Texas Gulf Coast residents from Orange to Brownsville participated in a Coastal Windstorm Conference in Beaumont on Thursday.

Former Beaumont mayor Guy Goodson, who is Government and Public Affairs Division chair for the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the audience and introduced Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames, Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick and a video by Texas State Senator Tommy Williams. Listen

Judge Branick introduced State Representative Allen Ritter, who in turn introduced State Representative Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi. Listen

Hunter, who was a sponsor of the original legislation that created the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, said that coastal interests are discriminated against. Listen

“You are different,” he said, quoting the insurance industry.  “You are to be treated differently.  You live by the water! Because you live by the water, we have to give you higher costs. That makes no sense.”

George Taylor, the Jefferson County representative of the Coastal Windstorm Taskforce, introduced Charles W. Zahn, Jr., chair of the task force. Listen

Lee Otis Zapp, one of the founders of the Galveston Windstorm Action Committee and now chair of the Coastal Windstorm Insurance Coalition told Guidry News Service that he is pleased to see so many persons from along the entire Texas coast at the meeting. Listen

Galveston insurance agent Henry Freudenberg said the next session of the Texas Legislature will be interesting. Listen

State Representative Craig Eiland, who was a participant in a panel discussion, talked about the issues with Guidry News Service. Listen

State Representative Larry Taylor was another panelist. Listen

The Coastal Windstorm Conference was held at the MCM Eleganté Hotel and Conference Center in Beaumont.

Update:

The October 19 meeting of the Windstorm Insurance Legislative Oversight Board was rescheduled for November 1, 2012.   Read below for more information about the rescheduling of the meeting.