Layman's Terms

Layman's Terms Advocacy Update: State Legislature Resumes, PAC Fundraising More Important Than Ever

Insurors Director of Government Relations, Jim Layman, J.D., breaks down the legal and legislative issues facing our industry.

As you read this, the Tennessee General Assembly has reconvened to finish up its work following an unprecedented quick recess due to the impact of COVID-19. In March, the Legislature passed a budget that provided for no revenue growth and did not include tax cuts that had been anticipated before the arrival of the virus. Now, the State is looking at slashing spending even further as the virus is anticipated to cause negative growth to state coffers. As far as what else the Legislature will consider – like a lot of things – it's up in the air. There is a lot of uncertainty as to what they will consider, how long they’ll stay, and even if the public (including myself) will be able to attend legislative hearings in person to advocate. Despite all this uncertainty, one thing remains true: it is imperative that we maintain a strong political action committee (PAC) in order to ensure that candidates are elected that we have good relationships with and that support the interests of our members.

Recently, you should have received an Agent Advocate email with a letter from our President, Bob McIntire. Bob and I agree that PAC fundraising this year is undoubtedly difficult. Many agents and their clients are struggling. However, PAC giving is something that must be prioritized, even in these uncertain times. Right now, legislators on the state and federal level are considering proposals that could mandate retroactive coverage of business interruption claims related to COVID that were clearly excluded and for which premium was not collected. Such a proposal could quickly wipe out carriers’ surplus and have negative impacts on agent compensation. Legislators are also considering proposals that could provide lawsuit protection from COVID related claims for businesses that are trying to reopen so that they can stay in business while also following CDC and state guidelines on cleaning and social distancing. The best way we can support candidates and policies that benefit our industry is through your generous support of InsurPACTN. Please visit https://bit.ly/3fRiyhW to give or mail a check made out to “InsurPACTN” to Insurors office. All contributions are appreciated, but you’ll find our giving levels on the next page. Your help is greatly needed.

Due to the pandemic, we will be moving our Legislative Town Hall event to a virtual format. If you previously attended a Town Hall, you know it is a great opportunity to hear about the government affairs team's work and to hear from local legislators. I hope you will join us by registering at insurors. org and remain engaged in advocating for your industry.

I also wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who attended the first-of-its-kind Big “I” Virtual Legislative Conference. Tennessee had over 70 members participate, putting us well ahead of many of our neighboring states. We heard from Big “I” staff on important federal issues and from key members of Congress who are our partners in D.C. Tennessee was also fortunate to be recognized for receiving the InsurPac Eagle Award for contributing to our national PAC at a level over $100 per agency and placing 6th among all states in total dollars raised. Well done! Now let’s keep up the giving for InsurPACTN!

About the Author Jim Layman, J.D. is the Director of Government Relations for Insurors. He previously worked for the Tennessee Dept. of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services as legislative liaison and rules coordinator. Prior to that, he worked for the Dept. of Health as a legislative liaison and the Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development as director of unemployment insurance appeals. Jim graduated from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee. He may be contacted at jlayman@insurors.org. u