Senate Committee on Business & Commerce
NOTE: This is archived committee information from the 83rd Legislative Session.
Committee Information
CHAIR
Kevin Eltife
VICE-CHAIR
Larry Taylor
MEMBERS
John Carona
Craig Estes
Kelly Hancock
Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Leticia Van de Putte
Kirk Watson
John Whitmire
CLERK:
Brady Faglie
TEL:
(512) 463-0365
FAX:
(512) 463-1613
LOCATION:
Sam Houston Building, 370
P.O Box 12068
Austin, TX 78711
Video/Audio — Archives
83rd Session Interim
83rd Regular Session
- May 20, 2013 – Audio only.
- May 16, 2013 (Part I, Part II) – Part II: audio only.
- May 15, 2013 – Audio only.
- May 14, 2013
- May 07, 2013
- May 02, 2013 – Audio only.
- April 30, 2013
- April 16, 2013
- April 10, 2013 (Part I, Part II) – Part II: audio only.
- April 9, 2013 (Part I, Part II)
- April 2, 2013 (Part I, Part II)
- March 27, 2013 – audio only.
- March 26, 2013 (Part I, Part II)
- March 19, 2013 (Part I, Part II)
- March 12, 2013 (Part I, Part II)
- March 5, 2013
- February 27, 2013 – audio only.
- February 26, 2013
- February 19, 2013
- February 12, 2013
- February 5, 2013
- January 29, 2013
Written Testimony Submissions and Handouts
March 12, 2013
January 29, 2013
Submitted Written Testimony
Additional Hearing Documents
Reports
The following reports are available for download:
Agency Quarterly Reports to the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce
April 2014
- Credit Union Department (CUD)
- Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
- Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC)
- Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC)
- Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC)
- Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending (SML)
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)
- Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE)
- Texas Department of Insurance (TDI)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board (TALCB)
- Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA)
- Texas State Securities Board (TSSB)
January 2014
- Credit Union Department (CUD)
- Texas Department of Banking (DOB)
- Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
- Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC)
- Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC)
- Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC)
- Public Utility Commission (PUC)
- Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending (SML)
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)
- Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE)
- Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE)
- Texas Department of Insurance (TDI)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board (TALCB)
- Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA)
- Texas State Securities Board (TSSB)
October 2013
- Credit Union Department (CUD)
- Texas Department of Banking (DOB)
- Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
- Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC)
- Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC)
- Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC)
- Public Utility Commission (PUC)
- Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending (SML)
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)
- Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE)
- Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE)
- Texas Department of Insurance (TDI)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board (TALCB)
- Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA)
- Texas State Securities Board (TSSB)
Q1-2013
- Credit Union Department (CUD)
- Texas Department of Banking (DOB)
- Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT)
- Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC)
- Office of Public Insurance Counsel (OPIC)
- Office of Public Utility Counsel (OPUC)
- Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending (SML)
- Texas State Securities Board (SSB)
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)
- Texas Board of Architectural Examiners (TBAE)
- Texas Board of Professional Engineers (TBPE)
- Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) Biennial Report to the 83rd Legislature
- TDI – Fraud Unit FY2012 Annual Report
- TDI – HB3(82/1) Implementation Chart
- TDI – Healthy Texas Annual Report
- TDI – State Fire Marshal's Office Annual Report
- TDI – Report on Three-Share Premium Assistance Programs
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board (TALCB)
- Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA)
- Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA)
Interim Charges
- Review the administrative and financial state of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). Specifically, review management's business practices that result in continued administrative oversight by the Texas Department of Insurance, and determine alternative financial methods to fund a probable maximum loss of a 1 in 75 or 1 in 100 year event. Monitor litigation developments. Develop and evaluate plans to reduce TWIA's total insured exposure. Monitor and make recommendations regarding an exposure reduction clearinghouse under development at TWIA, which aims to assist the transfer of TWIA policies to the free market. Study and make recommendations regarding the qualifications for building inspectors conducting inspections for the TWIA and other building inspectors statewide. Consider expanding the types of professionals qualified to conduct inspections and the appropriate entity to oversee inspectors.
- Review the Texas FAIR Plan's organizational and financial structure as the state's insurer of last resort for residential homeowner's insurance coverage. In particular, study the structural relationship to TWIA, cause of its current debt, and available coverages and rates compared to the private market. Evaluate proposals to reduce the total insured exposure of the FAIR Plan.
- Monitor the implementation of advanced metering infrastructure to ensure minimization of utility customer costs. Analyze developments and make recommendations regarding the health effects and privacy implications of the advanced metering infrastructure.
- Study initiatives taken by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) to maintain the competitive retail electric market in the Electric Reliability Commission of Texas (ERCOT) areas of operation. Monitor PUC discussions regarding resource adequacy to ensure any decisions involve Texas-specific, free-market reforms. Review PUC procedures related to rate case expenses and study opportunities to enhance efficiencies. Consider benefits and costs of programs aimed at energy efficiency and demand response to help mitigate strains on the electric grid. Consider options for enhancing the reliability of the ERCOT grid, as well as multi-state grids outside ERCOT areas of operation in Texas. Study areas of innovation in the electric market in Texas, including advancements in energy storage and efficient power dispatch to support use of renewable power, and consider options to promote their effective use in Texas.
- Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce, 83rd Legislature, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, review the implementation of (a) SB 583, addressing efforts to reduce the Texas Universal Service Fund rate paid by consumers by promulgating a financial needs test that eliminates industry subsidies; (b) SB 567 and HB 1600, addressing the transition of investor owned water utility rate setting from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to the Public Utility Commission.
