Capitol to Courthouse Daily Florida Insurance Report: Monday, February 14

Feb 14, 2011

 

(Editorial cartoon by Cagle Cartoons/FloridaToday.com)

 

To go directly to the section of your choice, click on a hyperlink below.   Other hyperlinks to meeting information, bills and news are noted in bold type.

 

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events

 

There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.

 

 

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related Bills Filed for 2011

 

HB 723 relating to State Reciprocity in Workers’ Compensation by State Representative Mike Weinstein

HB 723 would exempt certain employees working in the state and employers of such workers from Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Law under certain conditions.  The bill would provide requirements for the establishment of prima facie evidence that an employer carries certain workers’ compensation insurance and would require courts to take judicial notice of the construction of certain laws.  Should it become law, HB 723 would authorize the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation to enter into agreements with workers’ compensation agencies of other states for certain purposes.  The bill also would provide requirements for claims made in other states, as well as criteria for employees to be considered as being temporarily in the state.   Effective Date:  July 1, 2011.

 

 

 

Daily Insurance-Related News

 

Former Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw:  Insurance industry’s excuses fall flat

It’s no secret that Florida’s property insurance industry is in trouble.

 

Letter to the Editor:  Insurers also to blame

In response to Mike Carlson’s article concerning sinkholes (“Hurricane Sinkhole makes landfall in the Sunshine State,” Other Views, Feb. 9): He goes into great detail about the unscrupulous adjusters and trial lawyers, but he makes no mention of unscrupulous insurance companies that force homeowners to get legal assistance.

 

Area man can’t understand Citizens premium increase

Allan Schwartz has never filed a claim on his homeowner’s Insurance policy.

 

Resistance to Drug Database Gains Strength in Legislature

Top GOP lawmakers join Scott in pushing repeal of 2009 law

The database has become a political football since Governor Rick Scott announced last week that he wants to boot it.


Florida CFO Atwater Seeks Claimants’ Feedback on BP Oil Claims

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is asking the state’s business community and BP oil spill claimants for their input regarding the claims handling process of the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.

 

Recount shows Watson winner in special election for Florida House 103

A state-ordered machine recount confirmed Barbara Watson as the winner Friday in a special primary to elect a new member of the Florida House of Representatives.

 

Florida House Budget Allocations Released

House Speaker Larry Cretul released budget allocations Thursday, pumping the largest share of taxpayer dollars into public schools this election year, pulling $600 million out of trust funds, and avoiding new taxes or fees.

 

THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA:  New GOP Chair bashes Democrats, No longer Senate Panel Head

Two days after being elected chairman of the Florida Republican Party, Senator John Thrasher announced Monday that he was stepping down as head of the Senate panel overseeing election law.

 

After meeting with Department of Environmental Protection, Governor Scott says he doesn’t want to close state parks

Governor Rick Scott Friday took a stand in support of Florida’s state parks.

 

Scott given list of three finalists for Department of Transportation job

The Florida Transportation Commission on Friday sent to Gov. Rick Scott the names of three finalists for the job of Department of Transportation Secretary.

 

Former Florida Governor Crist nominated for St. Joe board

New St. Joe Co. board member Bruce Berkowitz is proposing to add former Florida Governor Charlie Crist to its board, according to Bloomberg.

 

Sunshine State Community Bank closed by regulators in second Florida bank failure of 2011

Florida bank regulators on Friday closed Sunshine State Community Bank of Port Orange, the second Florida bank failure of the year.

 

Hospital merger case goes to trial in Daytona Beach

A trial that starts today challenging the merger of Bert Fish Medical Center with Adventist Health System promises to test the strength of the state Sunshine Law that requires the public’s business to be conducted out in the open.

 

Bills call for uniform fertilizer regulations

Does one size fit all Florida for fertilizer regulations? Representative Clay Ingram, a Pensacola Republican, says yes.

 

Department of Management Services gets new life under Scott

From Post-It Notes to plummeting elevators, from an executive jet that became a political white elephant to an opulent courthouse, the front office for Florida government takes the heat when things go wrong.

 

Immigration reform hits snags in Tallahassee

Thankfully, the white-hot zeal for an Arizona-style immigration law has run up against some cold, hard reality in Tallahassee.

 

Republican presidential primary contenders to visit Florida legislature

At the end of a media availability today, Senate President Mike Haridopolos said potential Republican presidential contenders will be visiting lawmakers in Tallahassee during the upcoming legislative session.

 

State sells planes at cut-rate prices; Scott says deal saves taxpayers money

The state sold two planes at cut-rate prices Friday, but Governor Rick Scott said taxpayers got a good eal by avoiding the cost of keeping them flying.

 

Scott’s budget leaves library funding untouched

While Governor Rick Scott axed state funding for a host of programs when penning his budget, nearly $22 million set aside for Florida libraries remained untouched.

 

Pasco residents upset about gas pipeline construction

Some people living in Pasco County are upset that a natural gas pipeline is being installed near their neighborhood. They say crews seem to be working on it at all hours of the day.

 

“Road to Nowhere” lawsuit against Crist veers into mediation

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne sued former governor over use of song in web ad.

 

Congressman Frank:  Oversight panel still needs insurance expertise

An influential congressman wants the new Financial Stability Oversight Council to postpone any decisions regarding the insurance industry until insurance industry representatives have been appointed to the panel.


SLIMPACT Approved By North Dakota, Kentucky

With an eye towards jump-starting national momentum for reform, two House representatives from North Dakota and Kentucky led efforts to become the country’s first legislative bodies to approve a Surplus Lines Insurance Multistate Compliance Compact this week.

 

Editorial:  Legislation would help homeowners

From the thicket of the coastal insurance crisis has emerged a promising bill that has won the approval of the Mississippi House of Representatives.

 

South Carolina House Passes Limit on Punitive Damages

The South Carolina House of Representatives approved limits on punitive damages yesterday by a vote of 100 to 7.

 

Massachusetts roof collapses prompt hard look at building codes

State regulators are collecting detailed damage reports from this month’s unprecedented number of snow-laden roof collapses, surpassing even the number reported after the Blizzard of 1978, to determine whether building standards should be updated.

 

Utah Adds 54 Captive Insurance Companies

Utah gained 54 new captive insurance companies during 2010, according to the Utah Insurance Department.

 

Experts say still time to alter captives rules

Captive insurance company owners and managers still have time to influence the shape of Solvency II, the risk-based capital regulatory regime slated for introduction in 2012, experts say.

 

Fred Kirby, former CEO at New York insurer; at 91

Fred Kirby, an heir to the Woolworth family retailing fortune who was chief executive of Alleghany Corp. for 25 years and chairman for 39 years, has died. He was 91.

 

 

 

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