Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

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INSURANCE
77 th Texas Legislature
Requires the filing of a statement of the change no later than the 60 th day before the proposed effective
date of the acquisition or change of control.
Requires TDI to approve or deny any acquisition or change of control no later than the 60 th day after the
statement is filed. However, the bill authorizes the waiver of the 60-day deadline.
Provides for a public hearing by the commissioner of TDI in the case of a denial, to be held no later than
the 60 th day after the denial.
Short-Term Liability Insurance for Non-Texas Motorists - S.B. 693
by Senator Lucio, et al.
House Sponsors: Representative Gutierrez, et al.
Authorizes the Commissioner of the Texas Department of Insurance to establish a program to provide for
the sale of short-term liability insurance to non-Texas resident motorists.
Requires the expansion of definition of “short-term liability insurance policy” to mean an insurance policy
that is not insurance assigned to an authorized insurance company by the Texas Automobile Insurance
Plan Association, among certain conditions.
Compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - S.B. 990
by Senator Sibley
House Sponsor: Representative Smithee
Some of the state statutes regarding small and large employer health benefit plans do not comply with the
federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
Amends the Insurance Code to provide that an individual who is a child of a covered employee who has
lost coverage under the Social Security Act or the child health plan for certain low-income children is not a
late enrollee for a small or large employer's health benefit plan if the request for enrollment is made not
later than the 31st day after the date on which the child loses coverage
Provides that an individual's short term limited duration coverage is creditable under the Health Insurance
Portability and Availability Act.
Specifies that an employee welfare benefit plan is subject to provisions regarding small employer health
benefit plans if it provides health care benefits covering two or more eligible employees of a small
employee. An employee welfare benefit plan is subject to provisions regarding large employer health
benefit plans if the plan provides health care benefits to eligible employees of a large employer.
Provides that the requirements for minimum inpatient stay in a health care facility and post delivery care
following the birth of a child apply to small employer health benefit plans.
Senate Research Center 172