Adopted by the 1996 Session of the General Assembly, HJR 55 (Appendix A) and an identical counterpart, SJR 36, created a joint subcommittee consisting of legislators and citizen representatives to study the feasibility of establishing an insurance fraud bureau.

The following General Assembly members were appointed to the joint subcommittee: Delegates Heilig from Norfolk, Armstrong from Martinsville, Scott from Fairfax, and Tate from Marion, together with Senators Colgan from Manassas, Bolling from Mechanicsville and Martin from Chesterfield. Additional members of the subcommittee included the Honorable Jerry W. Kilgore, Secretary of Public Safety, George R. Dishner and Daniel J. Peacock representing property and casualty insurers, Gail Marshall and Eddie L. Perry representing consumers of insurance, Ronald M. Johnston representing life and health insurers, Alfred Gross representing the State Corporation Commission, and John E. Kloch representing the Association of Commonwealth Attorneys. Delegate Heilig and Senator Colgan served as Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively.

The resolution charged the joint subcommittee with studying (i) whether an insurance fraud bureau should be established in the Commonwealth, (ii) what classes or lines of insurance should be subject to investigation by such bureau, (iii) what powers should be granted fraud bureau investigators, and (iv) how such a bureau should be funded. The subcommittee considered these issues during public meetings, and concluded its work by recommending draft legislation that defines the crime of insurance fraud and creates an insurance fraud bureau. This legislation was not approved by the 1997 General Assembly.