CALL US IF YOU CAN TESTIFY ON MONDAY, MARCH 26th starting at 2:00 pm.
HB247 includes “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression”
We need to know your stories. E-mail us with your story if you have been discriminated against in health, life, disability, property, business, auto, or any type of insurance.
Equality Texas is contacting you with this Action Alert because the House Insurance Committee will hear testimony on HB247 on Monday afternoon, March 26th.
HB247, the “Insurance Non-Discrimination Bill”, would prohibit discrimination in providing insurance because of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Equality Texas strongly supports HB247.
Step 1: If you have personally experienced insurance discrimination, we want to hear your story. Please contact Equality Texas at Info@EqualityTexas.org or call us at (512) 474-5475.
Step 2: Let us know if you are available to testify on Monday, March 26th. Hearing is to begin at 2:00 pm, or when the House of Representatives adjourns. Contact us at (512) 474-5475 for more details.
QUICK FACTS:
Currently, insurers cannot discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, marital status, geographic location, disability or partial disability. HB 247 would just expand the categories to include sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.
Discrimination includes refusing to insure, charging a different rate, or limiting coverage in amount, extent or kind because of bias or prejudice.
Insurers would NOT be prohibited from basing their decisions on “sound underwriting or actuarial principles reasonably related to actual or anticipated loss experience.”
The American Bar Association’s policy states, “State laws should prohibit insurance discrimination based on sexual orientation.”
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners guidelines include, “state insurance regulatory authorities should prohibit underwriting based on sexual orientation.”
Transgender people throughout the state are e x cluded from the health insurance industry and/or denied coverage for medically necessary procedures at alarming rates. Specifically, transgender people applying for individual health insurance plans are facing rejections from many health insurance providers and health service plans. This Act will outlaw such denials when they are based on a person’s gender identity or expression.
Step 3: Help spread the word. Please forward this e-mail to people you know that have experienced insurance discrimination.
We are also working with our Equality Texas members who reside in House Insurance Committee members’ districts to call their representative in support of HB247.
THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE HEARING IS MONDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 26TH.
PLEASE CALL or E-MAIL US if you can help!
(512) 474-5475 info@equalitytexas.org
Equality Texas works toward the elimination of public policy discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression through lobbying, education, and research directed toward the Texas Legislature and other state governmental agencies.