Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Friday, May 2
May 2, 2014
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
Florida’s 2014 Regular Legislative Session
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Florida Senate sends flood insurance bill to Governor Scott
After agreeing to accept the House version of SB 542, a bill designed to entice more private companies to write flood insurance policies in Florida, the Senate passed the bill by a 30-3 vote Thursday, sending the bill to Gov. Rick Scott’s desk, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Dennis Ross and Patrick Murphy Team Up on Flood Insurance
Two Florida congressmen — Republican U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross and Democrat U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy — joined forces on Thursday to introduce “the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act of 2014” which, they insist, will allow more role for the private market on flood insurance by reducing the federal role and giving states more flexibility, Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
Watered-down Citizens bill passes Senate, heads to Governor Scott
Condominium buildings won’t be able to get coverage from state-run Citizens Property Insurance after July 1 under a bill heading to Governor Rick Scott’s desk, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Citizens sinkhole program revived by House
A plan to require customers of Citizens Property Insurance to choose contractors approved by the state-run company to conduct sinkhole damage repairs on their homes saw new life, as the House inserted the provision yesterday in HB 375, an omnibus insurance bill, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
New Solvency Standards For Insurance Companies To Benefit Florida Consumers
New legislation passed and sponsored by Senator David Simmons and Representative Clay Ingram will modernize insurer solvency regulation in Florida to the benefit of Florida policyholders, Insurance News Net reports.
Hundreds Rescued From Flooding in Florida Panhandle, Coastal Alabama
People were plucked off rooftops or climbed into their attics to get away from fast-rising waters when nearly 2 feet of rain fell on the Florida Panhandle and Alabama coast in the span of about 24 hours, the latest bout of severe weather that began with tornadoes in the Midwest, the Associated Press reports via Insurance Journal.
Bill to Raise Florida Speed Limit to 75 mph Goes to Governor Scott
The speed limit on Florida highways would increase from 70 to 75 mph under a bill the House narrowly passed, despite arguments that it would lead to more deaths, the Associated Press reports via Insurance Journal.
Parasailing regulations headed to Governor Rick Scott
Commercial parasailing operations, involved in several tragedies along Florida waterways in recent years, would gain state regulation for the first time under legislation headed to Governor Rick Scott, John Kennedy reports for the Palm Beach Post.
UPC Insurance expansion beyond Florida pays off
The strategy behind United Insurance Holdings Corp.’s geographic expansion beyond Florida showed up in the company’s financial report for the first quarter of 2014, Margie Manning reports for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
South Florida Business Journal Ranks Top Insurance Agencies
A Miami-based company ranked first on the South Florida Business Journal’s list of the region’s top insurance agencies, Gilberto Medina reports.
Florida Senate passes undocumented immigrant instate tuition bill; likely to pass House, Governor
On Thursday, the Senate passed HB 851, which would allow undocumented immigrants who attend a Florida high school for three years and graduated the chance to receive instate tuition, and sent it back to the House for final approval, The Florida Current’s Arek Sarkissian reports.
- House sets stage for admitting undocumented immigrant to Bar
- Medical cannabis bill includes special carve-out for Florida growers — but who?
House approves marijuana extract
The Florida House overwhelmingly passed a bill Thursday that would legalize the use of low-THC marijuana to treat epilepsy and cancer patients, The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports.
Senate passes January start time for 2016 Session legislation
Lawmakers will gather in Tallahassee for the 2016 Legislative Session in January, not the regular March start time, under a bill that passed through the Senate on Thursday, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Florida Senate Adds Cuban Player Rules to Stadium Funding Plan
The Florida Senate accepted a House proposal Thursday that would require Major League Baseball to change how Cuban players are treated if baseball wants to share in state money for stadium work, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
Under federal investigation, ex-Rep. David Rivera announces he’ll run for Congress again
David Rivera, the former Miami congressman under investigation in a complicated campaign-financing case, announced on Wednesday night that he intends to run again for the United States House of Representatives, the Miami Herald reports.
2014 Meltdown Watch: Are there bills that could lead to a late blow-up?
Remember the House auto-reader, nicknamed Mary, in 2013, that resulted from a Democratic protest in the House? The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie notes Gary Fineout’s “Fine Print” analysis.
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