1-1     By:  Moncrief, Fraser                                  S.B. No. 139
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 11, 1999; January 28, 1999,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Economic Development;
 1-4     April 6, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 6, 1999,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 139                   By:  Fraser
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to residential fire suppression devices and to an
1-11     insurance premium discount for the installation of such a device.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 5, Insurance Code, is
1-14     amended by adding Article 5.33C to read as follows:
1-15           Art. 5.33C.  REDUCTION IN HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE AND FIRE
1-16     INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR APPROVED FIRE SUPPRESSION DEVICES
1-17           Sec. 1.  DEFINITIONS.  In this article:
1-18                 (1)  "Stovetop fire suppression device" means a device
1-19     or assembly of devices that is mounted to the vent hood over a
1-20     residential stovetop cooking surface and that protects against one
1-21     or more hazards through suppressing or extinguishing fires.
1-22                 (2)  "Homeowners insurance" has the meaning assigned by
1-23     Section 1, Article 5.33B of this code, as added by Chapter 337,
1-24     Acts of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995.
1-25           Sec. 2.  ELIGIBILITY FOR PREMIUM REDUCTION.  A policyholder
1-26     of a single-family or multifamily dwelling is eligible for a
1-27     premium reduction for homeowners insurance coverage and for fire
1-28     insurance coverage if the policyholder has correctly installed on
1-29     the covered property a stovetop fire suppression device that has
1-30     been approved by the State Fire Marshal through the commissioner.
1-31           Sec. 3.  AMOUNT OF PREMIUM REDUCTION.  The commissioner shall
1-32     establish by rule the amount of a premium reduction applicable
1-33     under this article and may adopt other rules necessary for the
1-34     implementation of this article.
1-35           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-36           (b)  Article 5.33C, Insurance Code, as added by this Act,
1-37     applies only to an insurance policy that is delivered, issued for
1-38     delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2000.  A policy that is
1-39     delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2000,
1-40     is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the
1-41     effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
1-42     that purpose.
1-43           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-44     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-45     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-46     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-47     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
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