BENEFITS OF GEORGIA SENATE BILL 276
On Monday, a House subcommittee and later a committee agreed to tack an amendment onto a fairly innocuous Senate bill an amendment onto a fairly innocuous Senate bill. The amendment would let insurers raise rates on all but the minimum required coverage without having to first get approval from State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine.On Thursday, the House passed the amended bill 141-3 with little discussion. The sponsor told his colleagues what the original bill did, but didn't explain fully the changes and didn't answer questions. Less than two hours later, the measure won final passage in the Senate 43-10 while insurance lobbyists stood outside, shaking hands.
The bill now heads to Gov. Sonny Perdue for his signature.[...]
