Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, February 23
Feb 23, 2012
To go directly to the section of your choice, click on a hyperlink below. Other hyperlinks to meeting information, bills and news are noted in bold type.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
Florida’s 2012 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.–Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Board of Governors meeting. Teleconference: (888) 942-8686; conference code: 8419204389. To view the meeting notice, click here.
9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.–Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation (“DWC”) Rule Development Workshop; Proposed amendments to Rule 69L-3.012, “Notice of Denial,” would inform claims-handling entities of notice requirements to employees when the payment of a compensable medical benefit will be apportioned pursuant to Section 440.15(5), F.S. To view the hearing notice, click here.
9:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.–Senate Session
- HB 5505 relating to the Florida Department of Financial Services by House Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee
10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.–DWC Rule Development Workshop; Proposed Rule 69L-7.602, entitled “Florida Workers’ Compensation Medical Services Billing, Filing and Reporting,” applies to dates of injury occurring on or after October 1, 2003, and clarifies that an insurer must provide health care providers with prior notification of a decision to apply apportionment in the payment of reimbursement for medical services. It also provides that an insurer shall, at the time of authorization or following authorization but prior to the rendering of medical service(s), provide each health care provider with written or electronic notification of such decision. Subsection (7) of the Rule is deleted, inasmuch as the penalty provisions are transferred to Rule Chapter 69L-24, F.A.C. To view the hearing notice, click here.
10:00 a.m.–Florida Surplus Lines Service Office meeting; 10:00 a.m. A meeting of either the FSLSO Board of Governors or National Clearinghouse Committee is scheduled. To view the meeting notice, click here.
1:00 p.m.–Florida Workers’ Compensation Joint Underwriting Association Board of Governors meeting. To view the meeting notice, click here. To view the agenda, click here.
1:00 p.m.–House Session
- HB 7105 relating to Open Government Sunset Review/Florida Workers’ Compensation Joint Underwriting Association by the House Government Operations Subcommittee
- HB 7107 relating to Open Government Sunset Review/Consumer Complaints and Inquiries by House Government Operations Subcommittee
- HB 7033 relating to Open Government Sunset Review/Personal Injury Protection and Property Damage Liability Insurance Policies by House Government Operations Subcommittee
- CS/CS/HB 313 relating to Premises Liability by House Judiciary Committee; House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee; State Representative Leonard Bembry
- CS/HB 409 relating to Alien Insurers by House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee; State Representative Ed Hooper
- HB 379 relating to Captive Insurance by State Representative Jeanette Nuñez
- CS/CS/HB 1065 relating to Annuities by House Economic Affairs Committee; House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee; State Representative Doug Broxson
- CS/CS/HB 1011 relating to Warranty Associations by House Government Operations Appropriations Subcommittee; House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee; State Representative Joe Abruzzo
- HB 1127 relating to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation by State Representative Ben Albritton
- CS/CS/HB 645 relating to relating to Public Records/Title Insurance/Department of Financial Services by House Government Operations Subcommittee; House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee; State Representative George Moraitis Jr.
- HB 243 relating to Expert Testimony by State Representative Larry Metz
Senators Overhaul Florida Workers’ Compensation Drug Repackaging Bill in Committee
Rather than just limit the amount doctors can charge their workers’ comp patients for dispensing repackaged drugs in their offices, the Senate Health Regulation Committee’s tennis match of amendments ended Wednesday.
Daytona’s Brown & Brown, Inc. Announces the Asset Acquisition of Kane Partners, Inc.
J. Scott Penny, Regional President & Chief Acquisitions Officer of Brown & Brown, Inc., and Robert “Rob” F. Fitzpatrick and Fred V. Leone, the shareholders of Kane Partners, Inc., located in Mamaroneck, New York, today announced that Brown & Brown of Connecticut, Inc., a subsidiary of Brown & Brown, Inc., has acquired certain assets of Kane Partners, Inc.
Florida Department of Health reorganization bill stalls in Senate
The sponsor of the measure says he’s doesn’t know why his bill was held up on Wednesday, but the decision comes amid a leadership battle in the Senate.
Court tosses $2 million judgment against Philip Morris in Broward smoker’s case
Shirley Barbanell waited too long. By the time she snuffed out her last cigarette in April 1996, the lung cancer she suffered after decades of smoking took less than a month to claim her life.
Florida Senate Leader Opposes Immunity for Lawmakers
The incoming Senate president is opposing a proposal that would allow state lawmakers to wrap themselves in absolute immunity from having to testify in lawsuits.
Blog: Federal court judge suggests Governor Scott’s drug testing policy ‘sweeps too broadly’
A federal judge in Miami Wednesday cast serious doubts about Gov. Rick Scott’s order requiring thousands of state government employees to undergo a random drug test, suggesting his policy “sweeps too broadly.”
Business tax cut backed by Governor Scott stalls on House floor
Its sponsor, Rep. Eric Eisnaugle, says he’s writing technical changes to the bill before moving forward. It would increase the exemption on tangible personal property taxes from $25,000 to $50,000 and be decided by voters on the November ballot if passed by the Legislature.
Governor Scott loses another agency head
Jack Miles, the secretary of the Department of Management Services, resigned from his $140,000 a year job on Tuesday. Miles plans to stay in his post until March 31.
As his chief opponents are claiming victory, state Sen. John Thrasher says the race to lead the Florida Senate starting in 2014 is far from over. Thrasher had been supporting Andy Gardiner in what has become a heated Senate president battle.
Senate could revive ‘super exemption’ property tax measure
Although the House version of the bill went down this month, the Senate version will be heard Thursday by the Senate Finance and Tax Subcommittee. “We’re trying to raise Lazarus from the dead,” Senate sponsor David Simmons said.
Pension changes hit wall in Senate
The bill would return the retirement age for police and firefighters back to 55, or 25 years of service, undoing a controversial change lawmakers made last session. Although it’s stalled in the Senate, the House sponsor said Wednesday he still plans on pushing ahead.
Public Service Commission approves far-reaching Progress Energy agreement
The agreement increases and freezes base rates through 2016 while capping charges for a new nuclear plant and removing Crystal River nuclear plant repairs from base rates.
Senate Panel Approves Sale of Partial Social Security Numbers
A “compromise” engineered by state Sen. Jack Latvala sailed through committee Wednesday and left the door open for the continued sale of Floridians’ Social Security numbers.
Bill would allow a slow flow of treated sewage into ocean after 2025
A pending bill would lift the ban, due to take force in 2025, on sending treated waste into the Atlantic, and allow it during ‘peak flows’
A bill making its way through the Florida Legislature would allow the dumping of 5 billion gallons of treated sewage into the ocean every year, but save South Florida’s utility ratepayers at least $1.3 billion.
37,000 giant African land snails caught in South Florida
State agriculture officials say they’re still capturing thousands of giant African land snails in Miami-Dade County.
15,000 nurses needed in Florida
A new survey shows Florida is expected to have 15,000 vacancies for registered nurses during 2012.
South Florida politician admits sending ‘sexxxy’ texts to married prosecutor
Federal agents are investigating Florida House Rep. Richard L. Steinberg, D-Miami Beach, for sending a series of suggestive and harassing text messages to a married Miami female prosecutor, court records show.
Louisiana Citizens board offers $103M to settle lawsuit
Louisiana’s property insurer of last resort is offering nearly $103 million to settle disputes over its handling of claims after hurricanes Katrina and Rita more than six years ago.
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