Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report – Monday, March 14, 2016

Above:   Florida Gov. Rick Scott watches as House Sergeant-at-Arms Russell Hosford and Senate Sergeant-at Arms Timothy Hay drop their handkerchiefs during the Sine Die ceremony to end the 2016 Florida Legislative Session, this past Friday, March 11 in Tallahassee (Photo Credit:  Scott Keeler, Tampa Bay Times).

47 Apply to be Florida’s next State Insurance Commissioner

Top insurance regulators from the Tennessee, Illinois and Florida, and a former top official with the U.S. Treasury Department are among 47 people from around the nation vying to be Florida’s next insurance commissioner.  The Tampa Bay Times’ Jeremy Wallace reports via “The Buzz” blog.

  

Prescribing, Insurance Changes Get Last-Minute Approval

Florida lawmakers Friday approved measures that would expand the drug-prescribing powers of advanced registered nurse practitioners and address a controversial health-insurance issue known as “balance billing.”  THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Saunders reports via WUSF.edu.

 

Federated National Holding Company Authorizes $10 Million Share Repurchase Program

Federated National Holding Company (NASDAQ:FNHC), an insurance holding company based in Sunrise, Florida, announced today that its Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to $10 million of its outstanding shares of common stock through March 31, 2017. 

  

Big Issues Met Different Fates During 2016 Florida Legislative Session

A couple sailed through quickly. Others bumped along until finally passing. Still others flamed out before getting votes.  THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Saunders reports via NorthEscambia.com.

• Session is over!  Here’s what passed, what failed
• 2016 Legislative Session Winners and Losers
• Unlike 2015, Lawmakers Go Home Happy, On Time

 

Election-Year Session helped silence legislative bickering

When legislators adjourned their annual session Friday with back-slapping, hand-shaking unity, it provided a sharp contrast to the bitter animosity and personal feuding that dissolved last year’s session and, while they gave the most controversial and conservative bills a hearing, most of them died.  The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports via “The Buzz” blog.

  

No evidence for Trump claims of “dishonest” voting, Florida officials say

Donald Trump claimed Saturday that he’s “asking law enforcement to check for dishonest early voting in Florida,” but neither the state’s law enforcement agency nor elections officials have received any complaints or reports of voting irregularities.  Marc Caputo reports for Politico Florida.

  

Governor Rick Scott names New Acting Surgeon General

Governor Rick Scott has appointed the second-in-command at the state Department of Health as acting surgeon general after the Senate did not confirm Dr. John Armstrong for the position during the legislative session.  The Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Auslen reports via “The Buzz” blog.

  

Florida Senator Tom Lee not certain to run for re-election

State Senator Tom Lee, R-Brandon, has filed to run for re-election in 2016, but that doesn’t mean he is certain to do so. Within moments of the Legislature’s annual session ending on Friday, Lee cast doubt on whether he’ll run again for the Senate later this year.  The Tampa Bay Times’ Jeremy Wallace reports via “The Buzz” blog.

 

Florida Supreme Court appears divided over Utility-Backed Solar Amendment

Florida’s Supreme Court justices indicated Monday they are divided over whether or not a utility-backed amendment relating to solar energy is misleading and should not appear on the ballot.  The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports via “The Buzz” blog.

  

Texas Hail and Wind Claims:  We’re No. 1!

Texans like to brag that “everything’s bigger in Texas,” but sometimes that’s not something to be proud of. According to data recently released by State Farm, Texas led the nation in hail and wind insurance claims in 2015.   Right Street’s Josia Neely blogs via Insurance Journal.

 

 

 

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