2013 Winner Jamie Gustafson, center, with IIAN leaders and  Sen. Deb Fischer

Two $1,000 Scholarships Available For IIABA Legislative Conference - Apply By March 7

If you're a Young Agent (age 45 or under, or 6 or less years in insurance), and you'd like to join IIAN's officers and hundreds of other agents from across the country for IIABA's annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., April 9-10, 2014, fax or e-mail your application to the IIAN office by March 7, 2014!  
    Each $1,000 scholarship should be sufficient to cover conference registration, air fare, and one night's lodging.  Scholarship winners will visit all of Nebraska's Senators and Congressmen to discuss issues, attend a special Young Agents luncheon and briefing session by our national lobbyists, and hear from Congressional leaders.   See schedule    Download scholarship application 

Few Insurance Measures Will Pass

The 60-day 2014 Unicameral "short" legislative session is more than half over, and lawmakers begin all-day floor next week  "Priority" bills named by senators, committees, and Speaker Greg Adams stand the best chance of being acted upon this session. There are eight Priority bills on IIAN's "watch list", most notably LB 961, which would, at the option of the employee, make the exclusive remedy protection for the employer inapplicable in cases where the WC Court has determined that the injury is due to the willful negligence of the employer.  The Unicameral Business & Labor Committee is working with business and labor interests to make sausage out of LB 961 and at least four other bills impacting Workers Compensation law - LB's 731, 793, 824, and 951.  IIAN will be watching to see what, if anything, the committee advances to the floor for debate. 
     IIAN Legislative Representative Jim Cavanaugh has testified in hearings on two bills this session which we support:  LB 716, which would allow electronic delivery of insurance notices and documents if the insured opts in; and LB 849, which prohibits an auto liability policy from excluding or altering coverage solely because the driver is a permissive user.  Neither bill has priority status and thus little chance to be passed this year.  IIAN also supports LB 816, which would allow drivers to provide proof of insurance on a portable electronic device (ie, tablet or cell phone) - while not named a "priority", this bill is ready for first-round debate and has a chance of being passed this year.
     A bunch of bills impacting insurance will probably die with this session -  including LB's 862 and 893, which would both increase the amount recoverable under the Nebraska Hospital-Medical Liability Act; LB 939, which would make false presentation of proof of financial responsibility a Class I misdemeanor and require suspension of vehicle registration unless proof is filed for three years; and LB 971, which would allow stacking of UM/UIM limits.  

See more details on all of the bills IIAN is watching in IIAN's weekly Unicameral Update, posted every Monday during the session at www.iian.org. 

"Midwest Madness" In Kearney February 5-6

Two storm systems converging on both ends of the state prevented over 50 agents and company representatives from making it to Kearney for IIAN's 37^th Annual Winter Conference - but that didn't stop over 200 who were there from having a great time!   Conference attendees earned up to 12 CEUs, shot hoops during the trade fair, and visited with almost 40 exhibitors who braved the storms.  Featured conference instructors were agribusiness expert Sam Bennett, who drove all the way from Columbia, Missouri, and popular insurance guru/entertainer Chris Amrhein.  In keeping with the conference theme, Dr. Paul Plinske, UNL Kearney Athletic Director, visited with members during the Wednesday luncheon about the importance of "trust" in professional relationships. 

During the prime rib buffet Wednesday evening, IIAN's Gold and Silver Circle of Eagles contributors were honored for their outstanding support of InsurPac and IIANPAC in 2013.