PIA Releases Issues of Focus for Advocacy Day

On By Corey Weeks, Manager, Government Relations

PIA has released the five Issues of Focus in preparation for its upcoming 2024 Advocacy Day scheduled for September 18.

PIA members will highlight these issues during their meetings with their elected representatives on Advocacy Day. While these issues are our focus for Advocacy Day in 2024, we always work to promote the interests of our independent agent members, wherever those interests take us. PIA members interested in participating should contact their state affiliate or see the registration page here.

Repeal or Reform the Federal Insurance Office (FIO)

  • Build support for H.R. 5535/S. 3349, the Insurance Data Protection Act, which would remove FIO’s subpoena authority, introduced by Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI) and Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL).
  • Build support for H.R. 2933/S. 1694, the FIO Elimination Act, which would repeal the FIO, introduced by Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

Support Bill to Reinstate Inflation Adjustment for Crop Insurance Agents

  • Build support for bipartisan legislation, H.R. 8055, the Ensuring Access to Risk Management Act, introduced by Reps. Austin Scott (R-GA) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA). This legislation would reinstate an inflation adjustment factor applicable to the cap on A&O and establish a minimum A&O reimbursement rate for specialty crop insurance policies. These key provisions were also included in the Farm Bill that passed the House Agriculture Committee this spring.
  • There is no Senate bill, but key provisions from the legislation were included in the Republican Senate Farm Bill Framework released this spring by Senator John Boozman’s (R-AR) office.

Urge Introduction of Bill to Protect Independent Agents in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

  • Support the introduction of a bill to protect the independent sales model as the primary method of delivery of NFIP flood insurance.
  • Highlight the important role of independent insurance agents in the operation of the NFIP and the urgent need for legislation to protect the independent sales model as the primary method of delivery of NFIP flood insurance.

Make permanent the tax deduction for qualifying passthrough (S corporation) entities

  • Build support for H.R. 4721/S. 1706, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, introduced by Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) and Senator Steve Daines (R-MT). This bill would make permanent the 20% tax deduction for qualifying S corporations, which was passed in the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act but will expire December 31, 2025 absent Congressional action.

Advocate for insurance industry carveout in any legislation that would create a federal standard for data privacy.

  • Highlight concerns with the American Privacy Rights Act (APRA) of 2024 and urge inclusion of an insurance industry exemption in any legislation establishing a federal standard for data privacy. Such a federal standardwould preempt state laws.