TITLE 16.ECONOMIC REGULATION

Part 4. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION

Chapter 77. SERVICE CONTRACT PROVIDERS

16 TAC §§77.10, 77.70, 77.80

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation adopts new §77.10 and amendments to §77.70 and §77.80 of the Service Contract Providers administrative rules without changes to the proposed text as published in the November 10, 2000 issue of the Texas Register (25 TexReg 11219) and will not be republished.

New §70.10 clarifies that only service contracts sold in Texas are under the Department's jurisdiction.

The amendment to §77.70 ensures that service contract holders are made aware in a timely manner of their rights and obligations under the service contracts.

The amendment to §77.80 specifies that the tiered registration fee structure applies to companies that have no service contracts and those that have exactly 500 contracts in force prior to registration.

One comment was received from Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. on behalf of their client, The Texas Retailers Association, in support of the proposed rules.

The new rule and amendments are adopted under Texas Revised Civil Statutes Annotated, Article 9034, which authorizes the Commissioner of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to adopt rules as necessary to implement the intent and purpose of the article.

The new section and amendments affect Texas Revised Civil Statutes Annotated, Article 9034 and Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 51.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 17, 2001.

TRD-200100335

William H. Kuntz, Jr.

Executive Director

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation

Effective date: February 6, 2001

Proposal publication date: November 10, 2000

For further information, please call: (512) 463-7348