By:  Madla                                            S.C.R. No. 45
 1-1                        SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-2           WHEREAS, The Texas Legislature amended the Motor Vehicle
 1-3     Safety Responsibility Act in 1981 to reduce the number of uninsured
 1-4     drivers operating vehicles on Texas roads; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, The law requires motorists, as a condition of
 1-6     operating a motor vehicle, to have established a level of financial
 1-7     responsibility in any one of several ways, the most common being
 1-8     the purchase of a motor vehicle liability insurance policy that
 1-9     meets coverage requirements established by law; the law also
1-10     requires motorists to provide evidence of financial responsibility
1-11     when requested by a law enforcement officer, when obtaining or
1-12     renewing a license or registration, and for vehicle inspections;
1-13     and
1-14           WHEREAS, Although the law resulted in a sharp decrease in the
1-15     percentage of uninsured motorists immediately after its passage,
1-16     the number increased shortly thereafter, returning close to
1-17     previous levels where it continues to hover today; and
1-18           WHEREAS, The Texas Department of Insurance has estimated that
1-19     between 17 and 26 percent of Texas drivers do not carry the
1-20     necessary vehicle liability insurance as mandated by state law;
1-21     many uninsured drivers cannot afford the costs of liability
1-22     insurance; many are also high-risk drivers who are unable to
1-23     purchase insurance in the standard market; and
1-24           WHEREAS, Many of these motorists circumvent the law by
 2-1     producing fraudulent documentation of coverage or canceling a
 2-2     policy after using it to get a necessary license, inspection, or
 2-3     registration; now, therefore, be it
 2-4           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
 2-5     hereby direct the Texas Department of Insurance to initiate an
 2-6     interim study in cooperation with key agencies, such as the
 2-7     Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas, to research and
 2-8     develop an economically feasible insurance verification system that
 2-9     will focus on the detection, investigation, and prosecution of
2-10     motorists who falsify a standard proof of motor vehicle liability
2-11     insurance form; and, be it further
2-12           RESOLVED, That this insurance verification system may:
2-13           1.  randomly verify evidence of financial responsibility,
2-14     useful for prosecution under Section 37.01, Penal Code, and Section
2-15     601.080, Transportation Code;
2-16           2.  be practically installed on a progressive basis in all
2-17     applicable counties, municipalities, and jurisdictions;
2-18           3.  be developed under the confidentiality and disclosure
2-19     authorities found under Article 1.10D, Insurance Code, Insurance
2-20     Fraud Unit; and
2-21           4.  develop a technology fund for implementation; and, be it
2-22     further
2-23           RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Insurance and other
2-24     involved agencies present a complete report of facts and findings
2-25     to the house and senate committees having primary jurisdiction over
2-26     insurance not later than January 1, 2003; and, be it further
 3-1           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
 3-2     copy of this resolution to the commissioner of insurance of the
 3-3     Texas Department of Insurance.