| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to public information regarding workers' compensation |
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| 8 | 6 | | insurance rate filings. |
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| 9 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 2053.004, Insurance Code, is amended to |
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| 11 | 9 | | read as follows: |
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| 12 | 10 | | Sec. 2053.004. PUBLIC [INSPECTION OF] INFORMATION. |
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| 13 | 11 | | (a) Each filing made, including any supporting information filed, |
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| 14 | 12 | | under this subchapter is [open to] public information subject to |
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| 15 | 13 | | Chapter 552, Government Code, including any applicable exception |
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| 16 | 14 | | from required disclosure under that chapter [inspection as of the |
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| 17 | 15 | | date the filing is made]. |
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| 18 | 16 | | (b) Each year the department shall make available to the |
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| 19 | 17 | | public information concerning the department's general process and |
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| 20 | 18 | | methodology for rate review under this chapter, including factors |
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| 21 | 19 | | that contribute to the disapproval of a rate. Information provided |
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| 22 | 20 | | under this subsection must be general in nature and may not reveal |
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| 23 | 21 | | proprietary or trade secret information of any insurer. |
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| 24 | 22 | | SECTION 2. Section 2053.004, Insurance Code, as amended by |
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| 25 | 23 | | this Act, applies only to a request to inspect information or to |
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| 26 | 24 | | obtain public information made to the Texas Department of Insurance |
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| 27 | 25 | | on or after the effective date of this Act. A request made before |
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| 28 | 26 | | the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it existed |
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| 29 | 27 | | immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former |
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| 30 | 28 | | law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 31 | 29 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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| 30 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 31 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 32 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 978 passed the Senate on |
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| 33 | + | April 14, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 34 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 35 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 36 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 978 passed the House on |
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| 37 | + | May 19, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, |
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| 38 | + | two present not voting. |
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| 39 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 40 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 41 | + | Approved: |
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| 42 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 43 | + | Date |
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| 44 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 45 | + | Governor |
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