Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, November 5, 2015
Nov 5, 2015
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Judge Asked to Find Florida’s Dog Bite Law Unconstitutional
Manatee County and a Bradenton veterinarian asked a judge on Wednesday to rule that a state dog bite law is unconstitutional, Josh Rojas reports for Bay9News.com.
Florida lawmakers float boater safety bill
Boaters who take a safety precaution could get slight discounts on their annual vessel-registration fees, under bills crafted after the tragedy of two 14-year-olds going lost at sea this summer, the NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports for the Pensacola News-Journal.
House subcommittee chair cautions against sea level rise speculation
A Florida House subcommittee chairman, who this week during a meeting twice cautioned a state environmental protection official about expressing “speculation” on sea level rise, told PoliticoFlorida.com’s Bruce Ritchie that “the world goes through cycles” of climate change.
$30 million in punitive damages scuttled in tobacco case
A South Florida appeals court Wednesday said R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company should pay $7.875 million to the estate of a man who died of lung cancer — but ordered reconsideration of an additional $30 million in punitive damages. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Saunders reports via SayfieReview.com.
Florida Senate rejects House redisticting plan, raising stalemate fear
The Senate rejected the House’s plan for drawing its district boundaries Wednesday, sending lawmakers back to the bargaining table in hopes of a last-ditch deal on redistricting. John Kennedy reports for the Palm Beach Post.
- Map drawer’s magic number becomes “21” as redistricting deadline looms
- Panhandle map tweak could have big political ripple effect
- Short of votes in Senate, Bill Galvano and Jose Oliva agree to try to revise Miami districts again
Scott’s Hospital Proposal Draws Fire
Governor Rick Scott wants to cap what hospitals can bill patients to halt “unconscionable” prices, a move that industry leaders say won’t promote affordable health care and may lead to further financial turmoil in the health care system. Liz Freeman reports for Naples Daily News.
Florida Legislature strikes a balance on water rules
A compromise bill that attempts to strike a balance between the agriculture industry’s need for water and the public’s desire to restore degraded springs received approval from a key Senate committee Wednesday despite warnings from some environmentalists that it does little to reverse the pollution and over-pumping that has caused the damage. The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports.
Florida House members back police body cameras
Amid a national focus on shootings by police officers, a Florida House panel Wednesday unanimously approved a bill that could lead to law-enforcement agencies setting policies for the use of body cameras. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Margie Menzel reports via the Gainesville Sun.
On brink of financial collapse, Opa-locka seeks state help
After years of mounting debts, Opa-Locka city officials will talk to the state Thursday about declaring an emergency to resolve a deficit that has reached $8 million – more than half its entire budget.
Treasury Names 12 to Federal Insurance Advisory Committee
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has named 12 individuals including several insurance industry executives, a professor, a consumer advocate and six state regulators to serve on the Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance, Insurance Journal reports.
China Asked to Revise Draft Cyber Security Rules Affecting Insurance Industry
Foreign business lobbies have asked China to substantially revise proposed cyber security regulations for the insurance industry, signaling a dispute that started with the publication of similar bank technology rules earlier this year may widen. Reuters’ Matthew Miller reports via Insurance Journal.
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