Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Friday, May 3
May 3, 2013
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
Florida’s 2013 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
There are no Florida insurance-related events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Bill passed limiting Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance
The Florida Senate sent Governor Rick Scott a bill on Thursday designed to reduce the state’s exposure to catastrophic financial losses from a hurricane by gradually steering homeowners away from the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, reports Bill Cotterell for Reuters.
Watered-down texting while driving ban goes to Governor
The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports that the Florida Senate accepted a House amendment that weakens the bill by making it more difficult for police to prove that the driver was texting at the same time as a traffic stop.
Blog: Florida Ranks Highest In Motorcycle Fatalities
Despite the fact that traffic fatalities are overall declining, rates of motorcycle fatalities are on the rise in Florida and nationwide, according to a study just released by the Governors Highway Safety Association, reports SaintPetersBlog.com‘s Karen Cyphers, noting a recent Tampa Tribune story.
Legislature approves limit on Physician-Dispensed Drugs for Workers’ Compensation
After years of struggling to rein in the cost of physician-dispensed drugs, Florida workers’ compensation insurers finally reached a compromise with physicians and drug companies that is projected to reduce costs by some $20 million, Insurance Journal’s Michael Adams reports.
Florida GOP Legislators Kill Medicaid Expansion
More than a million low-income state residents will remain without health insurance as House Republicans in the Florida Legislature rejected a state Senate plan to make use of federal funds to bankroll Medicaid expansion, despite GOP Gov. Rick Scott’s support for the proposal, Melanie Batley reports for NewsMax.
Trauma center deregulation bill is on life support
A proposal to deregulate Level II trauma centers has become an omnibus health care bill carrying proposals dealing with pharmacies, assisted-living facilities, pain clinics and dental care. The practice is known as loving a bill to death. And the sponsor of the trauma bill thinks his idea has gotten too much love, reports James Call for The Florida Current.
Senate sends nuclear bill to governor as Florida Supreme Court rejects challenge to 2006 law
The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie reports that the Florida Senate voted unanimously yesterday to send SB 1472 revising the 2006 nuclear cost recovery law to the governor. The Florida Supreme Court unanimously rejected a challenge by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to the law. The group had argued that the law was too vague and that the Legislature turned over its authority to the Public Service Commission
Blog: Warrant Necessary for Cell Phone Search, Florida Supreme Court Says
A Florida Supreme Court ruled yesterday that police may not confiscate and search an arrested person’s cell phone without a search warrant, SaintPetersBlog.com‘s Karen Cyphers reports.
Blog: House Speaker refutes Dan Marino on stadium subsidy — “It’s an uphill battle for the Dolphins”
Former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino told The Miami Herald’s Marc Caputo that House Speaker Will Weatherford told him that a measure to subsidize Sun Life stadium’s renovations with tax money has “a good chance” of passing the Legislature.
Florida Governor signs law to speed up unclaimed property system
CFO Jeff Atwater says SB 464 will enable the state’s unclaimed-property office to greatly speed return of money in forgotten bank accounts and other assets, Bill Cotterell reports for The Florida Current.
Major legislation awaits Session’s final day
The Florida Legislature used its next-to-last day Thursday to pass a watered-down texting-while-driving ban, a plan to slim down the state-run Citizens Property Insurance and legislation that strips local governments of the power to impose sick-leave laws, Kathleen Haughney and Aaron Deslatte report for Orlando Sentinel.
Blog: Elections bill compromise pending
Lawmakers working on an elections bill meant to repair the snafus that plagued the 2012 vote say the bill is set to pass the House once a provision for the punishment of elections supervisors is softened, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports in SaintPetersBlog.com.
Analysis confirms manufacturing tax cut needed two-thirds vote to pass
Staff analysis from both chambers on standalone versions of the manufacturing tax cut (SB 518, HB 391) indicate a two-thirds vote in both chambers may be required to pass the measure because it affects local government revenues, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Orlando national leader in home flipping profits
Metro Orlando leads the nation in the profitability of flipping homes, according to a new report released Thursday, noted by the Associated Press in the Tampa Tribune.
RMS Models $1.2 Billion of New Catastrophe Bond Issuance
Risk Management Solutions has conducted risk analysis for two new catastrophe bonds: Bosphorus Re 1 Ltd. (Series 2013-1) cat bond; and the Tar Heel Re Ltd. (Series 2013-1) cat bond, launched in April 2013, PropertyCasualty360.com reports.
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