HR1107 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1107 LRB097 20912 KXB 69506 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, According to the Des Plaines, Illinois-based National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), during the past 3 years, there has been a significant increase in insurance fraud, specifically in Illinois, staged motor vehicle accidents, false claims of bodily injury, and medical provider fraud; and

WHEREAS, Illinois ranks fifth nationally in submitted questionable claims related to bodily injury; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has adequate insurance fraud laws, especially in relation to immunity for reporting and sharing information; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has strong criminal penalties for insurance fraud; and

WHEREAS, A fraud bureau exists to investigate workers' compensation fraud; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has a Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Council, funded by a $1 charge per auto insurance policy, that helps combat vehicle theft and has contributed to a 60% decline in vehicle theft since 1991; and

WHEREAS, A bureau or other facility to investigate property and casualty and medical fraud does not exist; and

WHEREAS, The top recommendation arising from the 2008 Illinois Insurance Fraud Summit held by the NICB was the need for a dedicated insurance fraud prosecutor; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is created the Illinois Insurance Fraud Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be composed of the following members: the Director of the Illinois Department of Insurance or his or her designee, the Director of the Illinois State Police or his or her designee, the Director of the Criminal Justice Information Authority or his or her designee; the Attorney General or his or her designee; the Cook County State's Attorney or his or her designee; the Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department or his or her designee; a local Police Chief designated by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police; a County Sheriff designated by the Illinois County Sheriff's Association; three property and casualty insurance companies designated by the Illinois Insurance Association; the President of the National Insurance Crime Bureau or his or her designee; the President of the Illinois Insurance Association or his or her designee; and the Governor of the State of Illinois or his or her designee; and be it further

RESOLVED, That at the first meeting of the Task Force a chairperson be selected from among its members; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Insurance Fraud Task Force shall (i) investigate the issue of organized insurance fraud crime, especially as related to the rapidly escalating problem of medical fraud, (ii) examine methods to unite the collective resources of the insurance industry with appropriate components of federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies to pinpoint organized criminal schemes, and (iii) examine concepts for establishing a permanent and financially sustained public-private partnership to combat insurance fraud crimes with emphasis placed on the establishment of a dedicated investigative and prosecutorial focus on insurance fraud crimes; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois Insurance Fraud Task Force submit a report of its findings and recommendations to this body on or before August 30, 2013.