Legislative Bills Pass Through Senate Committee

Senate Bill 10, sponsored by Senate Business and Commerce Committee Chairman Sen. Kelly Hancock, is intended to limit lawsuit abuse following weather-related insurance claims.

At a public hearing on Thursday, April 20, 2017, the Business and Commerce Committee voted favorably to send the bill to the Senate floor. Sens. John Whitmire and Judith Zaffirini voted against passage of the bill.

The companion to the bill in the House of Representatives, House Bill 1774, passed the House Insurance committee earlier this month.

Senate Bill 1070, sponsored by Sen. Hancock, also passed committee after a substitute was presented. The bill relates to credit for reinsurance and is based on a model law that must be adopted this session to meet and retain NAIC accreditation standards.

“The committee sub addresses concerns by the committee members relating to the NAIC’s ability to change aspects of the statute without legislative approval,” Sen. Hancock said at the public hearing. “We took that section from the model act in order to fix that issue.”

As a result, the committee voted unanimously to adopt the committee substitute and pass the bill, which will now be heard by the full Senate.

The House companion bill, House Bill 2491, previously passed the House Insurance Committee, as well.