Hit the big cities hardest

In 19 states the increase in these types of accidents in the field of more than 50 percent to 220 percent. The main problems are occurring in major cities, officials said. In Los Angeles, for uninsured drivers, that almost one of four accidents with injuries. At Philadelphia, Denver and Miami, which is a number to three.

”This is a very serious situation for the country,’’said David N. Levinson, Delaware’s Commissioner of Insurance. ”Our opinion polls indicate that people over exciting on uninsured drivers than any other problem that we have indicated, including taxes.”He said that one third of 540000 vehicles in the state, is not guaranteed and that all claims, uninsured drivers has increased by $ 200000 in 1978 to $ 10 million in 1988, the latest year for which figures were available.

Many states, including New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, require drivers to ensure the physical integrity against damage caused by Hit and Run accident or car accidents with driver, the drive illegally without insurance.

Experts say the growth of insurance premiums is at least partially responsible for increasing the number of uninsured drivers. ”The number of uninsured vehicles has increased more rapidly in some areas where insurance costs have risen faster,’’said David L. Unnewehr, Research Director at Insurance Research Council, a professional association, as has recently analyzed data accident, which claimed, uninsured drivers from 1976 to 1986.

New York fares well

Drivers uninsured in New York City caused 8.5 percent of all serious accidents on the lowest rates of 15 cities studied by the Council in 1986. ”New York by the law of insurance is a bit more than other states, “said Unnewehr”,” but we did not get real deep into the reasons for New York had a lower percentage than in other cities.”His study found that the number of serious accidents by drivers who are not policyholders in the state, was half the national average, while the number of accidents almost tripled to 6.3 percent in 1986, 2.3 per cent in 1976.

Other states also have at least a doubling in the number of serious accidents by uninsured drivers were Idaho, North Carolina, Tennessee, Wyoming, Delaware, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota, Colorado and Utah .

The rate clamor on the assurances of PA and requested a dozen other states for the implementation of compulsory motor insurance laws in the past 12 months.

Assekuranz debt

But Mr. Levinson and say that almost all supporters of the implementation of new efforts are inadequate, and they throw the insurance industry to block the implementation of stricter measures. They complain that the content industry in terms of cost recovery, the nation’s total auto insurance from a pool of reduced customer as a means of reducing administrative costs and profits.

”The industry would rather collect $ 750 of you, $ 750 by myself and not a Dead Beat, not insurance,’’said Levinson. ”The industry can not win by collecting $ 500 by you, me $ 500 and $ 500 from another man, it is $ 1500.”

Assekuranz spokesman confirms that businesses against auto insurance mandatory certain laws and strict implementation of measures proposed by States, but they say that companies are consumers of this page on these issues. ”The industry is not able to say, someone must buy insurance, they will have their children before flows,’’said Nagel Shirley Schmidt, a spokesman for the Alliance of American Insurers, a trade group.

Mr. Levinson complained that the insurance sector had violently against the legislation in Delaware in the spring, which requires owners of automobile color, add the labels on the windshield as proof that it had paid for ‘insurance. ”I’ve never seen a lobby as the work effort in my life,”Mr. Levinson, rejected the proposal.

Ms. Schmidt Nagel, said the sector had legislation against the labels, because the procedure would be inconvenience, consumers and increase costs. ”It sent a quantity of paperwork,’’she said.

Characters of the discussion

It is very human to debate.

”The minimum insurance costs $ 600, and it was not possible,’’said a woman 23 years in San Francisco, drives a 1978 Volvo without insurance or registration, and said, the condition they can be identified.

She works in a non-profit organization of citizens’ rights as an intern, earning $ 8.50 an hour. This year it was $ 278 fine for driving without insurance or registration, but had no money to pay. She said she continued to drive illegally, mainly because they do not feel with transit in the night. If it has caused an accident, she said she hopes to cover the other costs through the sale, what was left of his car, bought two years ago for $ 2000.

If this treaty enters into force, the National Highway System designation of the federal law would remove control of speed limits, first imposed fuel as a means of winning in 1974.

Without federal budget, Montana is automatically America’s “highway” status. How many drivers in Germany by major highways, drivers in Montana interstates on the face of every day is not time to speed limits, because she screamed by Big Sky Country.

