South Dakota Division of Insurance Fall 2023 Newsletter

The South Dakota Division of Insurance's Fall 2023 newsletter provides updates on health care open enrollment, producer licensing examination content review, and securities regulation filings. It also highlights administrative rules adopted, including a pharmacy benefits management complaint process, and offers information on employment opportunities and electronic payment options.

South Dakota Joins Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Commission

South Dakota has officially joined the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Commission (IIPRC) as its 48th member jurisdiction, effective July 1, 2024. This action streamlines the product filing process for certain insurance products, while a separate update modifies the producer license reinstatement timing.

South Dakota DOI Migrating to State Based Systems (SBS)

The South Dakota Division of Insurance is migrating to the State Based Systems (SBS) software, becoming the 36th NAIC member to adopt the system. This transition aims to streamline regulatory tasks, including licensing and compliance, and will involve a temporary system outage for Pearson VUE testing.

Mississippi Fire Deaths After Winter Storm

The Mississippi State Fire Marshal's Office reported 19 fire deaths following Winter Storm Fern, with 14 of these occurring in homes lacking smoke alarms. The notice provides safety tips for heating, generators, and smoke alarm maintenance.

Guidance on Safe Generator Use During Outages

The Mississippi State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) has issued guidance on the safe operation of generators during power outages. The guidance emphasizes carbon monoxide safety, proper generator placement, fuel management, and planning ahead to prevent fires and poisoning.

Finnegan Couple Pleads Guilty to Faulty Fire Suppression Systems Installation

Daniel and Sherri Finnegan, owners of Finnegan Fire Safety Equipment, pleaded guilty to installing faulty fire suppression systems in commercial kitchens across Mississippi. They were sentenced to prison time and ordered to pay restitution totaling over $87,000. The investigation involved multiple counties and over $343,000 in payments from victims.

Mississippi DOI: Test Smoke Alarms During Daylight Saving Time

The Mississippi Insurance Department issued a notice reminding residents to test their smoke alarms as Daylight Saving Time begins. The notice highlights that a significant percentage of fire deaths in Mississippi in 2025 and early 2026 occurred in homes without working smoke alarms.

Mississippi Appoints Chief Deputy Fire Marshal

The Mississippi Department of Insurance announced the appointment of Kevin D. Butler as Chief Deputy Fire Marshal, effective March 9, 2026. Butler will oversee the State Fire Marshal's Office and supervise over 50 employees.

DEA Notice Comment Period

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is providing a comment period for a notice, which closes on April 20, 2026. Interested parties are encouraged to submit their feedback through the Regulations.gov portal.

DEA Proposed Rule Comment Submission

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is providing an opportunity for public comment on a proposed rule. The deadline for submitting comments is April 20, 2026. Interested parties can submit comments through the Regulations.gov portal.