Texas / South Central News

Oklahoma House Passes Computer Data Privacy Act

Concerned about data privacy and data manipulation, the Oklahoma House of Representatives has passed an opt-in data privacy bill with a bipartisan vote of 85 to 11. The Oklahoma Computer Data Privacy Act, House Bill 1602, requires internet technology companies …

Appalachian Underwriters Insurance Pros in Dallas Step Up During Winter Storm

In mid-February, when a severe cold front came down from the North Pole and swept across the nation and record snowfall and low temperatures froze society in its tracks, insurance professionals were ready to lend a helping hand. The temperature …

AccuWeather Raises Texas Damage, Loss Estimate from Winter Storm to $130B

Damage costs and economic losses from the intense winter storm that hit the country in mid-February may rise to as much as $130 billion in Texas alone, according to AccuWeather. That figure is up from the $50 billion to $60 …

Louisiana AG Backs $100M Deal in Freeport McMoRan Coastal Damage Suit

Attorney General Jeff Landry has said he’s backing a $100 million settlement between a dozen coastal parishes and mining corporation Freeport McMoRan to end a lawsuit over damage to Louisiana’s coastal wetlands, in what could become a landmark agreement. The …

CEO of Texas Power Grid Fired After Deadly February Blackouts

Texas’ power grid manager was fired on March 3 amid growing calls for his ouster following February’s deadly blackouts that left millions of people without electricity and heat for days in subfreezing temperatures. Bill Magness, CEO of the Electric Reliability …

Judge: Exxon Mobil Must Pay $14.25M Penalty in Pollution Case

A federal judge has ordered Exxon Mobil to pay a $14.25 million civil penalty in an 11-year-old lawsuit alleging it violated the Clean Air Act for eight years at its flagship Baytown, Texas, refinery. In setting the penalty, which would …

FEMA: 87% of Federal Flood Claims from Hurricane Laura Closed in Louisiana

The majority of National Flood Insurance Program claims in Louisiana stemming from Hurricane Laura, which hit the state in August 2020, have been closed. FEMA says the NFIP has closed 87% of the 1,227 claims submitted and paid more than …

Higginbotham Enters Louisiana in Partnership with Insurance Broker, Knotts

Fort Worth, Texas-based independent insurance and financial services firm, Higginbotham, has partnered with Mike Knotts, an insurance agency owner and broker in Bossier City, Louisiana, to establish its first brick-and-mortar in the state. Knotts, who opened his first agency in …

Alliant Acquires Louisiana’s Group Insurance Inc.

Alliant Insurance Services has acquired Group Insurance Incorporated (GII), a full-service employee benefits provider and general agency based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The acquisition of GII adds a diverse portfolio of group insurance products and services to Alliant’s national employee …

Texas Power Company Seeks Bankruptcy Protection; Others Likely to Follow

The largest and oldest power cooperative in Texas is filing for bankruptcy protection, citing February’s winter storm that left millions without power, and it is unlikely to be the last utility to seek shelter in the courts. Brazos Electric Power …

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