Amend SB 647 immediately following the enacting clause (house committee printing, page 1, between lines 4 and 5), by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____. Section 501.002, Insurance Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 501.002. OFFICE OF PUBLIC INSURANCE COUNSEL. The independent office of public insurance counsel represents the interests of insurance consumers in this state and assists the commissioner in ensuring that:

(1) rates for and coverage under insurance products offered in this state:

(A) are fair and reasonable to insurers, agents, and consumers; and

(B) are not confiscatory to insurers and agents; and

(2) insurance products are reasonably available to consumers in all parts of this state.