(1) The commissioner may contract, pursuant to section 24-50-504 (2)(c) and (2)(e), with a person that has technical or subject matter expertise or skill and experience in investigative techniques to assist the division in performing investigations of a company or producer pursuant to this title 10 when the commissioner determines that the division lacks sufficient technical expertise to perform the investigation. Investigations conducted pursuant to this section do not include market conduct surveillance actions conducted pursuant to part 3 of this article 1. The commissioner shall, by rule, establish when contract investigators may be used for investigations. The rules must include out-of-state travel requirements, criteria for when special expertise is required for the investigation, and a requirement that there must be a significant pattern of complaints or a well-documented allegation against a company for an investigation to be warranted.
(2) The investigated company or producer shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of a person retained or designated for investigations of the company or producer pursuant to subsection (1) of this section directly to the retained or designated person, as determined by the commissioner. The investigated company or producer may contest the amount of fees and expenses charged by the retained or designated person by filing an objection with the commissioner, setting forth the charges that the investigated company or producer considers to be unreasonable and the basis for the claim that the charges are unreasonable. A disputed amount is not due unless the commissioner reviews the objection and makes a written finding that the disputed charges were reasonable in relation to the investigation performed.
Source: L. 2017: Entire section added, (HB 17-1231), ch. 284, p. 1553, § 1, effective January 1, 2018.