Doak to Holland: Be Consistent on Fee Hikes

GOP Insurance Commissioner candidate John Doak called on Democrat Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland for some more consistency regarding fee increases. Read more below:

Doak Calls on Holland to be Consistent on State Fee Increases
Continued silence from Holland on MVR fee increase indicates political motives

TULSA, OKLA. (July 24, 2010) – John Doak, Republican candidate for State Insurance Commissioner, today challenged the current insurance commissioner, Kim Holland, to petition the Oklahoma Supreme Court to block the bill that increased the cost to obtain driving records to the highest in the nation for the second time.

“Oklahoma insurers use these records to underwrite auto policies," Doak said. "It's business 101, to understand; if you raise a fee, especially that high on business, it’s going to be passed on to the ratepayer.

“Holland’s lawsuit is clearly political grandstanding to enhance her fundraising efforts by using the Oklahoma Supreme Court for political purposes,” Doak said. “Holland was silent while both the motor vehicle records and the 1 percent tax on health care were in committee, passed in the House, were sent to the Senate and signed into law. She is only opposing the insurance tax now because she, as a 2008 Oklahoma delegate for Barack Obama in the reddest state in the nation, is fighting for her political life.”

Holland’s petition to the court to block the bill that would install a 1 percent tax on health care claims paid in Oklahoma questions whether the state’s prohibition against passing a revenue bill within the last five days of session was violated.

“Both the 1 percent tax and the fee increase for motor vehicle records passed within five days of the end of the legislative session,” Doak said. “You can’t ask to block one on the grounds that its passage violated the state constitution without asking to block the other on the same grounds.”

Doak cites Article 5, Section 33 of the Oklahoma State Constitution, which prohibits the passage of revenue bills during the final five days of the legislative session, in his request. He made a similar request in June.

“You can’t pick and choose your principles,” Doak said. “Holland’s continued silence on the MVR fee increase further indicates that her move to block the 1 percent tax on health care, which would be harmful to Oklahomans and Oklahoma business, is mere political grandstanding rather than action to protect consumers as she claims. Holland would never have filed a lawsuit to block the legislation if her re-election were not in serious jeopardy.

“I hope she will do what is right for our state and petition the court to stop the MVR increase in addition to the health care tax. Both bills passed in violation of the state constitution and would result in higher insurance premiums for Oklahomans.”

Doak has led the charge to protect Oklahomans from the irresponsible 1 percent increase on health care claims. In May, he challenged Holland to stand up for the people of Oklahoma and ask the Governor not to sign the bill into law. Doak has received hundreds of signatures on the petition he started to repeal the bill. Sign the petition at votefordoak.com.