REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT; FEES

(a) A purchasing group shall register with and designate the commissioner or other appropriate authority as the group's agent solely for the purpose of receiving service of legal documents or process unless the group: (1) was domiciled before April 1, 1986, in any state of the United States and is domiciled on and after October 27, 1986, in any state of the United States; (2) before October 27, 1986, purchased the group's insurance from an insurer authorized to engage in business in any state, and after October 27, 1986, purchased the group's insurance from an insurer authorized to engage in business in any state; (3) was a purchasing group under the requirements of the Product Liability Risk Retention Act of 1981 (15 U.S.C. Section 3901 et seq.) before October 27, 1986; and (4) does not purchase insurance that was not authorized for purposes of an exemption under that Act as effective before October 27, 1986. (b) The commissioner by rule may impose a fee in an amount not to exceed $50 for each document served on the commissioner and forwarded to the purchasing group. Fees collected under this subsection shall be deposited to the credit of the Texas Department of Insurance operating account.