What action can the Rhode Island Insurance Commissioner NOT take when serious violations are detected?

The Rhode Island Insurance Commissioner has specific powers and responsibilities when it comes to enforcing insurance laws and regulations. One of the key aspects of the Commissioner's authority is to ensure compliance with existing laws rather than arbitrarily changing them.

Creating additional regulations to improve responses can be within the purview of the Commissioner, as this allows for a more timely response to emerging issues in the insurance market. Similarly, issuing subpoenas and cease and desist orders are direct enforcement actions that the Commissioner can take to address serious violations, ensuring entities comply with current regulations.

However, the power to amend the insurance code itself is typically not within the Commissioner's direct authority. Amendments to the insurance code generally require legislative approval, meaning that changes must go through the state legislature and cannot be enacted solely by the Commissioner. This is what distinguishes the Commissioner's ability to enforce regulations from the power to change the underlying laws governing insurance practices in Rhode Island.