A generation of state legislators in the West has reacted violently to the introduction of the maximum speed of the National Institute of the nation maximum speed to 55 mph. States that do not comply ran the risk of losing highway money. During 1987, we read had the chance to raise the ceiling to 65 km / h on interstates in rural areas.

The dream to follow a regime of the race over vast green spaces, the state legislature, in the west accepted speed limits, which take effect only if the Confederation borders have been lifted. In Montana, lawmakers voted to restore a pre-1974 set by law, that motorists should drive at a rate reasonable and prudent. ”

Mr. Clinton has objected to the provision speed limit and other parts of the highway bill, but it is feared, to sign it.

By its signature, maximum speed limits of 75 mph directly to Kansas, Nevada and Wyoming, and 70 km / h in California, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. Colorado’s legislative debate, a proposal to increase to a maximum of 75 km / h

In the East overloaded has not adopted any measures were taken. In certain countries in Eastern Europe, like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, speed limits can not be amended in the State Legislature. Others, like Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont, require action committees of public transport.

In the Rocky Mountain west, some have long argued that geography and population density of light provide a great fast lane.

“We have fewer people in this state that throughout the city of Honolulu, and three times as many cows as human beings,” said Andrew Malcolm, a spokesman Dir of Montana, Marc Racicot And provides a justification for opening up speed limits. “Public opinion is strongly in favour of old borders,” he added, referring to the state constitution-1974 before the law.

Security and insurance companies are to recommend to Mr. Clinton to veto the highway bill, which would be $ 6.5 billion in aid for states and the costs of a number of other Federal Regulations, as a motorcycle helmet, a ban on Billboard highways and a theatrical number of rules under the truck.

Presses M. Clinton, a security group, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, recalled that his father died in a car accident. “We can not repeal the law of physics,” said Katherine Hutt, a spokesman for the Washington advocacy group. “Physics in effect doubling every 10 miles an hour on the current speed limit. ”

Realizing that 4694 people died on Interstate outages during the past year, the group said: “The Congress has examined the account of a highway for the first time in history, more ‘ To kill Americans, as it saves. ”

Monday, the consumer advocate Ralph Nader implored President, to view, please, what is at issue - between 6000 and 7000 more deaths each year, tens of thousands wounded, disable, $ 19 billion in the field of public health and costs because a higher insurance rates higher worker compensation premiums, plus air pollution, more imported oil and more risks on the highway putting out of the police. ”

Within five years after Congress raised rural speed limits to 65 km / h, deaths rose 30 percent on routes where speed limits have been collected, according to a study by the Federal Department of Transportation, said Speed contributes to one third of all highway deaths.

East favorable to the security’m wondering how the pilot of Flight Montana prices next month when they arrive on a stray cow or a patch of ice while traveling 100 km / h, the deadliest of the Interstate east in Montana, on I-90 in Silver Bow County, Computer-Aided a case study of death intergovernmental this month Hearst newspaper. From 1990 to 1994, measured in the study, the number of fatal breakdowns per 100 million kilometres travelled.

Los Angeles County had the highest number of fatal blockages, 395 in the country over the past five years. But Los Angeles-.391 rate of fatal breakdowns per 100 million kilometres, was well below the 6.2 per 100 million miles on I-90 in Silver Bow County.

Between rural Utah, New Mexico and Texas are not far behind. Alaska was the biggest drop deadly in the country. The national quota fell to 1.8 in 1993 to 2.8 in 1982.

In a survey in the past defenders for April Highway Safety and automobiles, 64 percent of respondents strongly against increasing the maximum allowable speed of 65 km / h between Western Although the legislature has been a force National for the abolition of speed limits, survey respondents in the West and Middle West against increasing the maximum speed allowed by the majority something more than the national average - 66 percent and 67.5 percent .

With 100 m.p.h. on the horizon, a panel of security experts Montana, last week invited the State to limit to 70 km / h and a fine of $ 25 for anything that is up.

Montana’s speeding ticket of $ 5 was officially a “ticket to energy conservation, digging in Washington’s efforts for national representation a speed limit than gasoline-saving action.

With the next legislative session, Montana is not expected before January 1997, Dir Racicot said he did not intend to a special meeting to discuss the maximum speed allowed.

