S-4117               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 4936

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By Senators Granlund and Bottiger

Read first time 1/23/86 and referred to Committee on Financial Institutions.

AN ACT Relating to filing of insurance rates; and amending RCW 48.19.060 and 48.19.080.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section .19.06, chapter 79, Laws of 1947 and RCW 48.19.060 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) The commissioner shall review a filing as soon as reasonably possible after made, to determine whether it meets the requirements of this chapter.

          (2) Except as provided in RCW 48.19.070:

          (a) No such filing shall become effective within ((fifteen)) sixty days after date of filing with the commissioner((, which period may be extended by the commissioner for an additional period not to exceed fifteen days if he gives notice within such waiting period to the insurer or rating organization which made the filing that he needs such additional time for the consideration of the filing)).  The commissioner may, upon application and for cause shown, waive such waiting period or any part thereof as to a filing which he has not disapproved.

          (b) A filing shall be deemed to meet the requirements of this chapter unless disapproved by the commissioner within the waiting period ((or any extension thereof)) if the insurer submitting such filing sends notice to the commissioner after the passage of sixty days from the date of filing with the commissioner that it considers such filing as meeting the requirements of this chapter and available for use in this state.

          (3) This section does not apply to casualty insurance.

        Sec. 2.  Section .19.08, chapter 79, Laws of 1947 as amended by section 18, chapter 339, Laws of 1981 and RCW 48.19.080 are each amended to read as follows:

          Under such rules and regulations as he shall adopt the commissioner may, by order, suspend or modify the requirement of filing as to any kind of insurance.  Such orders, rules and regulations shall be made known to insurers and rating organizations affected thereby.  The commissioner may make such examination as he may deem advisable to ascertain whether any rates affected by such order meet the standard prescribed in RCW 48.19.020:  PROVIDED, That no rules adopted pursuant to this section shall have force and effect beyond December 31, 1986, after which time all filings, except special filings subject to RCW 48.19.070, shall be made in accordance with RCW 48.19.060.