The leading figure in state regulation and the head of a majorinsurance industry trade group pushing for optional federalcharters will meet face-to-face in a "Great Debate" over stateversus federal regulation next month in Las Vegas, with a nationalWebcast rematch set for September.

The debates will pit Kansas Insurance Commissioner SandyPraeger, who is president of the National Association of InsuranceCommissioners, against American Insurance Association PresidentMarc Racicot, former governor of Montana.

The live debate--to be held on Aug. 4, kicking off the NationalInsurance Industry Convention and Expo at the Mirage Hotel in LasVegas--will be moderated by National Underwriter Editor In ChiefSam Friedman.

"If you cannot be in Las Vegas, the two will have a shorter, butno less lively debate for a national audience as the keynote eventat NU's second annual Virtual Conference on Sept. 25," he added,noting that details on how to log on for the Web event will bereleased soon.

"This debate takes on added urgency, with Congress this fallconsidering whether to set up a federal Insurance InformationOffice as a first step in a transition to an optional federalcharter," noted Mr. Friedman.

NAIC has offered conditional support to creation of an IIO, butopposes federal chartering. AIA has long called for an optionalfederal charter, although other associations in the industry aremore skeptical, or even hostile to the charter idea.

For more information about the NIICE event, go tohttp://www.niicelasvegas.com/niice/.