Texas Legislature, Senate, Economic Development Committee:

An Inventory of Records at the Texas State Archives, 1974-1999

Agency History

The Committee on Economic Development is a standing committee of the Texas Senate dealing broadly with matters concerning or affecting the economic development of the state. Matters considered by the committee include insurance regulation and reform, professional licensing and certification, real estate, telecommunications, commerce and banking. Senator O.H. Harris was chair of this committee during the 68th, 69th, 70th and 71st Legislatures (1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989). Senator Temple Dickson was chair of this committee during the 72nd Legislature (1991-1992), Senator Carl Parker was chair during the 73rd Legislature (1993-1994), and Senator David Sibley served as chair during the 74th through 77th Legislatures (1995-2001). In 2001 the committee was renamed the Business and Commerce Committee.

The Senate Subcommittee on Insurance was appointed by the President of the Senate, Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock, at the beginning of the 72nd Legislature in January 1991 to serve the Senate and the Economic Development Committee on insurance-related legislation. The Subcommittee on Insurance was composed of five senators; Senator Carl Parker was chairman. The Subcommittee on Insurance was in existence for only the 72nd legislative session. Much of the subcommittee's work in 1991-1992 involved two pieces of insurance reform legislation passed by the 72nd Legislature: House Bill 2, the Omnibus Insurance Reform Bill, Regular Session, and House Bill 62, 2nd Called Session. The subcommittee then monitored the implementation of this legislation by the Texas Department of Insurance. Both pieces of legislation were related to the regulation of the insurance industry, including the powers and duties of the Texas Department of Insurance, punishment for certain criminal offenses relating to the business of insurance, and motor vehicle financial responsibility. At the start of the 73rd Legislature in January 1993, the Subcommittee on Insurance was not reappointed and its duties were absorbed by the Senate Economic Development Committee.

As a standing committee (according to the Texas Administrative Code, Section 301, Subchapter B), the Economic Development Committee is expected to operate regardless of whether or not the Legislature is currently in session and must do the following: conduct a continuing study of any matter within its jurisdiction and of the instrumentalities of government administering or executing the matter; examine the administration and execution of all laws relating to jurisdictional matters; conduct investigations to collect adequate information and materials necessary to perform its duties; formulate legislative programs; and initiate, draft, and recommend to the Senate any legislation the committee deems necessary and desirable. The committee chair must introduce or cause to be introduced the legislative programs developed by the committee and shall mobilize efforts to secure the passage of such proposals. The committee may inspect the records, documents, and files of each state department, agency, or office, as needed, to perform its duties. As a standing committee, it is not limited to considering items submitted by individual legislators, but must search for problems within its jurisdiction and develop, formulate, initiate, and secure passage of any legislative solution the committee deems desirable. When the legislature is in session, the committee may meet when it chooses, so long as it adheres to applicable legislative requirements and rules of procedure. When the legislature is not in session, it will meet when necessary to transact the committee's business wherever authorized by the legislation which created the committee.

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Scope and Contents of the Records

The records consist of legislative bills, bill analyses, memoranda, correspondence, committee action reports, transcripts of testimony from hearings and meetings, agenda, minutes, statements, legal opinions, studies, reports, newsletters, news clippings, audio cassette tapes, witness lists, notes, copies of orders, press releases, and video cassettes that document the actions and interests of the Texas Senate's Economic Development Committee from 1974 to 1999. The files comprise meeting files, bill files, and research files of the committee itself; records of the Subcommittee on Insurance; and the files of the committee's general counsel. Topics considered by the committee include complaints against career counseling or consulting firms; tort reform; physician and surgeon malpractice insurance costs; farm product marketing; regulation of athlete agents; the levying of taxes; the regulation of credit unions, tow trucks, pawn shops, and telephone solicitation; oversight of job-training programs; and the continuation of various boards and commissions. Dealings with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), the State Board of Insurance, and studies of insurance providers are heavily documented in these records. The research files generated by the general counsel for the Senate Economic Development Committee cover subjects such as tort reform and the containment of punitive damages awarded in law suits; Texas workers ' compensation reform; and reform of the telecommunications and utilities industries. Correspondence passes between the counsel and legislators, attorneys, insurance companies, and members of organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Legislation given special consideration by the committee during the time of these records includes House Bill 2 along with its companion bill Senate Bill 2 (72nd Legislature, Regular Session) and House Bill 62 (72nd Legislature, 2nd Called Session). The bills were meant to provide stabilization to the insurance industry excluding workers' compensation and health care. Most of the Subcommittee on Insurance records were created by the Texas Department of Insurance in its efforts to conform to the changes in insurance regulation required by House Bill 2 and House Bill 62. Copies of the records were then sent to the Subcommittee on Insurance to assist the subcommittee in its monitoring of the implementation of House Bill 2 and House Bill 62 by the department. Records contain copies of official actions taken by the Board of Insurance, staff recommendations for revisions and amendments to insurance regulations, and bulletins and press releases announcing changes to the insurance industry and the public. Of special note in the general counsel's records are files pertaining to the passage and implementation of the Telecommunications Reform Act, House Bill 2128 (74th Legislature, 1995). House Bill 2128 provided for the continuation of the Public Utility Commission for six more years and for the regulation of telecommunications utilities.

A few files, particularly during the 74th Interim Session (1995-1996) document the actions of a subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee and an Interim Committee on managed care. Both bodies were chaired by the Senator Sibley, the Chair of Economic Development, and served by the Economic Development Committee clerk.

To prepare this inventory, the described materials were cursorily reviewed to delineate series, to confirm the accuracy of contents lists, to provide an estimate of dates covered, and to determine record types

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Because of the possibility that portions of these records fall under the Public Information Act exceptions including violations of the privacy of individuals, these records must be reviewed by an archivist before they can be accessed for research. The records may be requested for research under the provisions of the Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552). The researcher may request an interview with an archivist or submit a request by mail, fax, or email including enough description and detail about the information requested to enable the archivist to accurately identify and locate the information requested. If our review reveals records covered by exceptions to the Public Information Act, we are obligated to seek an Open Records Opinion from the Attorney General before the files can be provided to the researcher. The Public Information Act allows the Archives ten business days after receiving the written request to make this determination.

Restrictions on Use

Where necessary, records will be redacted or restricted to comply with the Public Information Act and the Attorney General's decision.

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Related Material

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

(Identify the item and cite the series), Records, Economic Development Committee, Senate, Texas Legislature. Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Accession Information

Accession numbers: 1992/004, 1994/079, 1995/125, 1996/134, 1997/026, 1997/029, 1997/07, 1998/006, 1999/103, 2001/073, 2002/102

These records were transferred to the Archives and Information Services Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission by the Senate Committee on Economic Development on September 9, 1991; March 11, 1994; June 8, 1995; August 26, 1996; October 24, 1996; October 30, 1996; September 12, 1997; February 22, 1997; and February 2, 1999; December 6, 2000 and by the (renamed) Senate Committee on Business and Commerce on February 6, 2002.

Processing Information

Paul Beck, April 1994

Lisa M. Hendricks, December 1995, August 1996, October 1996, June 1997, September 1997

Nancy Enneking, April 1999, January 2001, March 2002

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Detailed Description of the Records