Not all Westerners are enthusiastic about the idea of the open coil.

Utah should at least their experience of safety on the highway speed reduced for good speed right, “The New DESERET Salt Lake City editorialized the last week.” Ie speed relatively sparsely populated , Rural, but low limits along highways, near large cities. In Texas, The Dallas Morning News editorial said: “the repeal of the speed limit is irresponsible.”

But the thirst for speed remains strong for modern drivers such as USA want to play in modern American employees.

Last February, Andrew W. Warner, a computer science student at the University of Vanderbilt, president of the World Wide Web Speed Trap Chancery, a state-by-state listing on the Internet of police radar zones. The firm went to 3,200 entries. And since its inception, Mr. Warner reports, about 2.5 million people have on them.

Given that national clamor for lowering auto insurance premiums also a proposal for an early solution to the attention of consumers and will enter into force for the insurance industry. The idea is simple: State laws that give the driver a choice between error and non-political mistake.

Drivers of private vehicles, can choose to be completed by political responsibility, with higher premiums or errors almost exclusively non-political, with lower premiums, not let the fact that individuals complain.

New project “Start”, a non-profit group of industry and consumers subsistence, it was found that products from USA in the adoption of the plan. Virginia Knauer, advisor of Consumer Affairs, President Nixon, Ford and Reagan, was named chairman of its national.

Certains”des USA are in a crisis situation immediately with a high level of auto insurance rates,’’said Knauer. ”We have a conversation about savings up to 30, 40, 50 per cent.”

At a national conference on auto insurance in Alexandria, Virginia, last month, Mrs. Knauer submitted the plan of his group, composed of proposals by Jeffrey O’Connell, a law professor at the University of Virginia, contributed write the first no-fault model law during the year 1966. New Jersey has established a similar approach to Jan 1, when it began to allow motorists the choice between the right to complain or approval not to try to justice, in most situations. “An approach gangbarer”

A leader of consumers, supports this dual strategy is James Brown, director of the Center for Consumer Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. ”This is a positive step,”he said. ”Given political realities, it is an approach gangbarer.”

Among the assurances of managers in favour of the concept is James F. Perry, Associate General Counsel of the State Farm Insurance Companies, the largest nation of the writer private automobile insurance. ”Our first reaction was that it was a heavy, uncomfortable idea,”he said. ”But how we react to the difficulties encountered in the right device, operating on no-fault insurance regulation, it seems to be an end to the dilemma.”

In no mistake, insurance is generally required for financial losses from their own insurance companies, whatever caused an accident. Nineteen years after Massachusetts adopted the first such law, only 14 States had no real mistakes systems. And few of them can appeal if the serious injury or permanent, as the State laws and regulations.

According to the Institute of Insurance Information in New York, ie no real assurance of debt are Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota , New Jersey, New York, North South Dakota and Utah. Three of them - Florida, Michigan and New York - have strong no-fault laws, within the limits of costumes automatic injuries.

Insurance companies, a sharp rise in prices of attack to say that premiums are nothing more than a reflection of their cost. Their reaction is to support the passage of no-fault legislation, particularly those who allow themselves only when serious injuries, the costs to better meet the needs.

”There is no doubt that insurance companies have a genuine obligation of man are violated,’’said John J. Martin, the chairman of Aetna Life and Casualty Company’s division of the personal financial security and the president of the Insurance Information Institute. ”But we have a commitment just as legitimate as people, not debt. What is-no-fault, is the low demand from the litigation environment.” ‘Fast, more equitable and humane ”

Robert Pike, a Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Allstate Insurance Company, said:”No error provides several dollars of USA, the customer pays for new customers of the benefits. The error is based on waste, inefficiency and delays. From non-guilt is a rapid, just and humane way of compensating victims.

Many people do not realize that insurance companies offer dozens of special discounts, interfaces up to 35 per cent of their tax rates, industry experts.

“Thus, although all consumers can do something to reduce their automobile insurance costs, irrespective of their tour d ‘,” said Amy Gergley, consumers, communications director at Independent Insurance Agents of America, one non-profit trade group in Washington, DC

For example, a reduction in your rate if you have a good tour d ‘, airbags and other safety devices, alarm or a car. Some companies offer a break for young drivers, a B-above average. Others are subtracted costs for people give their word, they are not drinking alcohol.

