| 1 | 1 | | 81R2465 PB-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Alonzo H.B. No. 197 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to prohibition of certain insurance discrimination. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 544.002, Insurance Code, is amended by |
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| 10 | 10 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as |
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| 11 | 11 | | follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (a) A person may not refuse to insure or provide coverage to |
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| 13 | 13 | | an individual, refuse to continue to insure or provide coverage to |
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| 14 | 14 | | an individual, limit the amount, extent, or kind of coverage |
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| 15 | 15 | | available for an individual, or charge an individual a rate that is |
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| 16 | 16 | | different from the rate charged to other individuals for the same |
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| 17 | 17 | | coverage because of the individual's: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) race, color, religion, or national origin; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) age, gender, marital status, or geographic |
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| 20 | 20 | | location; [or] |
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| 21 | 21 | | (3) disability or partial disability; or |
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| 22 | 22 | | (4) sexual orientation or gender identity or |
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| 23 | 23 | | expression. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (d) In this section: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (1) "Gender identity or expression" means a person's |
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| 26 | 26 | | having, or being perceived as having, a gender-related identity, |
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| 27 | 27 | | appearance, expression, or behavior, whether or not that identity, |
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| 28 | 28 | | appearance, expression, or behavior is different from that |
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| 29 | 29 | | stereotypically associated with the person's assigned sex at birth. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) "Sexual orientation" means actual or perceived |
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| 31 | 31 | | heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 33 | 33 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 34 | 34 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 35 | 35 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 36 | 36 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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