Torres to Head Senate Insurance Panel; Vows Voice for Consumer

Sen. Art Torres, a Los Angeles Democrat who describes himself as a “bad taste” in the mouths of insurance companies, Wednesday was appointed chairman of the powerful Senate Insurance Committee, succeeding former Sen. Alan Robbins.

Torres, a sometimes maverick member of the Legislature since 1974, was chosen over freshman Sen. Patrick Johnston (D-Stockton), a supporter of no-fault automobile insurance who sometimes voted with the industry and sometimes against it.

The appointment of Torres, regarded as a liberal, led a Rules Committee reshuffle of committee chairmanships and assignments.

The insurance panel, whose members historically have received generous campaign contributions from the insurance industry, is one of the most powerful committees in the Legislature. Its decisions can affect the pocketbooks of millions of Californians and businesses who pay for auto and fire coverage, and health to title insurance.

Often, the committee worked in the shadows, especially under Robbins, who resigned from the Senate in November after he pleaded guilty to federal charges of accepting bribes and other illegal dealings. The federal investigation has focused on one of the Capitol’s most powerful insurance lobbyists, Clay Jackson, whose office was raided by federal agents the same day Robbins’ agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to the charges was announced.

The appointment of a successor to Robbins had been closely watched as a signal of whether Senate Leader David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) and other leaders intended to shake up the Insurance Committee.

“It’s not going to be business as usual where a few key lobbyists determine the policy of the state,” Torres said. “The consumers are going to have a big voice in this committee.”

Torres has said that he tangled with the insurance lobby as a freshman assemblyman in 1975 when he introduced a bill to outlaw the practice of denying insurance coverage on the basis of where a person lived. He said the industry ever since “has had a bad taste in their mouths about me.”

He said the committee this session will try to enact an automobile insurance reform bill and a health insurance plan for the 8 million Californians who lack medical coverage. He also said the panel would try to overhaul the workers’ compensation system, which virtually everyone agrees serves neither employers nor employees well.

The Rules Committee’s action did not brighten the prospects for a no-fault insurance program this year. The Judiciary Committee in the Senate has the last word on no-fault, not the Insurance Committee, and has voted against it. No changes were made in the membership of the Judiciary Committee that would tilt the balance in favor of no-fault.

Under no-fault, long advocated by the insurance industry, a driver’s own coverage pays most costs resulting from an accident--regardless of who caused the crash.

The Rules Committee also appointed freshman Sen. Charles M. Calderon (D-Whittier) as chairman of the Toxics Committee, replacing Torres; Sen. Wadie P. Deddeh (D-Bonita) to chair the Banking Committee, replacing Sen. Rose Ann Vuich (D-Dinuba), who will retire this year; Sen. Leroy Greene (D-Carmichael) to chair the Revenue and Taxation Committee, succeeding Deddeh; and freshman Sen. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena), to chair the Housing Committee, succeeding Greene.