“Sometimes, we must ask about discounts, if not ask you,” said Gergley.

Look for the best offer

Where should we start to cut your car insurance costs? The easiest time to think before you buy a car, some experts said. Some cars are much cheaper to achieve, depending on the brand.

Perhaps like the fashion, a “low profile” car, which will begin someone’s attention, “said Jayna Naegle, a spokesman for the insurance industry Information Institute, New York-based industry group.

In other words, you have the remarkable sports car, times more expensive to repair - and avoid cars most frequently stolen, as some models of Honda Accords and Oldsmobile Cutlass Supremes, said Naegle.
  It is also crucial to the shop for the best price, because the policy can vary from several hundred dollars for the same coverage, said Tom Blum, head of Consumer Reports’ auto-insurance prices.

“It is not uncommon for differences in rates of hundreds of dollars,” said Blum. “The trend is that the cost of automobile insurance. But that does not mean that your bill.”

Doing your homework is particularly important for human beings, especially for higher prices, for example, families with adolescents, persons with a history of tickets or accidents, to live the city and tilting long distance, Blum said.

“I saw a driver of change in New Jersey at $ 7000,” said Blum. If the high price quote seems unworthy, it is likely to compete with the institution not want for your company.

Prices vary greatly from state to state. While you move is not necessarily money automobile insurance costs, they could influence your choice if you move into a new area, said Gergley. For example, if you have a new job in Washington, DC automobile insurance rates would be otherwise if you live in Washington, Baltimore or Virginia.

When Mike McGavick and Mike LaRocco manipulates its orders, jeeps twirled, tourbillonné, and even blocked a few times in a festive, if this is something ironic, the introduction of the new company Auto Insurance Program.

It was a difficult time for the company, “said McGavick, President and Chief Executive, after his jeep lost LaRocco’s.” It is important to have fun, laugh a little. I humiliating. ”

Despite the slight heart atmosphere in the cafeteria yesterday afternoon, the event was planned to celebrate the introduction of a new programme of serious, that the company has more than doubled its market, offering policies d ‘insurance to 95 per cent of drivers, demand quotation marks. McGavick and other leaders believe that the program will play an important role in the care insurers combat profitable to grow.

“As the first Mike received here last January, and as I began in August, we were on the turn to speak,” said LaRocco, President and Chief Operating Officer of the company’s personal insurance industry .

“We are not talking about not turning. Now we are in discussion on the future yet adult, for example a serious competitor.”

The Company automobile insurance business currently on the spot 13 in the country, “said LaRocco, a ranking he considers as” unacceptable “.

Safeco’s goal is in the top five of the next ten years, a goal that some Wall Street analysts said is hard.

But his new car Insurance Program, which can be divided Safeco driver in no less than 15 storeys, is a good start, “she said. The system is authorized, instead Staff selection of three levels.

“The ability to have more important in the field of personal insurance is the ability to segment prices and risks,” said Alain Karaoglan, an analyst at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. segments, the more you have, the more you helps to differentiate and assessment Hence the risks and benefits in one of these risks. It is of crucial importance for talent. ”

For the first time with this program, Safeco propose measures to promote or not at high risk, the pilot under its own brand name. So far, this policy has been under a non-Safeco mark.

LaRocco would not say exactly what criteria the company to benefit from their ranking driver - The model is the owner - but he said that a potential customer, in addition to the solvency of a dozen factors considered in countries where the law allows.

Karaoglan said he would not be surprised to see Safeco adopt the new program and LaRocco has shown the experience gained in Geico and Progressive.

Progressive, in particular, Karaoglan said, was a success in determining the risk a relationship with customers.

Safeco agents began with the new self-insurance program yesterday in three countries - South Carolina, Utah and Arizona. Others will follow in the next 12 months.

The self-insurance program is part of a series of changes McGavick and other leaders have agents on a road show that began in January.

“Quite simply,” he said. “We want to give our officers more to sell, and we want to make it easier for them for more money. It is a centerpiece of the program. It is a huge Safeco day.

Standing in the middle of the cafeteria of the provisional race yesterday, McGavick acknowledged that the corporate culture at the company under its mandate.

