HBA-EVB S.B. 323 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 323 By: Ellis Insurance 5/3/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Texas Residential Market Assistance Program assists homeowners in underserved areas to obtain residential property insurance. S.B. 1499, 75th Legislature, removed farm and ranch owners policies from regulation as personal lines insurance, instead placing them under regulation as commercial lines insurance. S.B. 323 specifically excludes a farm and ranch owner's policy from the meaning of residential property insurance in the context of the market assistance program to conform to the regulatory change made by S.B. 1499, 75th Legislature. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 1(a), Article 21.49-12, Insurance Code, to exclude farm and ranch owners' policies from the meaning of residential property insurance in the context of the market assistance program. Makes nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3.Emergency clause.