IIANC member and former NC Representative John Bradford, who did not run for re-election to the state House in 2024, has taken the role of Chair of the IIANC Governmental Affairs Committee and is a great addition to our advocacy efforts given the strong relationships he has among his former legislative colleagues. 

Legislative Priorities 

Once again on IIANC’s legislative to-do list is pursuing a hands-free driving law for North Carolina. 

This issue has been before the General Assembly every Session since 2009, and we were successful in getting a bill out of the House in 2019, but the issue has stalled since then. We’ll continue efforts this year along with the many insurance carriers, traffic safety and law enforcement groups, as well as Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, who also supports a hands-free law for our state. 

There is a new House Speaker this Session, Representative Destin Hall, who is an attorney and also a graduate of the Appalachian State Brantley Center Risk Management and Insurance program. We’re in discussion with his team to encourage allowing hands-free legislation to get a hearing in that chamber.

IIANC is also supporting efforts this Session by the

NCIUA to secure a state appropriation to augment grant funds it provides for the Strengthen Your Roof program, through which their policyholders can replace their current roof with a fortified one.

We’re also supporting their efforts in Congress on legislation to exempt homeowners from federal tax on such grants (and once that’s done, working to get state tax law to mirror the federal exemption). 

IIANC is also part of a coalition of groups advocating to appropriate state funds necessary for a federal grant to construct wildlife crossings in locations in eastern and western North Carolina that experience a high number of vehicle-animal collisions each year. 

And, IIANC is working with the NC Alliance for Safe Transportation (NCAST) and a coalition of construction and traffic management companies to find ways to enhance traffic safety in and around work zones on NC roads and highways. 

Other Issues We’re Watching 

IIANC Governmental Affairs Committee member Lisa Sharrard continues to offer her expertise on flood-related insurance, recovery, and mitigation issues as legislative staff gathers ideas to include in the additional Hurricane Helene-related recovery legislation that will be put forward this Session.

We’re looking to convene a group of stakeholders including the NCDOI for a discussion of what more the state can do to ensure property owners are properly insured again the peril of flood. 

And finally, two other items that impact IIANC members that other groups are likely to pursue this Session are legislation to remove the prohibition on licensed agents receiving commissions from premium financing, and a NAIFA proposal to eliminate the pre-licensing class requirement.

We’ll be keeping an eye on these and any other proposals that pop up for which there is an impact on independent insurance agents.