1-1     By:  Eiland (Senate Sponsor - Jackson)                H.B. No. 2252
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 1999;
 1-3     May 10, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on Economic
 1-4     Development; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to commercial windstorm insurance rates.
 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10           SECTION 1.  Section 8(h)(10), Article 21.49, Insurance Code,
1-11     is amended to read as follows:
1-12                 (10)  A filing made under this subsection may not
1-13     reflect an annual premium rate change that is more than 15 percent
1-14     (higher or lower) of the rate for commercial windstorm and hail
1-15     insurance in each rate classification in effect on September 1,
1-16     1995.  This subdivision expires January 1, 2003 [2001], provided
1-17     however, that the commissioner may, after notice and hearing,
1-18     suspend this subdivision upon a finding that a catastrophe loss or
1-19     series of occurrences resulting in losses in the catastrophe area
1-20     justify a need to assure rate adequacy in the catastrophe area and
1-21     also justify a need to assure availability of insurance outside the
1-22     catastrophe area.
1-23           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-24           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-25     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-26     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-27     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-28     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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