State Reps. Kent, Miklos and Turner respond to recent rate hikes by Texas’ largest insurance provider

AUSTIN – Today State Representatives Carol Kent, Robert Miklos and Chris Turner renewed their call for comprehensive insurance reform in light of last week’s announcement that State Farm, Texas’ largest homeowners insurance provider, will raise rates by 4.5% in May, just seven months after an 8.8% rate hike. This comes on the tail of recent rate increases by both Allstate and Farmers Insurance.

“Most families in North Texas haven’t seen their incomes go up by double digits this year, yet these big insurance companies think it’s ok to increase their premiums by double-digit percentages,” said Representative Chris Turner (HD 96-Burleson). “With Texans already paying the second highest homeowners insurance rates in the nation, this is unacceptable.”

In November, Allstate announced a 9.8% jump in their homeowner’s insurance rates. In January, Farmers Insurance, the third largest insurance company in the state, proposed raising rates 10% statewide and 11% for North Texas area customers. According to the Dallas Morning News, after Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin called the hikes, “excessive and discriminatory,” Farmers agreed to only increase their rates by 4.5%. However, the company will be allowed to charge the excessive rate through March 2011 and keep the premiums they have already overcharged.

Currently, insurance companies are required to notify the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) of rate increases, but TDI has no authority to block these rate hikes.

“The insurance commissioner should have the power to stop outrageous rate increases,” said State Representative Robert Miklos (HD 101 – Mesquite). “By increasing their rates by double digits in less than a year, State Farm is sending a message that it is ok to for insurance companies to line their pockets at the expense of consumers.”

In an attempt to combat overnight rate hikes by insurance companies, legislation has been filed in the past to create a “prior approval” system, which would give TDI the power to approve or deny these rate increases and give the agency true oversight over this industry. Many of the filed measures would have allowed for increased public input when insurance companies ask to raise their rates.

“During the next Legislative Session, when TDI is up for sunset review, we need some common sense oversight to protect homeowners.” said State Representative Carol Kent (HD 102 – Dallas). “There are far too many North Texas families struggling to make ends meet in this economy, and raising their insurance rates over and over again will just make that struggle even harder.”

In late May, the Legislative Sunset Advisory Commission, comprised of six member of the Texas Senate and six member of the Texas House, will begin to review TDI. Once the review process is complete, the advisory committee will present its recommendations to the 82nd Legislature.

State Representatives Carol Kent and Robert Miklos represent Dallas County districts. Representative Chris Turner represents southern Tarrant County.

AUSTIN – State Representative Chris Turner announced today that his office is extending the deadline to April 20 to receive applications to be nominated to receive the Texas Armed Services Scholarship. Each state representative may choose one student to receive the scholarship.

To be eligible, students must agree to participate in a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program while in college and make a four year commitment to either the Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air Force National Guard or as a commissioned officer in any branch of the Armed Services of the United States.

The deadline to apply for the scholarship are as follows:

April 9, 2010: Deadline to request an application

April 20, 2010: Application deadline

May 3, 2010: Applicant chosen for nomination

“With the rising cost of a college education and so many students making the decision to serve our nation in uniform upon completing college, this scholarship will help defray the cost of a college education,” said Turner. “I encourage students in District 96 who are interested in military service to take advantage of this opportunity and apply.”

In order to receive an application, Turner is requesting students call his Arlington office at 817-478-5096 or visit the office, which is located at 5840 West I-20, Suite 110 in Arlington.

“With the cost of college rising considerably over the last several years, I want to make sure students and parents have the most up-to-date and accurate information on financial aid resources,” said Turner. “No deserving student who is willing to work hard should be unable to attend college because of cost.”

The seminars will be held on Monday, March 8 and Tuesday, March 9 at the following locations:

Monday, March 8, 2010
What: Paying for College Seminar – Arlington
When: Monday, March 8, 2010; 6:30 to 8:00PM
Where: Seguin High School (Cafeteria), 7001 Silo Road, Arlington

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
What: Paying for College Seminar – Crowley/Fort Worth
When: Tuesday, March 9, 2010; 7:00 to 8:30PM
Where: Crowley Middle School (Lecture Hall), 3800 W. Risinger Road, Fort Worth

The seminars are free and open to the general public. There will be a question and answer period during the seminar. For questions regarding the seminars, please call Turner’s office at 817-478-5096.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
What:       Paying for College Seminar – Crowley/Fort Worth
When:      Tuesday, March 9, 2010; 7:00 to 8:30PM
Where:     Crowley Middle School (Lecture Hall), 3800 W. Risinger Road, Fort Worth [MAP]

Monday, March 8, 2010
What:       Paying for College Seminar – Arlington
When:      Monday, March 8, 2010; 6:30 to 8:00PM
Where:     Seguin High School (Cafeteria), 7001 Silo Road, Arlington

[MAP]

People are very concerned about public schools. They think the state has done an inadequate job of funding education and they would like to see fewer bureaucratic requirements on teachers and less standardized testing pressure on students.
There is growing concern about natural gas drilling in parts of our district and its impact on the health and safety of residents.

