Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, January 9
Jan 9, 2014
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
There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee moves on flood insurance fix
A bill encouraging private insurance companies to cover flood damage in the place of federal flood insurance and its skyrocketing premiums passed through the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on Wednesday on a unanimous vote. However, some members worried the bill won’t solve the problem of higher flood rates, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
- Flood Insurance Bill Wins Unanimous Support in Senate Committee
- Legislation is fast-tracked to encourage private flood insurance in Florida
Bill limiting workers’ compensation penalties for businesses begins House trek
Legislation to reduce fines on businesses penalized for not carrying enough workers’ compensation insurance and to make it easier for companies receiving stop-work orders to resume business cleared the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee on Wednesday by a unanimous vote, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Bill to Open Fireworks Sales Takes Flight in Senate
Floridians as young as 16 would no longer have to “lie” when buying bottle rockets or more-powerful fireworks, under a measure that received backing in the state Senate on Wednesday, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
Charlie Crist’s new book takes on his rivals
A soon-to-be released memoir by former Gov. Charlie Crist details Crist’s rise to political power, his decision to leave the Republican Party in 2010 and how his marriage proposal to Carole Rome was interrupted by a neighbor who wanted to watch a Tampa Bay Rays game, Tampa Bay Times’ Aaron Sharockman writes for “The Buzz” blog.
Closed-meetings proposal clears Senate panel
A measure creating an exemption to the open meeting law to provide anonymity to contributors to university direct support organizations passed a Senate committee with no discussion and a 5-to-0 vote, The Florida Current’s James Call reports.
Florida lawmakers urge minimum wage increase
A group of Democratic legislators said Wednesday the Legislature should increase Florida’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, saying it would be good for millions of struggling residents and the state’s economy, The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports.
In a surprise move, Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity announced Wednesday that it is hiring another company to assist with the floundering $63-million unemployment benefits website, Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Van Sickler reports.
Lawmakers grill state education commissioner Pam Stewart
When Pam Stewart became state education commissioner in September, lawmakers said they would give her time to untangle the complicated issues facing the education department, Tampa Bay Times’ Kathleen McGrory reports.
The Congressional Budget Office says efforts to delay flood-insurance rate hikes-as proposed in a Senate bill under consideration-would add $2.2 billion to the National Flood Insurance Program’s debt over 10 years, raising concerns that the bill will run into strong opposition in the House, National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports for PropertyCasualty360.com.
Texas Insurance Executive Enters State Senate Race
Richard “Gordy” Bunch, founder, president and CEO of The Woodlands, Texas-based insurance agency, The Woodlands Financial Group (TWFG), has announced his candidacy for the state’s 4th Senate District, Insurance Journal reports.
Texas Insurance Commissioner Appoints Three to State Surplus Lines Board
Texas Commissioner of Insurance Julia Rathgeber has appointed Randle Loving, Paul Rainey and Cynthia Vickers to the board of directors of the Surplus Lines Stamping Office of Texas for terms to expire Dec. 31, 2016, Insurance Journal reports.
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