=4793","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2818651-3bcc9076a3e00ac06aeb20a44bcea0e2/thumbnail_3859000.jpg","/articles/6620117/Mississippi/Appropriations-chair-dozens-of-conference-reports-effectively-dead-after-House-docket-closed-senators-weigh-suspension-or-special-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620117-1638288f0c955480ca765c1b90c90610/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191959&Signature=FPqtlOvGf~YhX2GShvJw5MPw4f~YIL3yDgth8hf7KRkIXOs3AIIl5U84U7pNKlYd5bzwbzFI8aog~t3oD83jEHcqBil114wBOJVzCd09kDK~W8V1W9MP4T9GsD4hWu12oakFCzYiCFaxhKQlpICOzrD4Aog6mebBozdCr1kwsUjIlTP8oqsB7~mWm5TQC9fdWsN~VQmgVNjDFtLgbcF1LeRcQ8kP8njo-h1EJjWqD5wHpm56j0Mt4fvFaF5frn49pYFDtCgtNAN5SSQ-PYh6LDTZOXGyUranQx2VppnITiDnLIuJH2JYlL0JEGEkGHQ-3~MG3xZCzhHADwBpwsZ7rA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Hobson, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told fellow senators that the House docket room was closed and, as a result, many appropriations conference reports could not be filed and were “effectively dead” for the current conference weekend.

Hobson said negotiators had completed roughly 70 of about 105 appropriations bills they intended to resolve, and he expected another 20 to 25 Senate-originated conference reports were ready for conferees to review at the 2:16 p.m. post-recess meeting. But because the House was not in session and its docket room was closed, Hobson said those conference reports could not be filed and therefore could not move forward.

Why it matters

Appropriations conference reports finance state government operations and programs. If the reports cannot be filed and passed, funding for specific programs and settlements could be delayed or lost, and lawmakers may need to hold a suspension resolution to extend filing deadlines or call a special session to complete the work.

What the chair said on the floor

Hobson told senators he had been negotiating with House conferees through Thursday and late into the night, and that progress had been substantial, but the House’s decision to leave meant conference reports could not be submitted. “I felt like we were on course to get most, if not all, the bills done by today,” Hobson said. “But since the House docket room is closed, effectively, those bills are dead at this point.”

Hobson urged conferees to come to the designated conference room after recess to review the conference reports that were complete so they would be ready if future procedural action made quick movement possible. He also said he did not yet know whether there would be a suspension resolution or a special session.

Budget impacts and at-risk items

On the floor later, Hobson warned that certain deficit bills for the current fiscal year would be affected if not addressed, and identified roughly $11,000,000 in funding for child protective services as an example of an at-risk appropriation. He also noted pending settlement payments and other deficit-related expenditures that rely on timely appropriations.

Options discussed by senators

- Suspension resolution: Several senators discussed a suspension resolution (a joint rule suspension) to extend the filing deadline. Senator Seymour and others asked whether a suspension would be narrowly drawn to only restore appropriations deadlines; Hobson said his focus would be on funding state government and noted that the contents of any suspension would be a broader chamber decision.

- Special session: Senators also raised the possibility of a special session if the chambers cannot resolve the filing issue.

- Emergency authority: The chamber noted some existing emergency statutes allow temporary administrative actions (for example, temporary licensure in disasters), but Hobson said appropriations work requires formal conference reports and filing in both chambers.

Reactions from the floor

Senator Wiggins asked whether the Senate could have started negotiating earlier; Hobson said he had offered to start earlier but the House was not ready until Thursday. Senator England said he would not support a suspension resolution and preferred to avoid extending the session; others said they were weighing the political and pragmatic consequences of suspension versus a special session.

Senator Sparks warned that finance and revenue bills share deadlines and that some bills with revenue consequences (including a recent vehicle for pension revenue identified in earlier debate, Senate Bill 3095) could also die if their conference reports were not filed by the deadline.

Next steps

Hobson asked conferees to report to the conference room after recess to review completed reports; he said only the presiding officer and chambers can decide whether to pursue a suspension resolution or call a special session. He urged members to be prepared to reconvene if the process is reopened.

