Rep. Todd Hunter instrumental in efforts to save the coast
AUSTIN - Lawmakers reshaped Texas windstorm insurance Sunday providing thousands of coastal residents support for fair and affordable windstorm insurance protection. The move which was years in the making came one day before the 2009 hurricane season kicks off and only minutes before a looming deadline for final passage of legislation before the Texas House of Representatives.
State Rep. Todd Hunter R-Corpus Christi who served on a 10-member conference committee that crafted the final version of the bill said the legislation saves Coastal Bend residents from unfair and unaffordable windstorm insurance.
This bill will provide stability and relief for homeowners and businesses many of whom feared that rising windstorm rates would force them to abandon the coast" Hunter said. It is one of the most important bills we could pass this session to ensure the future of Texas."
House Bill 4409 (the windstorm bill) unanimously passed the Texas House by a vote of 147-0. The bill will now need to pass a final vote by the Texas Senate before it heads to the desk of Gov. Rick Perry where he is expected to sign the legislation. Hunter noted that a study by economist Ray Perryman showed that 44 percent of the states total income is linked to key Gulf Coast sectors. In Texas a strong coast makes for a strong state" Hunter said.
Former state representative Hugo Berlanga said Hunters success in getting concessions on windstorm legislation showed that seniority and being a part of the leadership team really did matter in the Texas House.
This is the most significant comprehensive windstorm bill that we have had in over a decade" said Berlanga a former state representative who helped lead windstorm reforms in the 1990s. There is no question that Todd Hunters leadership and understanding of the Texas coast and windstorm issues saved the day for the Coastal Bend and the entire Texas coast."
The content of the final legislation passed by lawmakers was much different from the punitive measures proposed in earlier bills such as HB 911 and SB 14. Rep. Hunter played a key role in keeping legislation that would penalize the Coast from moving forward thus forcing the issue into a conference committee where Hunters influence ensured that coastal interests were well served.
Since the Legislative Session began coastal residents have rallied around the theme Save the Coast" Hunter said upon House passage of the measure. I can say with confidence that the final outcome does just that."
