More on Homeowner's Insurance Rate Hikes

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DMN: State Farm Raising Rates 35% For Many Dallas Homeowners
House Member Letter To Sunset on TDI
LSG Report on Homeowner's Insurance

Here is an article from the Dallas Morning News that shows that many Dallas families will see their State Farm homeowner's insurance rates raised by up to 35 percent.

In March, the Legislative Study Group published a report detailing the problems surrounding homeowner's insurance laws in Texas. Since 2003, members have proposed instituting a "prior approval" system that would give the Texas Department of Insurance the tools they need to combat such drastic rates hikes and provide relief to Texas homeowners. You can read that report by clicking here.

Last week, 25 members of the House sent a letter to the Sunset Commission, urging them to consider including a recommendation on "prior approval" in their report to the Legislature on TDI's sunset. The agency will be up for review in the next legislative session. You can read that letter by clicking here.

The article is the latest example of the egregious rate hikes by State Farm. In March, they announced a rate hike of 4.5 percent, a mere seven months after an 8.8 percent rate increase. TDI sent a letter to the company, warning that the hikes could lead to market instability.

TDI has broken down the impact of the rate hikes and provided samples for various zip codes across the state. You can view that data on the TDI's website by clicking here.

-Joe Madden

LSG House Caucus Announces Forum On Gaming

Representative Garnet F. Coleman, Chair of the Legislative Study Group (LSG) House Caucus, announced today that the caucus would host a forum on the issue of gambling to help prepare members on the public policy implications of expanded gaming in Texas.

"This will be a Gaming 101 forum. Members need to receive information about the public policy of gaming," said Representative Coleman. "We have the opportunity to look at what has happened in other states that have passed gaming, and review the long range impact for Texas."

The LSG will host a forum on the issue, where members can learn about the intricacies of the issue. All members of the Legislature are invited to attend.

Representative Coleman said, "In the year since session ended, there has been a legislative vacuum when it comes to this specific issue. Members deserve to have as much information as possible as they prepare for the next legislative session, where various proposals for expanded gambling will certainly be proposed."

Previously, House Democratic Caucus Leader Jim Dunnam had proposed creating a bipartisan ad hoc committee with LSG and the House Democratic Caucus, the House Republican Caucus and the Conservative Coalition Caucus. Both the Republican Caucus and the Conservative Coalition declined the invitation.

"Representative Dunnam was correct, this is an important issue that needs to be discussed and studied publicly," said Representative Coleman. "With a revenue shortfall upwards of $18 billion in the next biennium there is a legitimate policy discussion that needs to happen. Members need to know the pros and cons of expanded gambling and the potential impact on our state."

For more information, email Joe@TexasLSG.org

-Joe Madden

LSG Floor Report for SB1

The floor report for SB1 is now available for download by clicking HERE. (.PDF)

-Joe Madden

LSG Floor Report and Policy Primer for HCR 50

The floor report and policy primer for HCR 50 is now available for download by clicking HERE. (.PDF)

-Joe Madden

LSG Floor report for Tuesday May 26, 2009

The report for the Tuesday May 26, 2009 is now available for download. (.PDF)
The BA&Es cover the following House Bills:

SB 1569 By Sen. Eltife/ et al. SP: Strama/ Deshotel/ Harless
SB 469 By Sens. Carona/ et al. SP: Flores / Pena / Oliveira / Corte / Smith, W
SB 555 By Sen. Duncan SP: Eiland
SB 2222 By Sen. Van de Putte SP: Corte
SB 921 By Sen. Fraser SP: Rose/ Solomons/ Swinford
SB 1529 By Sen. Whitmire SP:Gallego
SB 66 By Sens. Nelson/ et al. SP: Shelton/ Hartnett/ Alonzo/ et al.
SB 18 By Sens. Estes/ et al. SP: Bonnen/ Pitts/ Kuempel/ Geren/ Homer
SB 1877 By Sens. Nelson/ et al. SP: Zerwas/ Coleman/ McCall/ Parker/ Rose/ et al.

To view this floor report, click here. (.PDF)

-Joe Madden

LSG Floor report for Monday May 25, 2009

The report for the Monday May 25, 2009 is now available for download. (.PDF)
The BA&Es cover the following House Bills:

SB 175 By Sen. Shapiro/ et al. SP: Branch
SB 1569 By Sen. Eltife/ et al. SP: Strama/ Deshotel/ Harless
SB 469 By Sens. Carona/ et al. SP: Flores / Pena / Oliveira / Corte / Smith, W
SB 555 By Sen. Duncan SP: Eiland
SB 2222 By Sen. Van de Putte SP: Corte
SB 921 By Sen. Fraser SP: Rose/ Solomons/ Swinford
SB 1529 By Sen. Whitmire SP:Gallego
SB 66 By Sens. Nelson/ et al. SP: Shelton/ Hartnett/ Alonzo/ et al.
SB 18 By Sens. Estes/ et al. SP: Bonnen/ Pitts/ Kuempel/ Geren/ Homer
SB 1877 By Sens. Nelson/ et al. SP: Zerwas/ Coleman/ McCall/ Parker/ Rose/ et al

