Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report – Thursday, November 16, 2017
Nov 16, 2017
Court tosses out verdict against tobacco companies
A Florida appeals court ordered a new trial involving tobacco companies, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports via FloridaPolitics.com.
Chicken processor settles water pollution suit in Florida
The company was cited multiple times by Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection for violating limits on the amount of wastewater it was legally permitted to discharge into the river, the Associated Press reports.
Is there a cost to circumventing public records laws? Martin County learned the hard way
Circumventing Florida’s public records law, and destroying public documents, has cost Martin County commissioners more than $12 million — and the toll keeps rising. Mary Ellen Klas reports via the Tampa Bay Times.
Disregarding generator regulation may cause fines for local elder care homes
State officials have removed two local elder-care facilities from its list of nursing homes and assisted living facilities that have not complied with Gov. Rick Scott’s emergency order to obtain emergency generators to provide electricity during power failures. Marilyn Meyer reports for the Lakeland Ledger.
Following disturbing drug reports, Florida Senate workshops opioid crisis
A significant group of lawmakers involved with Florida’s ongoing battle against opioid addiction are starting to grasp the big picture, Danny McAuliffe reports for FloridaPolitics.com.
Property taxes likely to spur school funding fight
Another battle about using increases in local property taxes to bolster public schools will complicate upcoming state budget negotiations, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Lloyd Dunkelberger reports via FloridaPolitics.com.
Latvala probe may take up to a month to complete as Senate hires its own attorney
Senate President Joe Negron originally asked Senate general counsel Dawn Roberts to investigate the allegations, which were first reported by POLITICO, but she quickly recused herself amid criticism of her close ties to Latvala, Matt Dixon reports.
The danger with misreading Florida’s number of Puerto Rican arrivals since Hurricane Maria
The state’s number includes everyone who has landed in Florida from Puerto Rico, including aid workers, reporters, government officials and Puerto Ricans who already live on the mainland and went to help their families. The Miami Herald’s Patricia Mazzei reports for the “Naked Politics” blog.
Speaker Richard Corcoran takes aim at CRAs
The House and Senate are working on separate bills to add transparency and increase spending reporting requirements for the CRAs in the state. James Call reports for the Tallahassee Democrat.
Florida’s new mobile app for car tags — and what it will cost you
Florida is offering a new mobile app for car and vessel registration renewals, giving motorists the opportunity to complete tag transactions on their smartphones or tablets. Steve Bousquet reports for the Miami Herald’s “Naked Politics” blog.
Richest person in Florida goes after Bitcoin
Thomas Peterffy, founder and chairman of futures commission merchant and broker-dealer Interactive Brokers LLC, took out a full-page ad in Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal that warns the rise of Bitcoin could destabilize the economy. The Tampa Bay Times reports.’
U.S. House Passes Flood Insurance Program Extension with Reforms
The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 237-189 to pass the 21st Century Flood Reform Act (H.R. 2874) – a package of seven bills that reauthorizes the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until 2022 and introduces various reforms. Insurance Journal’s Andrew G. Simpson reports.
Testimony: Former Oklahoma Seismologist Felt Pressured not to Link Quakes, Oil and Gas
Oklahoma’s former lead seismologist says he felt pressured by an official at the University of Oklahoma to not link the state’s surge in earthquakes to oil and gas production. The Associated Press reports via Insurance Journal.
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