Last week, Blue Bell announced the return of its products after a three month halt in production due to listeria contamination. While many Texans rejoiced on Twitter, not all consumers are rushing to get that familiar wooden spoon in hand.
Episode Six: This month, we’re sifting through the end of the good ol’ days for Blue Bell Creameries. It all started with a Blue Bell country cookie sandwich, which tested positive for the bacteria listeria this February. Since then, the ice cream company has recalled all of its products, but not before infecting 10 customers with listeriosis and killing three. Now, FDA reports show that Blue Bell factories tested positive for the dangerous bacteria as far back as 2012 and has been making customers sick since 2010. We’ll talk to Dr.
In an interview on Fox News Sunday, Former Gov. Rick Perry lamely defended his record on access to health care. When pressed about our state’s chronically high rate of citizens without health insurance, Perry said that isn’t how he “keeps score.” He trotted out the same, tired talking points touting what he calls “sweeping tort reforms” passed more than a decade ago.
This week on “Texas Tells” we’re going through the highs and lows of the 84th Legislative Session. We’ll speak to Texas Watch’s Executive Director Alex Winslow about the fight to preserve policyholder protections, working towards a Safe Texas, and his thoughts on the session.
Thanks to the support of the thousands families and businesses across the state who made calls, signed petitions, sent emails, and shared their experiences, we had our most successful session in years. Together, we worked towards a Safe Texas by blocking dangerous anti-policyholder legislation and supporting bills to improve workplace and community safety. Here’s what our session looked like.
Recent severe weather events have Texas families and businesses digging out, evaluating property damage, and preparing necessary insurance claims. Meanwhile, the insurance industry and its cohorts at the self-styled Texans for Lawsuit Reform are trying to shove last second changes through the legislature that would roll back decades of key policyholder protections.
The bill that burdens business. This month on Texas Tells, we spoke to Texas business owners about the Insurance Immunity Act or SB1628. The bill, which erodes crucial policyholder protections against low, slow, or no payment tactics by insurance companies, passed out of the Senate this week. In this month’s interview, Pampa hardware store owner Harold Price speaks out against the bill, arguing that it would shutter businesses across the state.
Sen. Larry Taylor and his allies at TLR want to distract attention from the terrible impact SB 1628 – the Insurance Immunity Act – would have on Texas families and businesses by resorting to direct attacks on Texas Watch.
Proponents of SB 1628 know that they cannot defend this bill on its merits. It speaks volumes that rather than debate the merits of the bill, they are making personal attacks.
The Texas Senate gave preliminary approval to the Insurance Immunity Act – SB 1628 – today. After a procedural vote and a few “clean up” amendments expected tomorrow, the bill heads to the Texas House. Following is a statement from Alex Winslow, executive director of policyholder advocacy organization Texas Watch:
Policyholders pay premiums in exchange for a promise from their insurance company that claims will be paid in full and on time. Too often insurers fail to hold up their end of the bargain by unfairly denying, delaying, or underpaying valid claims. That’s why strong laws with stiff penalties – like those that have been codified in the Insurance Code for decades – are necessary to deter bad conduct.
