SENATE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

 

COMMITTEE:    Business & Commerce 

TIME & DATE:  10:00 AM, Tuesday, July 10, 2012 

PLACE:        E1.016 (Hearing Room) 
CHAIR:        Senator John Carona 

 

 

The Senate Committee on Business & Commerce will meet at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 in Room E1.016 of the Texas Capitol Extension. The Committee will:

 

- RECEIVE QUARTERLY UPDATES from selected state agencies and entities;

 

- TAKE INVITED AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY on the interim study charge "Study the relationship between city governments and municipally-owned utilities, including any duplicative or redundant functions, the amounts and justifications required for transfer payments between the entities, and the benefits and disadvantages of alternative governance structures."

 

- TAKE INVITED AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY on the interim study charge "Review current and pending ERCOT protocols as they apply to all generation technology, and identify those protocols that may provide operational, administrative, or competitive advantages to any specific generation by fuel type. Consider the impact any revisions to the protocols may have on grid reliability and electricity rates. Make recommendations for revisions or statutory changes to limit distortions in the Texas electrical market."

 

- TAKE INVITED AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY on the interim study charge "Conduct a broad review of the Texas homeowners insurance market and make recommendations to improve transparency and consumer education, ensure fair practices, and lower rates. Specifically, consider the following:

·                Compare Texas' homeowners insurance premiums with those of other states and identify the factors underlying Texas' premium levels and recommend steps that the Legislature may take to reduce homeowners' rates, if appropriate;

·                Study strategies that increase awareness of state insurance resources to help consumers compare rates and coverage among various insurance providers;

·                Study the relationship between insurance premiums and construction costs, especially as associated with recovery from natural disasters, to ensure that consumers are treated fairly;

·                Review the use by insurers, in rating and underwriting decisions, of customer inquiries regarding the general terms or conditions of, or coverage offered under, an insurance policy."

 

WITNESSES: please provide testimony and exhibits in electronic format as soon as possible, preferably no later than Thursday before the hearing to allow time for posting online. All witnesses are requested to limit oral remarks to three minutes and are welcome to submit written testimony of any length and content, electronic format preferred.

 

MONITOR THE HEARING by watching the live stream at http://www.senate.state.tx.us/bin/live.php and reading the testimony at http://bandc.posterous.com/. Receive updates during the hearing on that site or by following the @txlegebc twitter account.

 

PROVIDE FEEDBACK on Twitter using the hashtag #txlegebc

 

Please feel free to contact the Committee office at bc@senate.state.tx.us and view related information at http://BandC.posterous.com.