Department of Insurance: licensee privacy.

Existing law creates the Department of Insurance, headed by the Insurance Commissioner, and prescribes the department's powers and duties. Existing law requires the department to establish the California Home Insurance Finder and, on or before July 1, 2020, and at least annually thereafter, to update the finder with the names, addresses, phone numbers, and internet website links of licensed insurance agents and brokers. Existing law requires the department to provide on a consumer-oriented internet website a list of certified agents or brokers who may be contacted to purchase a low-cost automobile insurance policy. Existing regulations require the department to maintain a list of licensees that may be transmitted electronically or by regular mail upon request. This bill would prohibit the department from including a licensee's contact information on the California Home Insurance Finder, the low-cost automobile insurance list, the department's internet website, or any other publicly available list if the licensee provides proof to the department that the licensee has been granted a protective or restraining order issued by a civil or criminal court. The bill would also require the department to delete a licensee's contact information from those resources upon receiving proof that the licensee has been granted a protective or restraining order issued by a civil or criminal court. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.