STORM'S SENATE BILL 29 SIGNED INTO LAW
Measure enhances insurance and repair transparency, safety, and liability standards for vehicle windshield services
FRANKFORT, KY (April 3, 2024)—Governor Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 29, sponsored by Senator Brandon Storm, R-London, into law on Tuesday. It is Storm's first bill to be signed into law in the 2024 legislative session. Additional legislation sponsored or supported by Storm still awaits a decision by the Governor.
SB 29 seeks to safeguard the interests of insured individuals by prohibiting the transfer of insurance policy rights and benefits to third parties for property and casualty insurance claims. The bill fully covers motor vehicle glass repairs without a deductible. The bill also promotes transparent communication in repair processes by requiring repair shops to obtain a claim number from the insured and written confirmation of a lack of coverage before repairs are made. It addresses concerns related to safety in light of the growing complexity of vehicle technologies by requiring the shops to advise the insured on the necessity of taking vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems to the manufacturer's certified dealership or qualified specialist for calibration or recalibration if their attempts fail.
"I think one of the best parts of being an elected official is the relationships we build in the process of doing positive things for our state and our communities," Storm said. "In the case of this bill, I enjoyed the collaborative efforts involved, which included working with a wide range of organizations like the Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance, Safelite, the Kentucky Justice Association, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, and the Insurance Institute of Kentucky to make sure we got the language of the bill correct and that we had everyone on board."
SB 29 carried an emergency designation, meaning it immediately went into effect upon filing with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office.
The Kentucky General Assembly is currently in the veto recess period of the 2024 Legislative Session. The Governor has 10 veto days to consider legislation, which he may sign into law, allow to become law without his support after the 10-day veto period, or veto. Lawmakers may consider overriding a gubernatorial veto during the final two days of the legislative session, which will occur on Friday, April 12, and Monday, April 15. The effective date of legislation without an emergency designation is 90 days after the adjournment of the legislative session.
Find SB 29 and other legislation sponsored or co-sponsored by Storm HERE.
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Sen. Brandon J. Storm, R-London, represents the 21st Senate District, including Casey, Lincoln, Laurel, and Rockcastle Counties. He recently graduated from the esteemed Henry Toll Fellowship and was the only Kentuckian to participate in the 2023 program. Sen. Storm serves as a Senate member of the Interim Joint Committees of Banking and Insurance; Economic Development and Workforce Investment; Judiciary; Local Government; State Government; Transportation; and Tourism, Small Business and Information Technology. He also serves as the co-chair of the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee; a member of the Jail and Corrections Reform Task Force; and a member of the Multimodal Freight Transportation System Improvement Task Force.