To view this floor report, click here. (.PDF)

-Joe Madden

LSG Floor report for Friday May 22, 2009

LSG Policy Alert For Members: Voter Photo Identification
You may find the LSG background primer online here. (.PDF)

The report for the Friday May 22, 2009 is now available for download. (.PDF)
The BA&Es cover the following House Bills:

SB 175 By Sen. Shapiro/ et al. SP: Branch
SB 1569 By Sen. Eltife/ et al. SP: Strama/ Deshotel/ Harless
SB 469 By Sens. Carona/ et al. SP: Flores / Pena / Oliveira / Corte / Smith, W
SB 555 By Sen. Duncan SP: Eiland
SB 2222 By Sen. Van de Putte SP: Corte
SB 921 By Sen. Fraser SP: Rose/ Solomons/ Swinford
SB 1529 By Sen. Whitmire SP: Gallego
SB 66 By Sens. Nelson/ et al. SP: Shelton/ Hartnett/ Alonzo/ et al.
SB 18 By Sens. Estes/ et al. SP: Bonnen/ Pitts/ Kuempel/ Geren/ Homer
SB 1877 By Sens. Nelson/ et al. SP: Zerwas/ Coleman/ McCall/ Parker/ Rose/ et al.
SJR 11 By Sen. West SP: Thompson
SJR 52 By Sens. Davis, Wendy SP: Truitt
SJR 9 By Sens. Carona/ et al. SP: Pickett
SJR 50 By Sen. Averitt SP: Ritter
SB 1850 By Sen. Shapleigh/ et al. SP: Naishtat
SB 1111 By Sen. Duncan SP: Legler
SB 1864 By Sen. Ellis SP: Hochberg
SB 1173 By Sen. Seliger SP: Fletcher
SB 1106 By Sen. Van de Putte SP: Hopson
SB 1501 By West SP: Patrick
SB 1976 By Sen. Whitmire/ et al. SP: Gallego
SB 1773 By Sen. Fraser SP: Elkins
SB 2105 By Sen. Uresti/ et al. SP: Gallego
SB 1954 By Sen. Jackson, Mike SP: Legler/ Anchia/Smith, W/ et al.
SB 1815 By Sen. Van de Putte SP: Deshotel
SB 1958 By Sen. Van de Putte/ et al. SP: Corte
SB 2121 By Sen. West SP: England
SB 2481 By Sen. Hegar SP: Darby
SB 2284 By Sen. Lucio SP: Lucio III
SB 517 By Sen. Harris SP: Jackson, Jim
SB 493 By Sen. Nelson/ et al. SP: Rose
SB 713 By Sen. Carona/ et al. SP: Sheffield
SB 783 By Sens. Shapiro SP: Morrison
SB 1383 By Sen. Carona SP: Smith, Wayne
SB 684 By Sen. Lucio Sp: Gonzalez Toureilles
SB 947 By Sen. Duncan Sp: Chavez
SB 1775 By Sen. Whitmire Sp: Kuempel
SB 1500 By Sen. Duncan Sp: Coleman
SB 188 By Sens. Duell | Van de Putte Sp: Coleman |McClendon | Ortiz, Jr. | Zerwas | King, Susan
SB 1411 By Sen. West Sp: Dukes |Coleman |Turner, Sylvester
SB 2111 By Sen. Averitt Sp: Hardcastle
SB 117 By Sen. Ellis Sp: Gallego
SB 116 By Sen. Ellis Sp: Farrar
SB 843 By Sen. Uresti Sp: Castro | Martinez Fischer | Lucio III | Bolton | Leibowitz
SB 1647 By Sen. Averitt Sp: Flynn | Ritter
SB 475 By Sen. Wentworth Sp: Oliveira | Hilderbran |Hughes | Bohac | Taylor
SB 257 By Sen. Estes Sp: Anderson
SB 1779 By Sen. Hinojosa Sp: Martinez
SB 500 By Sen. Shapiro Sp: Solomons
SB 519 By Sen. Harris Sp: Dunnam
SB 538 By Sen. Estes Sp: Homer
SB 1900 By Sen. Seliger Sp: Leibowitz| Howard, D.
SB 1713 By Sen. Heger Sp: Elkins
SB 1544 By Sen. Averitt Sp: Pitts
SB 1335 By Sen. Hegar Sp: Smithee
SB 1083 By Sen. Huffman Sp: Gonzales
SB 2110 By Sen. West Sp: Branch
SB 2270 By Sen. Gallegos Sp: Olivo
SB 855 By Sen. Carona Sp: Truitt
SB 2319 By Sen. Averitt Sp: Ritter
SB 33 By Sen. Zaffirini Sp: Farias
SB 71 By Sen. Nelson Sp: Rose
SB 81 By Sen. Nelson et al. Sp: Hernandez
SB 89 By Sen. Van de Putte Sp: Thompson
SB 201 By Sen. Shapleigh et al. Sp: Chavez
SB 747 By Sen. Carona Sp: Deshotel
SB 786 By Sen. Nelson et al. Sp: Rose
SB 867 By Sen. Lucio Sp: Patrick
SB 1124 By Sen. West Sp: Davis, John
SB 1129 By Sen. Nichols Sp: King, Susan
SB 1217 By Sen. Shapiro et al. Sp: Guillen
SB 1240 By Sens. Van de Putte/ Shapleigh et al. Sp: Rose
SB 1245 By Sen. Carona Sp: Driver
SB 1255 By Sen. Shapiro Sp: Hochberg
SB 1296 By Sen. Hegar Sp: Driver
SB 1398 By Sen. West Sp: Anchia
SB 1477 By Sen. Uresti et al. Sp: Naishtat/ Menendez
SB 1516 By Sen. Watson Sp: Bolton
SB 1542 By Sen. Uresti Sp: Truitt
SB 1710 By Sen. Duncan Sp: Heflin
SB 1766 By Sen. Watson Sp: Rose
SB 1828 By Sen. Averitt Sp: Chisum
SB 1916 By Sen. West Sp: Hodge
SB 2007 By Sen. Hegar Sp: Zerwas
SB 2045 By Sen. Williams Sp: Deshotel
SB 2015 By Sen. Watson Sp: Rodriguez
SB 2474 By Sen. Watson Sp: Bolton

