Jeff Landry and Tim Temple spar again over how to limit insurance rate increases in Louisiana

They still aren't on the same page.

Gov. Jeff Landry and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple are offering sharply contrasting views over how and why General Motors Insurance entered the Louisiana market – a continuation of a battle between the two Republicans during the regular legislative session over how best to hold down rising insurance rates and who is responsible if that doesn't happen.

Much of their earlier dispute centered on the passage of House Bill 148, which gives whoever is the insurance commissioner the right to reject excessive rate increases without backing up the decision with hard data.

Landry pushed HB148 through the Legislature, over Temple's objections, with the governor saying that if rates keep rising, the public should then blame the insurance commissioner.

The latest disagreement began Wednesday when Landry touted General Motors' move as proof his approach is working.

"This announcement is a testament to the work accomplished during the legislative session to bring about real insurance reform," Landry posted on social media. "Today marks a new milestone in affordable auto coverage. This is just the beginning of a more consumer friendly insurance market."

Not so fast, countered Temple, providing a timeline showing that General Motors made its decision before the Legislature passed pro-insurance industry bills favored by the governor and the insurance commissioner in June. On top of that, Temple said those measures don't go far enough in making insurance companies want to invest in Louisiana and keep down rates.

"I look forward to working with the Legislature to continue identifying the areas of our legal system that make us an outlier and addressing those distinctions to align our legal system with best state practices, thereby enacting the meaningful legal reforms that our citizens deserve," Temple said. "If we want to see change in our market, it starts with meaningful change in our legal environment."

Landry then responded to Temple.

"General Motors is expanding to Louisiana," Landry posted. "Period. End of question."

But he went on.

"It's unfortunate that the Department of Insurance feels the need to distort the facts that bring our citizens relief," Landry added. "Collectively we should celebrate good news! The Legislature and I worked hard to get us to this point, and we will continue to open the door to any insurance companies that want to do business in our state."

Landry gave no credit to Temple for his role in passing the pro-industry measures.

On Thursday, Temple sought to lower political temperatures.

He said he was simply trying to set the record straight the day before, adding, "I want to emphasize that I have no interest in entering into a public disagreement" with Landry.

That was not the approach taken by state Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, who saw Landry veto his pro-insurance industry bill in June and then accuse him of pushing legislation to benefit his pocketbook. Seabaugh, an attorney, represents insurance companies that have been sued.

"Jeff's post was clearly untrue," Seabaugh said, referring to Wednesday's post. "It's hard not to call it a lie. Jeff was clearly trying to spin something into something it's not. Thankfully, Tim corrected the record."

Sen. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, who chairs the Senate Insurance Committee, wanted no part of the Landry/Temple dustup, saying only: "I'm glad GM Insurance has decided to come to Louisiana. We need more competition to drive rates down."

Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, who chairs the House Insurance Committee, also lauded GM's decision, adding: "We need to be worrying less about who is going to get the credit and more about how this is going to impact the people of Louisiana."

While Temple said he didn't want to continue the quarrel with Landry on Thursday over GM Insurance, he showed on a podcast last week that he will still decry the passage of HB148.

"It introduced the notion that the reason rates are high in Louisiana today is because the commissioner doesn't have the authority to hold down excessive rates," he said on the "State of Freedom" podcast. "That is further from the truth. I have denied rates more than 20 times. This introduces a subjectivity that I can wave a magic wand and reduce rates."

Temple then referred to a news story which reported that 16 of the 17 spending projects killed by Landry through the line-item veto were sponsored by Republicans who voted against HB148.

"I came into this office, not to be political but to bring my experienced background and knowledge to try and shape Louisiana into a more competitive marketplace," Temple said. "This has introduced a sticking point in our marketplace that we did not have to have."

Jim Donelon, the previous insurance commissioner, said he believes Temple has his facts right on when General Motors Insurance came to Louisiana, noting that it usually takes months from when a company submits its initial review until it can begin operating.

The larger issue, though, is that the fight between Landry and Temple harms Louisiana, Donelon said.

"It sends a message to the market nationwide that we're not going to get our act together to do real reform, unlike what was done in Florida with a Republican governor and Legislature when they addressed their crisis," Donelon said.

Sen. Royce Duplessis, a Democrat from New Orleans, said during the legislative session that Temple sides too often with insurance companies.

On Thursday, he said the fact that GM Insurance decided to come to Louisiana before the legislative session began "is probably indicative that insurance companies are making big profits in Louisiana. Those savings are not being passed on to consumers. We're not seeing lower rates."