Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, April 2
Apr 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
9:00 a.m.–Florida Cabinet meeting. To view the agenda, click here.
10:30 a.m.–Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation (“DWC”) Proposed Rule Hearing. Repeal of Rule 69L-10.0165, “On-site Audit Criteria,” is proposed because it offers no practical application. The Rule provides guidance relating to the on-site audit of entities making claims for reimbursement against the Special Disability Trust Fund. The DWC continually audits such claims in-house in a process that ensures there is no reimbursement of claims without sufficient documentation. To view the hearing notice, click here.
12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.–Florida Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance meeting. To view the agenda, click here. To view the meeting materials, click here. Discussion and testimony on Personal Injury Protection and consideration of the following bills:
- SB 1046 relating to Insurance
- SB 324 relating to Florida Insurance Guaranty Association
- SPB 7138 relating to Health Insurance
- SB 1262 relating to Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund
- SB 836 relating to Insurer Solvency
- SB 834 relating to Public Records/Proprietary Business Information/Office of Insurance Regulation
- CS/SB 1172 relating to Land Trusts
- SB 1612 relating to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
- SB 242 relating to Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact
- SB 262 relating to Delivery of Insurance Policies
- SB 550 relating to Worthless Checks, Drafts, or Orders of Payment
- SB 1622 relating to Establishment of a Clearinghouse Diversion Program Within the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
- SB 1606 relating to Public Records/Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
- SPB 7136 relating to Public Records/Inspector General/Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
- SPB 7140 relating to Public Records/Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Clearinghouse
- SB 410 relating to Money Services Businesses
- SB 1410 relating to Fire Safety and Prevention
- SB 924 relating to Dentists
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Florida Senate panel criticizes Citizens Property Insurance chief then gives him support
The president of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. faced a grilling from lawmakers Monday, but ultimately received a unanimous vote of support after explaining his response to a series of recent scandals at the company.
Florida May End Insurers’ Tax Credit
Florida lawmakers are moving forward with a proposal to eliminate a 15 percent premium tax credit for insurance companies in order to reduce automobile license fees despite strong objections from insurance industry.
The Florida Current’s Policy Note: Citizens Property Insurance
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. was created in 2002 and is run by a board appointed by the governor, Senate President and House Speaker.
Florida Justice Association: Chamber puts insurers before small business
This legislative session, the Florida Chamber of Commerce has launched The Coalition for Legal Reform.
Florida Consumer Action Network: Urgent Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund reform needed
Each legislative session we have lawmakers who champion reform of Florida’s government-run insurance entities–Citizens Property Insurance Corporation and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.
St. Pete to consider lengthening yellow lights at intersections
When a stoplight turns yellow on an approaching driver, that person makes a quick decision about whether to keep going or to put on the brakes.
Judge’s ruling sparks push to overhaul 2012 PIP law
A temporary injunction against Florida’s 2012 no-fault insurance law could lead to further overhauls this year.
Blog: Bill boosting lawsuit protections for nursing homes passes Florida Senate panel
Emotional testimony from a woman whose mother was sexually assaulted in a Jacksonville nursing home took center stage Monday as a Senate panel considered a bill strengthening lawsuit protections for nursing homes.
House Speaker Will Weatherford told the Florida Legislative Black Caucus last night that the House will offer its own alternative to expanding Medicaid, a move the Senate is considering to cover 1 million Floridians who lack health insurance.
Florida Senate panel votes to relax gift ban
The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee voted unanimously Monday to relax the legislative “gift ban” so legislators may have a cup of coffee with lobbyists and eat lunch at public gatherings, without having to go Dutch.
Wage theft bill clears Florida Senate panel
A Florida Senate panel has cleared a bill that would set uniform state standards for employees to seek compensation when they say they haven’t been paid their full wages.
Postcard alerts of foreclosure cash for more than 683,000 Floridians could be ignored
More than 683,000 Floridians are expected to receive foreclosure-restitution checks beginning this month through federal agreements with banks, but consumer advocates fear the letters could be mistaken for a scam or junk mail and thrown away.
Senate panel approves domestic partnership bill
Senator Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, did the math mentally and then could be seen mouthing the words “it passed.”
Florida Governor Rick Scott’s manufacturing tax cut gets renewed push in Senate
The Senate is taking a new approach to the $141 million tax cut for manufacturers, a top legislative priority of Governor Rick Scott.
Undercover slots expert details tricks of the Internet cafe trade
Working undercover as just another aging patron, D. Robert Sertell watched as customers streamed into Internet cafes in strip malls across Florida to buy access to Internet time or long-distance phone service.
Blog: Hallandale Commissioner Alex Lewy seeks Florida House seat
Alexander Lewy, a Hallandale Beach commissioner, said Monday he’s seeking a seat next year in the state House of Representatives.
Courts toss California homeowners’ insurance regulation
A judge has thrown out a state regulation that insurers said allows the insurance commissioner to decide on his own what constitutes an unfair business practice — a designation that can carry severe penalties for companies and their agents
New Rules in Place in Michigan for Insurer Use of Credit Information
A series of new laws have taken effect in Michigan that how insurance companies can use a person’s credit information.
Homeowners insurance in for some turbulence in Texas
Texas is not necessarily known as a target for hurricanes in the same way that Florida is.
Eli Lilly insurer’s lawsuit says insider information led to $60 million drug heist
So artfully done was the overnight theft of more than $60 million worth of drugs from an Eli Lilly and Co. warehouse in Connecticut that it seemed an inside job.
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