To view this floor report, click here. (.PDF)

-Joe Madden

LSG Higher Ed Analysis & Recommendations

Click here (*.pdf) to download the LSG report on higher education in Texas.

For the previous LSG report on preliminary recommendations on state schools, click here.

-Joe Madden

5/27 Conference Committee Budget

The LSG floor report for the Conference Committee Report on the Budget is now available for download.

Please email Info@TexasLSG.org if you are having trouble logging in.

-Joe Madden

Floor Report For 5/22/07 for Emergency, Major State Online

The floor report for Tuesday, May 22 for Emergency Calendar and Major State is now available for download. The BA&Es cover the following House Bills:

SB 2033 by Williams | et al. SP: Chisum
SB 1640 by Williams SP: Chisum | Guillen
SB 1719 by Ogden SP: Chisum
SB 1848 by Duncan SP: Chisum | Guillen
SB 1846 by Duncan SP: Truitt
SB 1604 by Duncan SP: Bonnen
SB 1693 by Nelson | et al. SP: Krusee
SB 2031 by Ogden SP: Chisum
SB 1908 by Ellis | et al. SP: Menendez
SB 1951 by Wentworth | et al. SP: Hartnett | Cook, Robby | Kolkhorst | Oliveira | Escobar
SB 9 by Shapiro | et al. SP: Branch | Madden
SB 1879 by Williams | et al. SP: Hamilton
SB 1795 by Ogden SP: Kolkhorst
SB 1173 by Seliger SP: Crownover
SB 439 by Deuell | et al. SP: Delisi
SB 551 by Deuell SP: Jackson, Jim | Coleman | Vaught
SB 1816 by Averitt SP: Hardcastle
SB 666 by Carona | Van de Putte | et al. SP: Flores
SB 1597 by Janek SP: Zerwas
SB 1361 by Williams SP: Driver
SB 50 by Zaffirini | et al. SP: Kolkhorst
SB 2027 by Shapleigh | et al. SP: Guillen
SB 1854 by Gallegos SP: Allen, Alma
SB 1125 by Gallegos | et al. SP: Woolley
SB 900 by Deuell SP: Hilderbran | Flynn
SB 1616 by Averitt SP: Turner
SB 810 by Janek SP: Jackson, Jim
SB 1200 by Patrick, Dan SP: Flores
SB 4 by Shapiro | Janek | et al. SP: Eissler | Woolley | Dunnam | Branch | Patrick | et al.
SB 769 by Zaffirini | Brimer | Deuell | Janek | Ogden | Shapleigh | West, Royce | et al. SP: Delisi
SB 1722 by Ogden SP: Gattis
SJR 65 by Williams | et al. SP: Chisum
SJR 57 by Williams | et al. SP: Chisum | Guillen
SJR 29 by Carona | Van de Putte | et al. SP: Flores
SJR 64 by Carona SP: Krusee


Please contact us if you have trouble logging in.

Info@TexasLSG.org or at the office 512-480-0062

-Joe Madden

SB 3 Amendments Now Online

The LSG position on all SB 3 amendments is now available.


Please contact us if you have trouble logging in.

Info@TexasLSG.org or at the office 512-480-0062

-Joe Madden

Floor Report For 5/22/07 for Postponed Business Available

The floor report for Tuesday, May 22 for Unfinished and Postponed Business is now available for download. The BA&Es cover the following House Bills:

SB 3 by Sen. Averitt SP: Rep. Puente
SB 785 by Sen. Shapiro SP: Rep. Morrison
SB 101 by Sen. Shapiro SP: Reps. Morrison | Branch | Woolley | Eissler | Goolsby


Please contact us if you have trouble logging in.

Info@TexasLSG.org or at the office 512-480-0062

-Joe Madden