23-61-108. Rules.

23-61-108. Rules. (a)(1) The Insurance Commissioner, in consultation with the Secretary of the Department of Commerce, may make reasonable rules necessary for or as an aid to the effectuation of any provision of the Arkansas Insurance Code. (2) No rule shall extend, modify, or conflict with any law of this state or the reasonable implications thereof. (3) Any rule affecting persons or matters other than the personnel or the internal affairs of the commissioner's office shall be made or amended only after a hearing thereon of which notice was given as required by § 23-61-304. (4) If reasonably possible, the commissioner shall set forth the proposed rule or amendment in or with the notice of hearing. (5) No rule as to which a hearing is required under this subsection shall be effective until after it has been on file as a public record in the commissioner's office, and otherwise as provided by law, for at least ten (10) days. (b)(1) The commissioner, in consultation with the Secretary of the Department of Commerce, shall have the authority to promulgate rules necessary for the effective regulation of the business of insurance or as required for this state to be in compliance with federal laws. (2) The commissioner shall have the authority to coordinate regulatory activities and administration with other states and their appropriate regulatory officials and with the federal government with respect to the regulation of insurance. (c) In addition to any other penalty provided, willful violation of any rule shall subject the violator to such denial, suspension, or revocation of certificate of authority or license as may be applicable under the Arkansas Insurance Code for violation of the provision to which the rule relates. (d)(1) The commissioner is authorized to employ the standards and requirements set forth in publications recited in the Arkansas Insurance Code, as those publications existed on January 1, 2001, and adopted and published by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or by other authors in the regulation of insurance, including, but not limited to, the Valuation of Securities Manual, the examiners handbook, the Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual, and the Annual Statement Instructions as published by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (2) The publications identified in subdivision (d)(1) of this section and others recited in and throughout § 23-60-101 et seq. are hereby adopted as they existed on January 1, 2001. (3) The commissioner is authorized and empowered to promulgate rules for the purposes of adopting all or part of other publications of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or publications by other authors if the commissioner determines that such an action is in the best interest of the public. (4) Upon the mailing of written notice by the commissioner to all domestic reporting entities of promulgation and publication by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or other authors of amendments, revisions, or modifications to any publication previously adopted by the commissioner in the Arkansas Insurance Code, such published amendments, revisions, or modifications shall become effective on the date designated by the commissioner in the written notice, which date shall not be earlier than eight (8) months after the date of mailing of the notice. (e) The commissioner is authorized and empowered to adopt rules for the purpose of modifying, amending, or revising any publication promulgated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or other authors, or any published amendments, modifications, or revisions to any such publications if the commissioner determines that such an action is in the best interest of the public. In such an event the effective date of any modification, amendment, or revision shall be the effective date of the rule.