Advocacy in action blog

NAIFA's Iowa chapter held a state Legislative Day in Des Moines last week. The event featured a morning advocacy training session and afternoon meetings with state legislators at the Capitol. NAIFA-IA also hosted an ice cream social with lawmakers. 

Dean L. Cameron, Director of the Idaho Department of Insurance, is the 2022 President of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Cameron is a third-generation insurance professional with more than 32 years of experience. Prior to entering state politics, he was a NAIFA member who served two terms as the President of NAIFA’s Idaho chapter.

On February 17, 2022, NAIFA joined with coalition members to send a letter to Steve Richetti, Counselor to President Biden, offering the support of the insurance agent and broker community for the administration to nominate members of the Board of Directors to establish the National Association of Registered Agents and Brokers Reform Act (NARAB).

NAIFA strongly supports consumer protections provided by the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC’s) Regulation Best Interest and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC’s) revised annuity model regulation (adopted by 19 states and counting). Both of these provisions require financial professionals to work in their clients’ best interests and preserve the ability of consumers to choose who they work with and how they compensate advisors. Reg BI and the NAIC model also avoid problems with other proposals that would have made it very difficult for producers to continue working with Main Street investors.

Hyatt Erstad, a loyal NAIFA member since 1980 and President of Erstad & Company in Boise, ID, has been reappointed by Governor Brad Little as Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors of Your Health Idaho. His confirmation hearing before the Idaho Senate Commerce Committee was February 8. While at the hearing, Erstad spoke with Idaho Insurance Director and National Association of Insurance Commissioners Chair Dean Cameron (see photo above).

Members of NAIFA-WI gathered in Madison Feb. 1-2 for the chapter's 2022 Legislative Day. They received professional development and advocacy updates, including briefings on state issues by NAIFA-WI lobbyist Bill McClenahan and federal issues by NAIFA Assistant Vice President for Government Relations Judi Carsrud. State Representatives Dave Steffen (R-Green Bay) and Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca) delivered remarks. NAIFA members took their grassroots message to the capitol, meeting with their elected officials to discuss the importance of policies that promote financial security for everyone.

NAIFA Trustee Wes Booker, LUTCF, CEO of the Wes Booker Agency, The Horace Mann Companies, in Maumelle, AR, has announced that he is a candidate for the Arkansas State House of Representatives. He is running for the seat serving House District 71.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee on January 27 signed two bills passed by the Legislature that delay and make some improvements to the Washington Cares Fund, a state-run long-term care insurance program.

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) introduced the Empowering States to Protect Seniors from Bad Actors Act, a bipartisan bill that would create a Securities and Exchange Commission program to work with state regulators to protect senior investors.

A new report by the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging prominently features comments submitted by NAIFA that highlight the important ongoing role advisors play in retirement planning.