Reform of the Texas homeowners’ insurance market in 2003 called for a file-and-use regulatory system. However, in 2009, the Sunset Advisory Commission’s Staff Report on the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) rightly concluded that the “Legislature cannot judge the success of the shift to file-and-use rate regulation because the system has not been fully implemented.” Conditions have little improved since the report was issued.
Local Government
Growing Pains: The Cost and Contribution of Impact Fees in Texas
Texas’s rapidly growing population requires new infrastructure and improvements, which oftentimes come at great expense. To fund these projects, local officials often impose impact fees on new development—but their use comes at a cost. Key points: Texas is the fastest-growing state in the nation. As such, it has robust infrastructure requirements. To help finance capital...
August 12, 2026