Legislators: With a lot of interim research to do, their work isn't done here!

Everyone who thinks the Legislature, having wrapped up its 2012 session work a few months ago, can sit back and rest easy until the 2013 legislative fun starts Monday morning, Jan. 14 -- go right ahead and take one step forward. Not so fast, there, you HDC Advance blogsters! There's a passel of research-and-development duties and assignments to cover between now and then.

Take the House Business & Financial Services Committee, just as one "for instance." Committee members and staff, as well as the hundreds and hundreds of stakeholders and other citizens concerned with such issues, have themselves a plenty-full plate. One issue in particular -- mileage-based auto insurance -- is very much on the radar screens of said committee members, staff, and other interested parties. The committee has reviewed related proposals in recent legislative sessions, including House Bill 2445, an idea that stalled in the 2012 session. Says the "Bill Report" for this thing, which might well be introduced again in some form next year:

"Mileage-based insurance" is defined as private passenger automobile insurance that:

•  Has rates expected to be on average at least 70 percent variable, according to actual miles driven and not on estimated miles driven.
• Is available in mileage bands of not more than 1,000 miles each.
• Discloses the variable portion of the premium in a conspicuous manner.

 The measure, about which you can read a good deal more if you will but click that jocund link listed above, is prime-sponsored by state Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline, a member of the Business and Financial Services Committee. The lead co-sponsor is state Rep. Steve Kirby, D-Tacoma, who chairs the committee. A work session on the bill is scheduled for the committee's November interim meeting.

To read this story in Spanish, please click here.