SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — An Illinois bill to create an auto insurance discrimination commission passed out the House Tuesday.
The goal of the commission is to research if auto insurance companies discriminate or raise their rates based on credit score, zip code, race and age. That research data could then be used to create future bills.
This commission would be run by the Secretary of State’s office.
State Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukegan) said Illinoisan should know how insurance companies decide their rates.
"Because anyone on that committee knows that year after year myself and several others have filed legislation asking the insurance industry to disclose their rate making process," Mayfield said. "They absolutely refuse to do so."
Republican lawmakers opposed the proposal. State Rep Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) said the Secretary of State involving himself in auto insurance is an overreach of power.
"This is not being handled in the Department of Insurance," Keicher said. "We have a very activist Secretary of State-trying to inject himself into an analysis of rate setting for insurance. He does not have the expertise within his office."
Keicher is also an insurance agent with State Farm. Mayfield said the Department of Insurance did not want to run this commission.
The bill passed the House on a partisan 70-39 vote. It will now head to the Senate where lawmakers could talk about it in the coming weeks.
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