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“Texans need help.  This bill fails them.”

Wednesday, April 08, 2009

Senator Kirk Watson on Wednesday released the following statement about Senate Bill 1007, the Texas Department of Insurance Sunset Bill:

The sunset review process is too essential to waste this legislation or look for excuses to maintain the status quo.  This should be the legislature’s opportunity to take a hard look at what works and what doesn’t in state government, and the Texas Department of Insurance is not working for average, every-day, hard-working Texans.

Senate Bill 1007 does nothing to help make health insurance more affordable; to prevent insurance companies from avoiding rate relief by abusing the legal system; to require that companies proactively justify rate increases; or to give average Texans a say about who will represent them on insurance matters.

Most damningly, it does nothing to force the Texas Department of Insurance to protect and serve consumers as the agency does insurance companies.

Hard-working homeowners are paying more for insurance and getting less coverage than anyone in any other state.  Texans need help.  This bill fails them.  S.B. 1007 extends established, unsuccessful policies, doubling down on a bad bet.

We must protect Texans from the very insurance corporations that have proven they’ll exploit their customers.  This bill does the opposite.  Hopefully, all sides will take this opportunity to slow down and do this the right way.