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| The Senate Committee on Business & Commerce will convene |
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| at 8:00 AM on August 24, 2010, in the Capitol Extension |
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| to receive and consider invited and public testimony |
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| regarding these interim study charges: |
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| Study the implementation of H.B. 4409 enacted by the 81st |
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| Legislature pertaining to the financing of insured losses |
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| in excess of premium and other revenue of the Texas |
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| Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). Assess the |
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| coverage and affordability of TWIA policies. Review the |
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| claims and payments processes and make recommendations to |
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| improve the stability of TWIA while enhancing services to clients. |
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| Study options for reducing demand for electricity, including innovative |
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| pricing options relating to the use of smart meters, programmable |
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| thermostats, and other demand side management and behavioral response |
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| strategies. Review current consumer education programs to reduce |
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| demand, decrease energy prices, and improve air quality. Consider |
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| benefits and costs of alternative energy sources such as geothermal |
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| and solar, and current incentives for electric and plug-in hybrid |
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| electric vehicles. The study should include recommendations on |
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| improving consumer knowledge and usage of these strategies in lowering |
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| overall electric usage, promoting energy efficiency, and |
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| improving the reliability of the ERCOT grid. |
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| If you would like to testify, please limit oral remarks to 3 minutes. |
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| Written testimony of any length is welcome; please submit 15 copies, with |
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| your name on each copy, to the Committee Staff. |
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| The Committee is advised that Texas Department of Insurance Docket No. 2718 |
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| (TWIA new rules), scheduled for 9:30 AM August 24, will not |
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| begin taking testimony until 12:30 PM at the earliest. |
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| (Reference http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/alert/event/2010/event2010144.html) |
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