Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report – Monday, April 24, 2017
Apr 24, 2017
Florida is On Fire, But Homeowners Stand Down From the Worst
Evacuation orders have been lifted in Collier County where a brush fire has been raging over the weekend along with two others in Lee and Polk Counties and more than 100 across the State. The Tampa Bay Times’ Kathryn Varn reports via the Miami Herald.
· Florida Wildfires: Cigarette Likely Caused 400-Acre Blaze That Burned 4 homes
· Rains Don’t Extinguish Wildfire Threat, Officials Say
· Governor Scott Delays Trip to Argentina Due to Wildfires
Q&A with Florida Commissioner Altmaier, an Agent Turned Regulator
Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier is just about to complete his first full year in the position since taking over for Kevin McCarty last May, and there hasn’t been a dull moment since he took the post. Insurance Journal’s Amy O’Connor reports.
Proposals for Settlements on the Rise in Florida
Proposals for Settlements are on the Rise for the Insured in Florida, but are they really more cost-effective than completing the Litigation Process? Charmaine Little reports for the Florida Record.
U.S. High Court Won’t Review WellCare Ex-CEO Fraud Conviction
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an Appeal by former WellCare Health Plans Inc Chief Executive Todd Farha of his 2013 Fraud Conviction for his role in a scheme to cheat the Medicaid Health Insurance Program for the poor. Andrew Chung reports for WTVB.
Convicts in Massive Sober Homes Insurance Fraud Case Facing Federal Prison
The first three people convicted for their roles in a Massive Florida Health Care Fraud — that used Patients in recovery from Drug and Alcohol Addictions to rip off Insurance Companies — are facing Federal Prison when they are sentenced on Monday. Paula McMahon reports for the Sun-Sentinel.
Florida Senate Bill Protecting Contractors Would Reduce Local Rule
Florida Cities and Counties would not be able to require Contractors to provide certain Benefits and Wages to Workers on State-Funded Public Works Projects under a Bill approved Thursday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Lloyd Dunkelberger reports via the Palm Beach Post.
Lawmaker’s Plea for Texting Ban is Personal
As 10Investigates exposed earlier this year, many powerful Legislators have Resisted tougher Distracted Driving Laws in Florida. Donovan Myrie and Noah Pransky report for WTSP.com.
Stalemate in Tallahassee as Budget Talks Collapse and Stall
Negotiations between the Florida House and Senate on a State Budget are at a stalemate after the House on Sunday proposed a “Continuation Budget” for the Fiscal Year that begins July 1, meaning that current spending levels would remain flat with no cuts, no new initiatives and no hometown projects for Legislators. Steve Bousquet reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.
· Appropriations Chiefs Sound Hopeful as Clock Ticks on State Budget Negotiations
· Business Rent Tax Cuts Still in Play in House, Senate
Four extraordinary Days at the Florida Capitol: How Artiles Went From Defiance to Resignation
The Web Page for Artiles’ District 40 reads “Vacant.” And where the photo of a Smiling Artiles used to be there is a Black Silhouette of a Human Head. Patricia Mazzei, Steve Bousquet and Mary Ellen Klas report for the Miami Herald.
· Replacing Artiles: Who’s In and Who’s Out (so far)
New Home Construction in Polk Continues at a Blistering Pace
Construction is on a Pace that would take activity above 4,000 Permits in 2017, well above the Level of 3,000 to 3,500 Annual Permits indicating sustainable growth. Kevin Bouffard reports for the Winter Haven News Chief.
Trump Administration Recommends Sending Tens of Thousands of Haitians Back to Haiti
The Trump Administration is recommending sending Tens of Thousands of Haitians back to their Homeland because it believes conditions have significantly improved in the Disaster-Prone, Poverty-Stricken Nation. The Miami Herald’s Patricia Mazzei reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.
People Called this Boca Hotline. They Got $4.3 Million. Here’s Why.
Two years after its Launch in Boca Raton, a Financial Regulatory Group’s Investor Helpline isn’t just Logging Financial Mischief and Mayhem. It has helped return more than $4.3 Million to Callers. The Palm Beach Post’s Charles Elmore reports for the “Protecting Your Pocket” blog.
Pat Neal: Easy to See Why He Could Be Florida’s Next CFO
Scott and the Bradenton Homebuilder are cut from the same cloth. They speak the same language. SunshineStateNews.com Publisher Nancy Smith writes.
Click here to follow Colodny Fass on Twitter (@ColodnyFassLaw)
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to news@colodnyfass.com