By Maxey                                               H.B. No. 614
         77R2322 AJA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to requiring insurers to report rates and rate changes to
 1-3     the Texas Department of Insurance.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Chapter 38, Insurance Code, is amended by adding
 1-6     Subchapter F to read as follows:
 1-7                        SUBCHAPTER F.  RATE REPORTING
 1-8           Sec. 38.251.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "insurer" means
 1-9     an insurance company or other entity that is admitted to do
1-10     business and authorized to write insurance in this state,
1-11     including:
1-12                 (1)  a county mutual insurance company;
1-13                 (2)  a Lloyd's plan insurer; and
1-14                 (3)  a reciprocal or interinsurance exchange.
1-15           Sec. 38.252.  REPORT OF RATE CHANGE REQUIRED. If an insurer
1-16     changes the rates charged for  insurance coverage offered by the
1-17     insurer, the insurer shall report the new rates to the department.
1-18     The report must include a schedule of the insurer's rates and the
1-19     amount of the policy fee, inspection fee, membership fee, or
1-20     initial charge, by whatever name that charge is called, to be
1-21     charged to a policyholder or an applicant for a policy.
1-22           Sec. 38.253.  RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules
1-23     necessary to implement this subchapter, including rules relating
1-24     to:
 2-1                 (1)  the format for making a report required under this
 2-2     subchapter;
 2-3                 (2)  the time for making a report required under this
 2-4     subchapter; and
 2-5                 (3)  combining a report required under this subchapter
 2-6     with other reports the insurer is required to make to the
 2-7     department.
 2-8           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.