Although the company is the famous white T-shirt policy lasted only until 1996, it was close, long before McGavick arrived.

And while some say that the company had started to relax a little in previous years McGavick came on board, others refer to changes, he did.

Although both cases, different circumstances, both sides confusion about the intentions of legislators in law the rights of insurance.

Gloria Eaquinta wanted to say misuse automobile death of his 43-year-old son in his car underinsured policy, even if his son does not live with it, it was still in its policy.

Richard Hutchins, Eaquinta lawyer, argued that the law stipulates a policy underinsured can claim, but the death is not defined, including death. Because the law recognizes as an unlawful infringement of the death and loss that legitimate insurance claims may be a spouse, child or parent, Hutchins argued that his client, helped assemble the pieces. A decision by the lower court does not agree.

“The complainant suffered a loss of rights recognized in this case,” Hutchins argued, adding the “death” in the law can not be ruled out, their son.

Todd Turnblom, a lawyer for Allstate Insurance Co., the fight against Eaquinta was the request made to companies for an extension of their inadequacy against a adult son, was not their policy.

What is the harm, if not injured? “Turnblom requested adding the case could set a precedent in the law of deceased persons in love its policy, even if the deceased had never been covered.

Justice Matthew Durrant requested that, if the language was ambiguous law, the Tribunal does not exclude, it is necessary for the place Eaquinta’s Allstate’s.

Turnblom said the claim should be barred because Eaquinta was not in any vehicle in the accident and, therefore, their policies should not be used to cover the death.

In another case, a car owner’s rights to liability insurance, the son of his car accident, even if the insurer is not the son of man in the household, because he a high risk drivers.

Daniel Bertch, lawyer Abdul Afridi, said State Farm Insurance Co., tries to have its cake and eat it too.

Bertch said the law requires the firm to confirm that Afridi son had proof of insurance elsewhere.

According to court documents, Afridi was reader son of his father, the owners of vehicles under its insurance policy, vehicles, which is not the driver. But if the son of his father and private vehicles arrived at an accident, that the policy would not apply.

“She knew it would not cover this situation,” said Paul Belnap, a lawyer for State Farm and pointed out that Afridi had signed the Convention. The decline in the Court of testimony, both father and son have understood that the political borders and the son said he knew he would not be assured, his father when he vehicle without permission.

Bertch affirms the right to ask Utah, is the insurance company to ensure that people are excluded from basic auto insurance elsewhere.

Justices in question, if this burden represents insurance companies in a Catch 22 Bertch that State Farm had the opportunity to say, Afridi, for its business elsewhere added State Farm had the responsibility to open.

Justice Michael Wilkins said, it appeared in a contract both parties have to be honest. “No they have an obligation to behave with them?” Wilkins asked.

So couinement tires, they realize that the car was quickly behind him on I-15, weaving and deviation from the middle of traffic at night.

It was 2 hours and Gandre fired toward the side of the road to change the reckless driver. But before the car has typed in his Toyota 4Runner walk 65 km per hour and zerschellte the driver side door. The impact slammed his head in the window and its board of the knee in the bars.

Gandre looked, knocked to see the other car. She received the license number and establish the car was a late model white Mercedes.

However, the moral of the story, said Erika’s father, Brent Gandre is that if you are the victim of a hit-and-Run-pilot that you have on your own.

“Where are you from? The police did not help. The insurance company tries to jump. We have no problems. What are people to do?” Gandre requested past, has more than a month prodding of police officers and insurance for help.

Twenty-four-year-old Erika Gandre thought it was doing its part - Prime licence number of the car as they were led away after the crash of May 15.

As it turned out that it was not enough.

Indeed, even if you have the number the plate and a description of the dignity of the car, if you’re not injured, the legal system has little incentive not to catch the wrong type. Have a late payment in the mixture of insurance and Erika Gandre and their parents had a problem of $ 4000 in his hands.

“We also contacted many people, and nobody did anything,” said Erika Gandre. “I thought: Hit and Run. Immense. I was wrong.”

Case closed?

A mix-up with Thomas the Insurance Agency of Salt Lake City and its parent company, Progressive Insurance Companies Classic, was also great concern for the family that Brent Gandre said, it is the introduction of a complaint with the National Insurance Division. It is also important for the driver himself conduit.

