AUSTIN— Today, Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) announced Texas House appointments to the Joint Interim Committee to Study Seacoast Territory Insurance. The committee will examine alternative ways to provide insurance to the state’s seacoast territory, which is currently served by the quasi-governmental Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). Additional duties for the committee include studying the residual markets of windstorm and hail insurance in other states, and studying windstorm-related building codes and mitigation strategies. The committee was created through House Bill 3, 1st Called Session, 82nd Legislature and will report its recommendations by December 1, 2012.
“Texans who live along the coast need to be able to count on their windstorm insurance,” said Speaker Straus.
“This committee will review alternative methods to provide insurance coverage in coastal areas and help protect the safety and well-being of the residents and businesses along the 367 miles of Texas coastline.”
Speaker Straus has appointed Chairman John Smithee (R-Amarillo) as co-chair of the committee. The committee members include Representative Craig Eiland (D-Galveston), Chairman Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi), and Representative Kenneth Sheets (R-Dallas).
