Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Monday, January 6
Jan 6, 2014
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Flood insurance rate hikes begin taking toll on Florida property market
Hefty flood insurance rate increases are starting to have a pronounced impact on Southwest Florida’s real estate market heading into the new year, hurting sales and upending the business in high-risk flood zones, Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s Zac Anderson reports.
James Madison Institute: 10-step plan could end Florida’s property insurance blues
Florida officials know that getting blamed for property insurance problems ranks right up there with tax hikes on the list of politically toxic issues, writes James Madison Institute President and CEO Bob McClure in this Ft. Myers News-Press Op-Ed.
Telemedicine bill giving insurers an option in the works
State Representative Travis Cummings, R-Orange Park, is expected to file a bill Monday or Tuesday aimed at easing a physician shortage in Florida, The Florida Current’s James Call reports.
White House says Obamacare working well in Florida
Fighting back against a two-month drumbeat of news coverage about people losing policies or having to pay more, the Obama administration set up a statewide conference call to tout early statistics on Florida experiences, The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports.
CFO Jeff Atwater seeking FAU presidency
Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced Saturday he will seek the presidency of Florida Atlantic University, possibly giving Gov. Rick Scott a chance to fill a Cabinet vacancy and opening another statewide race in November, The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports.
- Former Crist Aide, U.S. Senator George LeMieux Also Applies
- First Thoughts On Who Could Succeed CFO Jeff Atwater
Squabble over Florida unemployment system heats up
Officials with the Department of Economic Opportunity on Friday continued to criticize Deloitte, the main contractor responsible for a new unemployment claims system, and declared they would continue $15,000 daily fines until the glitch-plagued system is fixed, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Report finds mixed results for taxpayer-funded economic incentive programs
A report released by the Office of Economic and Demographic Research this week shows Florida taxpayers did not get a hefty return on investment for many economic incentive programs over a three-year period, with some programs even costing the state money. Other programs, however, padded state coffers significantly, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
New Stand Your Ground Case Could Head to Supreme Court
A divided appeals court on Thursday threw out second-degree murder charges against a man who fatally shot two others outside a Chili’s restaurant in a case that could renew debate on the state’s Stand Your Ground law, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Brandon Larrabee reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
Are Florida legislators ready to open the door to medical marijuana?
After years of rejecting proposals to allow marijuana to be sold for medical purposes, Florida’s Republican-led Legislature has agreed to hear a bill to allow medical distribution of the specialty strain, known as Charlotte’s Web, the Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports for the “Naked Politics” blog.
Fight over citrus canker may resume
They won their court battle against the state more than five years ago, yet nearly 60,000 Broward households have not received a cent for trees destroyed in the failed campaign against citrus canker, David Fleshler reports for the Sun-Sentinel.
Former Florida legislator Paige Kreegel files paperwork to run for Trey Radel’s seat
U.S. Rep. Trey Radel, returning to Congress after his guilty plea on cocaine possession in November, has now drawn a challenger for the Republican primary in August, Peter Schorsch reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.
Eric Eisnaugle’s a Strong Favorite to Return to Florida House
Eric Eisnaugle is looking to get back to the Florida House and he had an impressive 2013 to set the stage for a probable return to Tallahassee come November, Jeff Henderson reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
14 for ’14: What Will Command the Capitol’s Attention This Year
As 2014 kicks off, here’s a look at some of the key issues that could dominate the political landscape in the year ahead, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Brandon Larrabee reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
Florida Watchdog’s Best of 2013
Missing stimulus funds, billions in federal spending for a “free” lunch program and a golden business deal greased with taxpayer money. If that sounds like a lead-in to a bad Hollywood film, it’s not, FloridaWatchdog.org’s William Patrick reports in this first of a two-part feature in SunshineStateNews.com.
Southwest Florida banks doing better but . . .
Florida is still not a healthy place, for many lenders, writes Sarasota Herald-Tribune’s John Hielscher.
A lot riding on today’s SpaceX launch
A successful liftoff today could solidify upgraded Falcon 9 rocket as competitor for future missions, James Dean reports for FloridaToday.com.
Texas’ three largest home insurers plan to raise rates
Texas’ three largest home insurers are kicking off 2014 with steep increases in policyholder premiums, according to a report published on Jan. 4, Insurance Journal reports.
North Carolina Regulator “Appalled” at Home Insurers’ Request for 25% Rate Hike
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has called upon insurers in his state to withdraw a request for a 25.3 percent rate hike for homeowners insurance, saying he is “appalled” they would seek a raise just six months after a hike went into effect, Insurance Journal reports.
Andrew Gibbs Named As Bermuda’s New Insurance Supervisor
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has called upon insurers in his state to withdraw a request for a 25.3 percent rate hike for homeowners insurance, saying he is “appalled” they would seek a raise just six months after a hike went into effect, National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com reports.
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