“I’m not with her. I would like to report to be considered for its acts that money,” said Brent Gandre. “It must guarantee Hit and Run - plus, he was travel without insurance. I’ll do anything for my late corral this guy.”

Because if it is in many cases with the police, workloads and resources, the Utah Highway Patrol made a few cursory search the driver, then finish.

“We know that the registered owner of the vehicle, but we do not know where you,” said Highway Patrol Sgt. Ted Tingey. “We consider this event.

“The problem is that we have a lot of them,” said Tingey, which Hit and Run-case basis. “It is frustrating for people because they want to take responsibility, but in this case, we ran into an impasse after impasse.

Utah legislature - and, more importantly, Senator Carlene Walker - have shown a great moment of approval of management measures for strong protection for consumers of illicit access to their personal data, without paying unnecessarily in relations between consumers and companies, which serve, “said the salt solution.

Senate Bill 69, when the law will be signed will require that consumers be notified when their personal information in possession of data from companies, financial institutions, retailers or other presentations, unauthorized access, stolen or lost. But the first versions of the bill has not prevented the filing of complaints frivolen collective in the context of the alleged breach or statement. PCI has worked with legislators to prohibit changes to create a private right on the activities under the bill, the Association said.

With SB 71, PCI also wanted to ensure access to information for consumers credits for insurance companies, if a credit freeze is in effect a consumer in the file. “At the age of 24 hours of access for consumers of insurance products - online, by phone and with insurance agents - credit freeze would add unnecessary frustration and confusion among consumers, the Instant insurance quotes, Sole said.

“Insurance Companies that access credit reports does not use information relating to the granting of credit or for data transfer non-related companies,” he added. “And criminals steal credit information does not use the data to improve the rate of their insurance. It makes sense for PCI, with legislators to ensure that consumers can protect their personal data without the handicap their ability to obtain the best rates at home or in self-insurance “.

HB 72 bills will help workers who lose benefits of health insurance in competition with operators of the Utah State Workers Compensation Fund for the right to a public indemnity coverage, starting on 1 July 2007, PCI said.

“PCI members hope that this bill is only the first step in efforts to ensure a fair, open market compensation for workers reporting under the Utah Supreme Court ruling last summer that State is a fund of the mutual insurance company is not in possession of Utah State, “said the salt of the solution.

Dir Jon Huntsman, Jr. has until March 21 to act, invoices, by the legislation. Unless stated otherwise, the legislation will take effect on 1 May. But SB 69 is effective Jan 1, 2007 and SB 71 effective September 1, 2008. House Bill 72 takes effect from 1st July 2007.

Jeffrey J. Dailey, Bristol West’s CEO, said Utah is the 33rd largest market for auto insurance to the USA.

Bristol West writes exclusively by insurance agents and brokers. Bristol West is seeking to appoint additional qualified agents in Utah to distribute their products.

NAII opinion on the service and testified recently that the proposed rule goes beyond the status last year. The new Utah law stipulates that allows credit insurers in underwriting initial training and then give a discount to private automobile transportation, politics, if combined with other factors. However, the proposed regulation stipulates that insurers are not allowed, credit information as the main reason for decline or refuse a new private car insurance.

“Our main concern regarding the proposed regulation is that it is not so much the clear intent of the legislature regarding the use of credit information,” said Ann Weber, adviser to NAII . “With the term” primary “creates a multitude of problems, it is difficult to define, and it indicates that it is a balancing of factors. In addition, the legislature began to limit and decided against the use of this concept. ”

As in previous draft rule NAII expressed its concern about the communication to consumers. NAII asked the Division to remove a section addressing an insurer, if the credit commitments used. The commitments beyond, “said Fair Credit Reporting Act and the requirements of the new law.

NAII also requested that the date of enforcement of the rule be modified, one year after the issuance of the rule for insurers sufficient time to properly set up internal systems to comply with the new rule.

In addition to this rule is the department, a proposal for a ban has been Scoring assurance of the session. “The industry has pointed out that the rules being developed for the law adopted last year, there was no need for legislation of this meeting,” said Weber. The bill (HP 216) do not receive support within the committee and was presented. Utah is scheduled appropriate legislative session, March 5, 2003.