Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Thursday, May 22
May 22, 2014
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Hurricane Charley, the 2004 Hurricane Season left a trail of lessons
Charley, which was supposed to strike Tampa, instead came ashore in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte on Aug. 13 with a 145-mph wallop and made a bee-line toward Central Florida. It arrived in Orlando in five hours – lightning-quick for a hurricane. Orlando Sentinel’s Stephen Hudak looks back at the 10th anniversary of the powerful storm.
Palm trees: The myths about hurricane haircuts
All over Southwest Florida homeowners are getting ready for hurricane season by trimming their trees, and while trimming dead leaves keeps trees healthy, the hurricane haircut does not, Andrea Stetson reports for the Ft. Myers News-Press.
Ride-sharing service Lyft to launch in Miami
While Uber’s plans to offer its car service in Miami have hit nothing but roadblocks, San Francisco-based Lyft says it is launching its ride-sharing service Thursday evening. Nancy Dahlberg reports for the Miami Herald.
Consumers may share tax cut for title insurers
Florida regulators said Friday that they will “explore” a move to let consumers share in a tax cut one lawmaker has called a windfall for title insurance companies, reports Charles Elmore of the Palm Beach Post.
Gaetz defends Florida’s congressional maps
Senate President Don Gaetz testified Wednesday that Republican legislative leaders wanted to have the most “open, inclusive, fair” redistricting process in Florida history, Orlando Sentinel’s Aaron Deslatte reports.
Florida Supreme Court won’t take up blind trust case
The Florida Supreme Court is refusing to take up a challenge to a year-old state law that allows elected officials to place their assets in a blind trust instead of reporting each investment publicly, The Florida Current reports.
After wrongly sending Governor Scott unpaid tax notice, Florida tax collectors review procedures
The Florida Department of Revenue will take another look at its procedures for sending tax warrants – notices of unpaid taxes – to residents after sending out 7,000 warrants in error last year, more than 7 percent of the 96,413 total warrants sent, The Florida Current reports.
Scott coy on preference as Republican Party of Florida looks to replace chairman
Florida Governor Rick Scott has huge influence over the next leader of the Republican Party of Florida, but for now he’s not taking any sides – at least publicly, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Tiny towns lead Florida growth
Newly released 2013 population estimates from the Census Bureau show a little city north of downtown Tampa grew nearly 7 percent between 2012 and 2013. Nearby Webster and Coleman – also in Sumter County – joined Center Hill at the top of the list, Kevin Wiatrowski reports for the Tampa Tribune.
Florida Agriculture Exports Increased To $4.1 Billion In 2013
Florida’s international agricultural exports in 2013 increased to about $4.1 billion, up 1.9 percent from last year, according to a report from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services released on Wednesday.
Industry Reps Voice Support for Bills to Roll Back Federal Regulatory Oversight
Insurance industry trade groups this week urged Congress to promptly pass legislation designed to partly roll back federal authority to oversee or monitor insurance companies enacted as part of the Dodd-Frank financial reform act, Arthur Postal reports for National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.
Former Insurance Agents Johnson, Kingston Fare Well in Georgia Primary
A former insurance agent who has been active in Democratic Party politics has won her party’s primary for the Georgia insurance commissioner post and will face off against the incumbent Republican Ralph Hudgens in the November election, Insurance Journal reports.
The Nature Conservancy: Coral reefs first line of defense in a hurricane
Healthy coral reefs, which can reduce a full 97 percent of the wave energy that would otherwise hit coastlines – reducing risk to roughly 200 million people around the world, according to a new study in the journal Nature Communications, The Nature Conservancy CEO Michael Beck writes in the Miami Herald.
Climate group to sink $100 million in 7 national races in 2014
Setting his sights on Republicans who reject climate change, an environmentalist billionaire is unveiling plans to spend $100 million this year in seven competitive Senate and gubernatorial races, as his super PAC works to counteract a flood of conservative spending by the Koch brothers, Associated Press’ Josh Lederman reports via the Miami Herald.
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