HBA-EVB S.B. 323 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 323
By: Ellis
Insurance
5/3/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the Texas Residential Market Assistance Program assists
homeowners in underserved areas to obtain residential property insurance.
S.B. 1499, 75th Legislature, removed farm and ranch owners policies from
regulation as personal lines insurance, instead placing them under
regulation as commercial lines insurance.  S.B. 323 specifically excludes a
farm and ranch owner's policy from the meaning of residential property
insurance in the context of the market assistance program to conform to the
regulatory change made by S.B. 1499, 75th Legislature. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 1(a), Article 21.49-12, Insurance Code, to
exclude farm and ranch owners' policies from the meaning of residential
property insurance in the context of the market assistance program.  Makes
nonsubstantive changes.   

SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.