NU Online News Service, April 28, 10:30 a.m.EDT

A bill opposed by insurers that would have banned credit-basedinsurance scoring in Wisconsin never made it out of committeebefore the end of the legislative session.

Lawmakers at the state capital in Madison wrapped up businesslast Thursday.

John Birkinbine, assistant vice president, Midwest region forthe American Insurance Association (AIA), said the credit bill andother industry-opposed measures were introduced early in thesession but faded away without much contentious debate as thesession progressed.

He attributed this to Democrats in the state taking criticismover a measure passed last year that raised minimum requirementsfor auto insurance.

Mr. Birkinbine said the minimum requirements measure, which wasincluded in the governor's budget bill along with otherinsurance-related measures, has raised rates for drivers, leadingto a backlash that has included newspaper editorials and criticismfrom the Republican minority in the Wisconsin legislature.

He said raising the minimum coverage requirements was one ofseveral measures put into the budget bill at the request of triallawyers.

But Birny Birnbaum, executive director of the Center forEconomic Justice (CEJ), said the legislature addressed minimumrequirements last year to ensure drivers have adequate coverage. Hesaid in many states, minimum requirements were established yearsago and were never increased, and so do not provide adequatecoverage today.

He also noted that the legislature's Democratic majority was hitwith criticism for passing the measure.

Mr. Birkinbine said he believes the Democrats in the legislatureavoided issues like credit scoring as a result of the fire theytook for raising minimum auto coverage requirements.

He said AIA was concerned about a credit bill passing since thedebate over such a bill was fierce in a previous legislativesession. He noted that Democrats had larger numbers in this sessionas well.

Greg LaCost, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America(PCI) assistant vice president, state government affairs, said thecredit issue was contentious early in the legislative session, buthe credited the industry with doing a good job of educating thelegislature about how using credit-based insurance scores benefitsconsumers.

PCI said lawmakers also rejected legislation that would haveplaced restrictions on the use of direct repair options forpolicyholders' auto body repairs, in addition to other measuressuch as territorial rating bans and small claims expansion.

Mr. LaCost mentioned that the Assembly also did not act on amedical malpractice measure which would have allowed an adult'sparent to bring a lawsuit for loss of society andcompanionship.

PCI noted the legislature did pass a ban on texting whiledriving. "Wisconsin joins 23 other states that have prohibitions ontexting while driving," PCI said.