Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Thursday, November 6, 2014

Nov 6, 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

 

1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.–Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance meeting.  Washington, D.C.  Agenda includes an update on work relating to international supervisory standards for insurers, discussion on affordability of personal automobile insurance, developments in cyber-insurance market and the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework.  To view the meeting notice, click here.  To register for in-person attendance, click here.

     

     

    Daily Florida Insurance-Related News


    NextGen:  The fight in Florida is just beginning

    NextGen Florida spent $19.8 million in Florida between August 7 and October 22 this year with the influsion of cash from California billionaire and former hedge fund investor Tom Steyer, Mary Ellen Klas reports for the Tampa Bay Times.

     

    Florida’s AssuredPartners Acquires Premiere Coastal Insurance Group in South Carolina

    AssuredPartners Inc., through its subsidiary Assured Neace Lukens, has acquired Premiere Coastal Insurance Group.  No financial terms were disclosed.  Insurance Journal reports.

     

    With Scott victory, Florida Medicaid expansion hopes dim

    Tuesday’s re-election of Republican governors in closely contested races in Florida, Georgia, Wisconsin, Maine and Kansas dims the chances of Medicaid expansion in those states.  The Tampa Bay Times reports.

     

    An emboldened Scott and enlarged GOP majority will get to work in Tally

    Rick Scott becomes only the second GOP governor to win re-election in Florida history.  Republicans regained “super-majority” status in the House.  And the Senate GOP fended off all Democratic challengers.  Orlando Sentinel’s Aaron Deslatte and Dan Sweeney report.

     

    How Rick Scott Won Re-Election

    Rick Scott’s late decision to put nearly $13 million of his own money into the governor’s race may have ultimately made the difference.  Marc Caputo and Adam Smith report for the Miami Herald.

     

    Crist reflects on losing to Scott in governor’s race

    In his victory speech to supporters Tuesday night, Gov. Rick Scott described his defeated rival Charlie Crist as “very gracious.”  Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.

     

    Bill Galvano Takes Over as Florida Senate Majority Leader

    Preparing to take the gavel later this month, on Wednesday incoming Florida Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, named Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, as Senate majority leader. Galvano takes over from Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers.  Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.

     

    U.S. Judge Won’t Lift Stay In Florida Gay Marriage

    A Florida federal judge refused on Wednesday to lift a stay of his ruling in a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, meaning no gay weddings can take place for now while state officials continue to pursue an appeal.  Associated Press reports via SaintPetersBlog.com.

     

    Hudgens Re-Elected as Georgia’s Insurance Commissioner

    Republican Ralph Hudgens has been elected to a second term as Georgia’s insurance and safety fire commissioner in Tuesday’s midterm election, Insurance Journal reports.

     

    Republican elected top Kansas insurance regulator

    A Republican accountant and industry executive has won the Kansas insurance commissioner’s race without the backing of the retiring, three-term GOP incumbent, KSN-TV reports.

     

    GOP Control May Help Insurance Industry Aims

    With Republicans in control of both houses of Congress, analysts said that besides tweaking the Consumer Financial Protection Board, Republican-controlled financial panels are expected to seek a greater voice for the states in insurance regulation, and a lessening of the authority of the Federal Reserve to oversee insurance companies.  National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports via InsuranceNewsNet.com.

     

    States Benefiting Most From Obama’s Health Law Elected Republicans

    Arkansas, Kentucky and West Virginia – states that saw substantial drops in the proportion of their residents without insurance – all elected Republican Senate candidates who oppose the Affordable Care Act.   Margo Sanger Katz reports for the New York Times.

     

     

    Click here to follow Colodny Fass on Twitter (@ColodnyFassLaw)

     

     

     

    To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to Brooke Ellis at bellis@colodnyfass.com.