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With five legislative days remaining in the 2016 regular session and both budgets approved, the rumors of an early sine die have increased. Those rumors may be premature, however, as there remain a number of issues that have yet to be addressed.
The gas tax proposal remains in play, as do efforts to pay off the rainy day fund with money from the BP settlement. If an agreement is reached to pay off the fund, then a new bill will have to be introduced on Tuesday. It takes a minimum of five legislative days to pass a bill in both chambers. That being the case, it is likely that the Legislature will remain the full thirty days.
The debate between lawyers and the title insurance industry continued this week after the House approved a bill that would exempt attorneys from licensure by the Department of Insurance. Under existing law, attorneys that are involved in the sale of title loan insurance must be licensed by the DOI. This bill pushes the law back to pre-2012 requirements. The title insurance industry has offered an amendment this week that would clarify that the business of offering title loan insurance is not the practice of law. So far, the other side has been unwilling to accept that amendment. As the session moves closer to its end, both sides may become more willing to compromise.
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