Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, May 2
May 2, 2013
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 2013 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
There are no Florida insurance-related events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Insurance bills bouncing between House and Senate, not passing as Session close draws near
The House rebuffed a bill favored by Senate leaders requiring oral cancer drugs be treated the same as other drugs, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports. The Senate responded by inserting the provision in a bill favored by the insurance industry, and placing a tax break repeal already resisted by the House once into the same bill.
Blog: Deal in works for Senate to accept House scaled-down position on Citizens overhaul
The Senate is set to accept the House’s trimmed-down effort to overhaul Citizens Property Insurance, a move that could avoid some of the rate increases feared by coastal lawmakers, reports Jim Turner of THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA on SaintPetersblog.com.
Central Florida Storms Spawn Destructive Mudslide
A mudslide burst into and throughout a Central Florida home Tuesday night, bringing more than 3 feet of sludge into the duplex, WJXT-TV in Jacksonville reports.
Dade City paying for repairs after municipal sewage flooded home
Tropical Storm Debby dumped at least 13 inches of rain on Dade City in just 24 hours and caused flooding in various spots, but especially the low-level area around Penney’s Osceola Street home, Tampa Bay Times Lorie Jewell reports.
Medical malpractice gets past House slowdown to Governor
House Republicans blocked a move by Democrats to kill legislation (SB 1792) aimed at making it harder to bring medical malpractice lawsuits, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
“Shot Clock” running out on health care deal
Lawmakers are scheduled to leave town Friday and there appears to be no agreement on how to reduce the number of uninsured Floridians, The Florida Current’s James Call reports. The Senate rejected a House proposal and the House refuses to take up the Senate bill. Wednesday, Senate President Don Gaetz said “the shot clock has run out on the health care issue.”
Governor approves election, ethics laws, vetoes alimony bill
Integrity Florida says the two new laws are a big step forward, The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports. Meanwhile, State Representative Ritch Workman says he may ask the House to override the governor’s veto of SB 718, which would have eliminated permanent alimony and imposed other changes.
Democrats challenge tax cut vote after daylong slowdown
A long day ended just before 8 p.m., as House Republicans rammed through a 96-page tax bill – including a sales-tax break on manufacturing that was a priority of Gov. Rick Scott – with no debate, Orlando Sentinel’s Aaron Deslatte reports.
“Hijacked” nuclear bill passes House, returns to Senate
Representative Mike Fasano says the former Progress Energy Florida gained by a bill amendment approved Tuesday, reports The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie. But State Representative Jose Felix Diaz says it “goes a lot further than anybody thought we could.” The bill passed 104-12 and now goes back to the Senate.
National Insurance Crime Bureau: Rhode Island Ranked Top State for Metal Theft
The National Insurance Crime Bureau said it is seeing more evidence of pervasive metal theft-overwhelmingly copper-across the nation, Insurance Journal reports. The NICB reviewed metal theft claims from the ISO ClaimsSearch database covering January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2012.
Oklahoma Passes Bill Permitting Employers to Opt Out of Workers’ Compensation
Oklahoma is joining Texas as the only states that allow employers to opt-out of the workers’ compensation system, PropertyCasualty360.com‘s Arthur Postal reports.
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