Fighting for Your Best Interests at the Texas Capitol

Last week, we told you about two priority bills that are already on Governor Abbott’s desk. SB 2232 and SB 2233 were filed by Senator Morgan LaMantia and the companion bills were filed by Representative Mary Ann Perez. Both of these bills are TWIA biennial recommendations which will benefit coastal agents who sell TWIA policies.

We thought you might like to see one critical part of the legislative process. When a member of the Texas Senate or Texas House of Representatives files a bill, he or she has to request a hearing for that bill, and the committee chair has to agree to place it on the agenda. Once the bill is on the agenda, the public has an opportunity to come to the Capitol and speak for or against the measure.

After the author of the bill lays the bill out for the committee, lobbyists representing clients or everyday citizens can testify on, for, or against the legislation. Bills are almost always left pending, so committee members have time to do their research regarding the bill. Getting voted out of committee is just one piece of a very intricate process – a process Lee and Regan know very well.

IIAT Chief Legislative Officer Lee Loftis and Director of Government Affairs Regan Ellmer have been busy testifying in support of IIAT-member interests before the House Insurance Committee and the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce. If you want to get a peak at how the sausage is made at the Texas Capitol, watch the video clips of Lee testifying before the Senate Business & Commerce Committee on SB 2232 and SB 2233 and Regan testifying on the companion bills (HB 3194 and HB 3821) in the House Insurance Committee.

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