People are increasingly fed up with unresponsive and ineffective state agencies which struggle to do the bare minimum when it comes to protecting consumers’ interests, especially in the areas of utilities and insurance.

I agree with all of these concerns and others that were raised in our meetings. In my opening remarks at each meeting, I stressed that fundamental changes have to be made in Austin in order to meet these and the many other challenges facing our state. I know I was frustrated in my first session by the Legislature’s inability to pass homeowner insurance reform and transportation reform and to do more for public schools. The public is frustrated too, and I don’t blame them.

That said, I think our meetings were what American democracy is all about. People were respectful of one another and voiced their opinions in polite, constructive manners. We had a good healthy discussions that allowed all points of view to be heard in a positive way. In a time when politics seems to be defined by people shouting at each other on cable talk shows and negative TV ads, it was refreshing to simply take part in a conversation about the future of our state.

Paying for College

Another issue that came up was the rising cost of a college education. With costs increasing each year, parents and students need more help trying to figure out how to pay for college.

On Monday, March 8 and Tuesday, March 9, I am hosting two “Paying for College” seminars. The seminars will feature representatives from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, North Texas Higher Education Authority and local universities who will give presentations about federal and state financial aid programs, additional financial aid sources and veteran’s educational benefits.

Both events are free and open to the public. The details are as follows:

Monday, March 8, 2010
What: Paying for College Seminar – Arlington
When: Monday, March 8, 2010; 6:30 to 8:00PM
Where: Seguin High School (Cafeteria), 7001 Silo Road, Arlington [MAP]

Tuesday, March 9, 2010
What: Paying for College Seminar – Crowley/Fort Worth
When: Tuesday, March 9, 2010; 7:00 to 8:30PM
Where: Crowley Middle School (Lecture Hall), 3800 W. Risinger Road, Fort Worth [MAP]

If you have any questions about these events, please call my district office at (817) 478-5096. I hope to see you there.

It seems though that sometimes the vision of our state’s leadership doesn’t measure up to the size and heritage of our state. When we look at the decisions made in Austin, it’s not evident that our state’s leadership is thinking big. Texas’ failure to take advantage of a huge federal investment in high speed rail is the latest example.

Last week, the federal government announced $8 billion in high-speed rail funding to various states. Texas got $11 million. If my math is right, that represents about one-tenth of one percent of the available funds. That’s pitiful.

As the Dallas Morning News editorialized on Sunday, “If top Texas leaders had wanted serious high-speed rail money from Washington, they needed to show they were serious about it first. Pity, but neither appeared to be the case. The big federal prizes to develop bullet trains went to Florida, California and Illinois last week. Texas got the scraps, and deservedly so.”

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, a federal Railroad Commission official recently said, “There has been no central vision, no common vision for rail in Texas…that kind of vision, that kind of support from the political leadership, is critical to success…”

And in case anyone tries to pretend that Texas was left out due to some partisan ploy, consider that Florida – a state with a Republican Governor and Republican-controlled Legislature – are taking high-speed rail seriously and managed to snare over $1 billion.

There’s no reason the second most populous state in the country shouldn’t be a player when it comes to developing high-speed rail to connect our population centers. We should not leave this unique opportunity to grow our economy and create jobs on the table. But our leadership needs to get a vision, and fast. It’s time to start thinking big.

Town Hall Time

Next week, I’ll be holding four town hall meetings in District 96. This is an opportunity for me to hear from constituents what’s on their minds – and how they think we can make Texas government work better for them and their families. I always learn a lot when we do these meetings and I know next week will be no exception. District 96 residents are encouraged to attend one of the meetings – click here to find complete details.

Speech to Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars

Last Friday, I was honored to have been invited to speak to the Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars and the VFW Ladies Auxiliary mid-winter conference in Austin. I got to update those in attendance on the success of the veterans lottery scratch-off game that we worked so hard to pass and a few other things. Click here if you’d like to read my remarks. But the most important thing I said to that crowd was “thank you” – it’s something we can’t ever say enough to our nation’s veterans and their family members.

On Saturday, February 13, 2010, Chris Turner will hold a Town Hall Meeting for Crowley/Burleson

Crowley/Burleson Town Hall Meeting
Crowley City Hall
201 E. Main Street
Crowley, TX 76036

Saturday, February 13, 2010
1:30 to 3:00 PM

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On Saturday, February 13, 2010, Chris Turner will hold a Town Hall Meeting in Kennedale

Kennedale Town Hall Meeting
Kennedale City Hall
405 Municipal Drive
Kennedale, TX

Saturday, February 13, 2010
10:00 to 11:30 AM

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