","Senate Appropriations Chair Senator Hobson told the chamber that, because the House docket room was closed, many appropriations conference reports could not be filed and are effectively dead, imperiling funding measures and prompting consideration of a suspension resolution or special session.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6620122,"Senate adopts conference report on HB 924, retaining PEER subpoena enforcement and other state-agency provisions",389,1355000,1744000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2818651-3bcc9076a3e00ac06aeb20a44bcea0e2&start=1355&end=1744","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2818651-3bcc9076a3e00ac06aeb20a44bcea0e2/thumbnail_1355000.jpg","/articles/6620122/Mississippi/Senate-adopts-conference-report-on-HB-924-retaining-PEER-subpoena-enforcement-and-other-state-agency-provisions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620122-bf6682b0fa7744dc9624fce4d91c8041/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191959&Signature=UB2uBySfSd8m-osGePs~SH47Px-q7DXfjLOGMg2ZT3jMzzbovKCENmf5bnCHNpsAZA1PJXsHv9zGk-IooSlVZ-uQ0D9pCWXFZGSYRPULH5ym4UV1mrF3~oOLtOiOoeegS90QutCVYI5-stvK5i3MDjwCBxRwWALDyziuuv~Ed45HBKAjM4a7B1O3gK5o-iSTCcECyUV48tViCZfTb2qUvyDrnrYE-70WTSH4knCtwp92WOwGPFnwwi5sspH30h0hyf2O3BXrEz-qvJnNPtWsokVDZq6EaVAwAZ1mVFUccp6fjhW5rjuNcL03X-1IK43D~IHQjT0WzKAzcKgZDREJCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Mississippi Senate adopted the conference report on House Bill 924 after floor debate that reviewed what language remained in the final conference document.

Senator Parker introduced the conference report, telling colleagues the House had agreed to concur with the Senate amendments and that the bill contained only previously agreed components. “The provisions in it were, the ability appear to review the state agency rules, the Medicaid non emergency transport provision, the little provision on the prison work program, the mental health task force recommendations, the peer subpoena enforcement, and a study on self insurance for state property were the only things that remained,” Parker said.

Why it matters

The conference report narrows the bill to a set of administrative and oversight measures affecting state agencies, Medicaid transport rules, corrections-related language, mental-health task force recommendations and investigatory powers for PEER — the state ethics/oversight body referenced during debate. Senators asked for clarity about PEER’s subpoena enforcement powers and potential penalties for noncompliance.

PEER subpoena enforcement and penalty discussion

Senator Hill asked what penalty would apply if a person failed to comply with a PEER subpoena. After conferees consulted, the chamber recorded that the chair of PEER said penalties could include up to six months’ incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000, but any enforcement would have to proceed through the courts. “So PEER would have to go through the court,” a senator said on the floor.

Other retained provisions

- Review of state-agency rules and a Medicaid non-emergency-transport provision remained in the conference report.
- The conference report included a small provision on a prison work program and the mental-health task force recommendations.
- The measure also required a study on self-insurance for state property.

Final action and vote

Senator Parker moved adoption of the conference report and requested a morning roll call. The clerk recorded several no votes (Chisholm and Hill were noted as voting no). The presiding officer declared the bill passed on the morning roll call; full yea/nay totals were not recorded in the transcript excerpt.

What the bill does not do

Senator Parker emphasized the conference agreement removed previously objectionable language that had been in earlier versions of the bill; a provision directing schools on bus operation that was discussed earlier in session was not part of the final report.

Next steps

With the conference report adopted by the Senate, the bill’s provisions as described will move forward for whatever remaining steps are required in the legislative process.","The Senate adopted the conference report on House Bill 924, preserving multiple provisions including PEER subpoena enforcement, review of state agency rules, Medicaid non-emergency-transport review, prison work program language, mental health task force recommendations and a study on state self-insurance for property.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate adopts conference report tightening licensure and consumer protections for public adjusters

Appropriations chair: dozens of conference reports ‘effectively dead’ after House docket closed; senators weigh suspension or special session

Senate adopts conference report on HB 924, retaining PEER subpoena enforcement and other state-agency provisions