Preliminary Schedule Available for January 2007 MPC Meeting

A preliminary schedule for the upcoming MPC meeting, which will be held January 15-17, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla., has been posted on the meeting Web page. Users may need to log in after clicking on the link to access the file, which can be found in the "Meeting Resources" section.

The schedule is in PDF format, and users will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print the materials. Acrobat Reader is available free from Adobe.

In addition, the deadline for making hotel reservations at the NOLHGA room rate has passed. Attendees should contact the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress to check on room availability. The hotel has informed NOLHGA that no rooms are available on January 17, but rooms should be available on other nights.

If you have any trouble accessing the meeting Web page or preliminary schedule, please contact Dan Hicks at [email protected] or 703.787.4112. If you have any questions about the meeting, contact Sean McKenna at [email protected] or 703.787.4106.

NOLHGA Chooses Amelia Island for 2007 Annual Meeting

NOLHGA has chosen the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island in Amelia Island, Fla., as the site of its 24th Annual Meeting. The meeting will be held on October 9 and 10, 2007, with an MPC meeting scheduled for October 8.

The meeting will follow the format of the last few NOLHGA Annual Meetings, with an MPC reception on the night of October 8; the welcome luncheon, first general session, annual business meeting, and large group function on October 9; and a group breakfast and second general session on October 10. The meeting is expected to adjourn by noon that day.

The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island is a 25-minute drive from Jacksonville International Airport and is also close to the Georgia state line. For more information on the hotel, click here. More information on NOLHGA's Annual Meeting will appear in the NOLHGA Wire and other NOLHGA publications in the coming months.

July 2007 MPC Slated for San Francisco

The July 2007 MPC meeting will he held in San Francisco at the Stanford Court Hotel on Nob Hill. The July 10 and 11 meeting will precede NOLHGA's 15th Annual Legal Seminar, which will be held on July 12 and 13. For more information about the MPC meeting, please contact Sean McKenna at [email protected] or 703.787.4106.

Changes on Capitol Hill Unlikely to Affect OFC

The changes in House and Senate leadership as a result of last month's elections are not likely to impact negatively the discussions on optional federal charter legislation in the 2007 congressional session. Both versions of the National Insurance Act--introduced in the Senate by Senators Johnson (D-S.Dak.) and Sununu (R-N.H.) on April 5, 2006, together with a companion bill introduced in the House by Rep. Royce (R-Calif.) on September 28, 2006--are expected to be reintroduced in early 2007. These measures are widely considered bipartisan efforts to modernize the insurance industry. The incoming chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), has recently expressed reservations about optional federal charters on the property/casualty side of the insurance business but indicated that an optional federal charter for life companies may be worth considering.