MCALLEN—Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has named State Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, to the Joint Interim Committee to Study Seacoast Territory Insurance. The committee was created by House Bill 3 which was adopted during the recently concluded special session of the Texas Legislature.

"I'm pleased to appoint Senator Hinojosa to the Joint Interim Committee to Study Seacoast Territory Insurance," said Dewhurst. "It's very important that Texans living along the Gulf Coast have the coverage they need when dangerous weather conditions threaten their families, homes and businesses."

Hinojosa expressed his appreciation for the appointment and stressed the importance of examining ways to make insurance affordable for coastal communities in Texas. "We fought hard this past session against rate changes because our coastal communities deserve to have affordable insurance protection against hurricanes," said Hinojosa. "This appointment gives my constituents a seat at the table so that our communities can identify solutions for providing adequate windstorm coverage that is less expensive and uncomplicated."

The purpose of the joint committee is to examine different options for providing insurance to the coastal areas of the state, including through a quasi-governmental entity; to study the residual markets of windstorm and hail insurance in other states; and, to study windstorm-related building codes and mitigation strategies. The committee will report its recommendation to the Legislature by December 1, 2012.

Hinojosa's district includes the coastal community of Nueces County, as well as Jim Wells, Brooks and part of Hidalgo County. He is vice-chair of the Senate Finance Committee, and a member of the Natural Resources Committee. Hinojosa has spent over 20 years advocating for those issues that are most important to the citizens of Senate District 20.

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