Vote to be called on credit reports bill

Erin Neff

Tuesday, March 11, 2003 | 9:25 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Assembly Democrats said public outrage compelled them to suddenly pass a bill out of committee Monday that would prohibit auto insurers from using credit reports to determine insurance rates.

Assembly Commerce and Labor Chairman David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, went into an impromptu work session during a lull in his meeting Monday afternoon and decided to call up Assembly Bill 194.

AB194, which was heard in committee last week, is a Democratic priority for early passage, and prohibits insurers from using credit reports in determining auto insurance rates.

"The public's calling for action here and I'd like to respond," Goldwater said.

Goldwater said last week that two of three credit reporting agencies listed him as dead, apparently because his father, who was also named David Goldwater, died two years ago.

After the hearing Goldwater got "more unsolicited, unprovoked calls from people in the general public on this issue than on any other in recent memory," he said.

"There were anecdotal stories that the same thing happened to me," Goldwater said of the people who have been calling him.

All but one of the Republicans on the committee voted Monday against moving the measure out of committee, citing the need to get more information from insurance companies. During last week's hearing, insurance company lobbyists said they would provide information on how credit scoring is used to determine auto insurance rates.

Assemblyman Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, voted against sending the measure out of committee, but said he might vote for the measure on the floor after he has a chance to see the data.

Beers was joined by David Brown, R-Henderson; Ron Knecht, R-Carson City; Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville; and Josh Griffin, R-Henderson, in opposing voting the measure out of committee.

Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons, R-Reno, supported passing the measure out.

The measure will now go to the entire Assembly for a vote.

Democrats are highlighting consumer issues in the early part of the session with the belief that they will gain public support.