By Ellis                                               S.B. No. 323
         76R3759 AJA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the types of insurance covered by the program to assist
 1-3     persons in obtaining residential property insurance in underserved
 1-4     areas.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 1(a), Article 21.49-12, Insurance Code,
 1-7     is amended to read as follows:
 1-8           (a)  The commissioner shall establish a voluntary mechanism
 1-9     to be called a market assistance program to assist insureds in
1-10     Texas in obtaining residential property insurance coverage in
1-11     underserved areas, which shall be determined and designated by the
1-12     commissioner by rule using the standards specified in Section 1,
1-13     Article 5.35-3, of this code.  For purposes of this article,
1-14     residential property insurance means insurance against loss to real
1-15     or tangible personal property at a fixed location provided in a
1-16     homeowners policy or a[,] residential fire and allied lines policy,
1-17     but does not include a [or] farm and ranch  owners policy.  The
1-18     types of risks to be assisted under the market assistance program
1-19     will be established by the commissioner.  A market assistance
1-20     program division shall be established in and operated by the Texas
1-21     Department of Insurance.
1-22           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-23           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-2     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.