Representative John T. Smithee is the long-standing chairman of the Texas House Committee on Insurance.  A highly regarded member of the Legislature, Chairman Smithee’s leadership is key to achieving real insurance reform in Texas.

In 2007, the Amarillo Republican supported legislation that would provide for an elected Texas Department of Insurance commissioner – a move applauded by consumer advocacy groups across the state.  Smithee has also shown public disappointment with the legal tactics of insurers and with the failure of insurance prices to decrease significantly for Texas homeowners. 

Rep. Smithee has worked with legislators over the last six years to grant the commissioner more power to counteract the extensive legal resources of big insurance companies.  His proposal includes the authority to preemptively reject unreasonable rate hikes offered by insurance companies before they are placed on the backs of consumers. Mr. Smithee hopes that this year’s Sunset review process will bolster that effort. 

In the 81st Legislature, Representative Smithee has continued his tireless work to make insurance work all Texans. He has authored:

• HB 911- a temporary funding mechanism for the TWIA, the insurer of last resort along the Texas coast.
• HB 4477- an effort to address coverage and reinsurance of health insurance groups across the state
• HB 3759- addressing the operation and regulation of many consolidated insurance programs

In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Mr. Smithee said, “The insurance industry will have to deal with a lot of issues they have not been dealing with in recent years. [These issues] will be fair game when we consider the Sunset bill.” Rep. Smithee has demonstrated strong leadership in the past on the issue of insurance reform, and, with this sort of vision, members of Congress and consumers alike look for him to continue this trend.