Capital Highlights

Lawmakers to tackle soaring home insurance rates Top state lawmakers plan to address soaring homeowners insurance premiums when they return to Austin in January for the next legislative session, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The state's insurance commissioner, Cassie Brown, told a Senate committee that home insurance rates increased last year by more than 21% statewide, twice the average increase in 2022.

More severe and frequent disasters are blamed for the spike in rates. In addition to more severe and more frequent storms, higher home values and higher costs for construction and labor are also factors. The median home price in Texas has risen 40% in the past five years.

"All this new value needs coverage, which results in bigger bills for consumers," Brown said.

Lawmakers reportedly will consider changes to the state's file-and-use system, which allows insurance companies to raise rates and then seek regulatory approval. Brown said the Texas Department of Insurance reviews all rate filings but "rarely" disapproves any of them.

"If we tighten up the criteria that you have to look at in order to approve their rates - I would expect that if it's harder to get a rate increase approval, that would help Texans with their premiums on their insurance," state Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, said.

Alarm sounded over languishing farm bill Texas farmers, ranchers and lawmakers are voicing concerns that an economic catastrophe is in the works if Congress doesn't approve a new farm bill by the end of the year. The 2018 version - good for five years - has finally expired, The Texas Tribune reported, after being extended until Sept. 30.

In a letter to the House Republican leadership signed by 140 members of Congress, the signers warned that waiting until next year to pass a bill will have a nationwide effect.

"The negative impacts of failing to act will not just stop at the farm gate," the letter said, "but will (affect) Main Street businesses, rural communities, and the national economy."

The Farm, Food, and National Security act is considered a "must-pass" piece of federal legislation. The bill supports more than 230, 000 farmers and ranchers in Texas, and the state's food and agriculture sectors reportedly contribute more than $860.8 billion in economic activity while employing more than 4.5 million people.

The farm bill also funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which provides more than 3.4 million low-income Texans with food benefits.

"We need our members of Congress and leadership in Congress to recognize there's no room for delay anymore," said Laramie Adams of the Texas Farm Bureau, said. "It's time to actually work together to get something done."

Texas has more than 18 million registered voters Texas has hit a high-water mark with more than 18 million registered voters. The voter registration rolls are growing at a faster pace than the population's growth, indicating increased interest in signing up to vote. The Chronicle reported the state has added nearly 2.6 million voters since 2018.

Most of the growth has come in Harris County and along the I-35 corridor, areas that tend to vote more Democratic. While Republicans have not lost a statewide race in 30 years, results are getting tighter. "We are in a competitive state and we are not going to win just sitting on our laurels," said Dave Carney, a veteran Republican strategist who has been a key political adviser to Gov. Greg Abbott and former Gov. Rick Perry.

Judge ends probe into alleged vote harvesting A federal judge has stopped the state's ability to investigate alleged cases of vote harvesting, such as the probe into the League of United Latin American Citizens by Attorney General Ken Paxton, The Tribune reported.

The probe was being conducted under a provision of a law passed in 2021 that targeted voter outreach groups suspected of offering vote-harvesting services. Voter outreach groups have complained of overreach by Paxton's office and widespread confusion over the law's implications.

Paxton last week vowed to appeal.

"A ruling - weeks prior to an election - preventing my office from investigating potential election violations is deeply troubling and risks undermining public trust in our political process," he said.

Voter outreach groups hailed the ruling, saying the restrictions violated the U.S. Constitution by being vague and restricting free speech.

Texas leads nation in road rage shootings A newsroom dedicated to reporting on gun violence reports Texas is leading the country in road rage shootings, according to data from 2014 through 2023.

The Austin American-Statesman reported on the findings by The Trace, which concluded the number of people shot in road rage incidents surged over 400% during that time period, with 456 shooting incidents reported last year. Two Texas cities topped the list of road rage shootings during that 10-year period. Houston reported 215 total incidents with 192 shootings and 207 victims shot, while San Antonio reported 107 total incidents with 83 shootings and 94 victims shot.

During that 10-year period in Texas, 146 people were shot and killed in road rage incidents, while 435 were wounded. In addition, 26 suspects were killed and 14 wounded.

Shorter days bring higher risks for pedestrians

The change in seasons brings fewer daylight hours and higher risks for pedestrian safety, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Last October was the deadliest month for pedestrians, with 80 dying in Texas traffic crashes.

"As the fall and winter months usher in shorter days and less light, pedestrians are at increased risk on our roads," TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. "Drivers may struggle to see pedestrians in lower-light conditions and must stay alert to avoid preventable collisions."

Motorists are urged to stop and yield to pedestrians in crosswalks; yield while turning to pedestrians; put phones away; and observe the posted speed limit. Pedestrians are reminded to cross streets only at intersections and crosswalks; make eye contact with drivers before crossing; wear reflective material at night; and also put away all electronic devices.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: gborders@texaspress.com