1-1     By:  Oliveira (Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte)         H.B. No. 3393
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2001;
 1-3     May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Business
 1-4     and Commerce; May 10, 2001, reported favorably by the following
 1-5     vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 10, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the adoption and use of certain consumer information
 1-9     materials in Spanish regarding personal automobile insurance
1-10     coverage.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Insurance Code, is amended by adding
1-13     Article 1.35E to read as follows:
1-14           Art. 1.35E.  CONSUMER INFORMATION IN SPANISH REQUIRED. (a)
1-15     The commissioner shall develop or adopt an  informational sheet in
1-16     the Spanish language to provide a general explanation of the terms
1-17     most commonly used in the Texas personal automobile insurance
1-18     policy.  The department shall make the informational sheet required
1-19     by this article available to the public.
1-20           (b)  The informational sheet is intended to provide only a
1-21     general explanation of insurance terms used in the Texas personal
1-22     automobile insurance policy and is not intended to alter any
1-23     rights, obligations, or responsibilities of the contracting
1-24     parties.   All other applicable laws, including provisions of this
1-25     code, apply regardless of whether an informational sheet is used.
1-26           (c)  An informational sheet developed by the commissioner
1-27     must include a disclaimer, prominently printed in 10-point boldface
1-28     type at the top of the informational sheet in the Spanish language,
1-29     that contains the following:
1-30           "This document is for informational purposes only and is not
1-31     intended to alter or replace the insurance policy.  Additionally,
1-32     this informational sheet is not intended to fully set out your
1-33     rights and obligations or the rights and obligations of the
1-34     insurance company.  If you have questions about your insurance, you
1-35     should consult your insurance agent, the insurance company, or the
1-36     language of the insurance policy."
1-37           SECTION 2. (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
1-38     section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-39           (b)  An informational sheet required by Article 1.35E,
1-40     Insurance Code, as added by this Act, must be available to the
1-41     public as required by that article not later than January 1, 2002.
1-42                                  * * * * *