Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-04-25
NO. 16o.

AN act Ct TO CREATE ERE! THE OFFICE
AND rs AMEND D AND REPEAL
CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE
PUBLIC STATUTES AND SEES
SION LAWS RELATING TO IN
SURANCE COMMISSIONERS
AND INSURANCE EXPERT.
1t is hereby enacted by the General
Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Section l. The governor shall, forth
with after the time this act takes effect,
and biennially thereafter, in the month
of January, with the advice and consent
of the senate, appoint an insurance COM
missioner. No person shall be eligible
to the office Of insurance commissioner
who is an officer or stakeholder of an
insurance company, or who receives, di
rectly or indirectly, any compensation
from an insurance company.
Sec. 2. Said commissioner shall have
supervision of all insurance companies
and associations doing or attempting to
do business under charter, compact or
agreement making guaranty, contract
or pledge of insurance; and all the pow
ers, duties and liabilities now by law
imposed upon the secretary of state and
state treasurer as insurance commits
sioncrs are hereby imposed upon said
commissioner: and the words Insurance
commissions" are hereby inserted in
lieu of the words insurance commits
sioners" and in lieu of the word "com-
Imissioners" when used in referring to
the insurance commissioners, as used in
the Public Statutes. acts of 1908, 1910,
1912, 1915, 1917 and the General Laws.
Sec. 3. Said insurance commissioner
shall have the supervision of the insur-
ancc of state property and shall, sub
ject to the approval Of the governor,
have insured all property belonging to
the state in FIRE insurance companies
doing business in this state, at such rates
and such valuation as said commissioner
deems for the best interest Of the state.
Insurance policies covering such prop
be payable to the state. Such policies
shall be filed and kept in the Office Of
: the state treasurer.
. Sec. a. Said commissioner shall be
, cx officio FIRE marshal and as such may
| investigate all fire losses and for sucl,
| purpose may issue subpoenas, require the
production of documents. books and
| papers ard administer oaths. The county
court, justice of the supreme court or
a superior judge shall have power to
enforce proper proceedings, the attend
ance and testimony of witnesses and the
. production and examination of books
, papers, records and documents before
! said commissioner, and, in the case of a
corporation, the provisions of sections
. four thousand two hundred and fifty
/ two to four thousand two hundred and
/ fifty-six, both inclusive. of the Public
: Statutes shall apply. Said commissioner
shall, il he believes that fire loss was
, occasioned through the criminal conduct
J of any person, notify the proper prosecut'
. Sec. 5. The secretary of state, state
, treasurer and the expert now employed
: by virtue OF the provisions of No. " o.
, the acts of 1919, shall, upon being mott
! fed of the appointment of said commits
sioner, forthwith deliver to said commits
/ soner all books, documents and files ir
their possession as insurance commits
sioncrs and expert respectively.
| Sec. 6. Section 45z1 of the Public
, Statutes (Sec. 538I of the General Laws
as proposed) is hereby amended so al
; to read as follows:
3 Sec. 4s72. (Sec. 1891 G. L. The in
| surance commissioner shall keep on fl,
/ in his office all instruments, papers ane
( documents required by law to be flee
' with him. and copy thereof made ant
/ certified by him shall be competent evi
/ dencc in the courts.
> Sec. ?. Section 4s73 of the Publ,
Statutes (Sec. $3.50 OF the General Laws
e as proposed) is hereby amended so a
4 Ito read as follows:
Sec. 4s73. (Sec. s3ss G. L.) Sait
lcommissioner shall annually make 70