Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, April 30
Apr 30, 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
10:00 a.m.–Florida Division of Insurance Agents and Agency Services Rule Development Workshop. Proposed amendments to Rule 69B-231.150, “Criminal Proceedings,” relating to administrative actions against insurance licensees, would conform the Rule to changes already made to Rule 69B-211.042. The changes would also clarify definitions of “felony” and “revocation.” Also, the word “immediate” would be removed to better reflect the administrative process requirements that exist. A subsection would be deleted to remove standards that are conflicting with statutory changes and replaced with a new subsection to conform the penalty scheme with s.626.207, F.S. and Rule 69B-211.042. To view the Workshop notice, click here.
10:00 a.m.–Florida Workers’ Compensation Joint Underwriting Association Market Assistance Plan Committee meeting. To view the meeting notice, click here. To view the agenda, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
After halting an alternative clearinghouse bill, the House put its watered-down Citizens Property Insurance bill in place of the more aggressive Senate version, sending SB 1770 back across the rotunda to the upper chamber, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Insurer purchase of Florida land in Osceola County deemed corrupt
A billion-dollar purchase of property in Florida, USA, known as the “Green Island Transaction” by CL Financial subsidiary British American was deemed “corrupt” by the CLF board of directors, Joel Julian of Trinidad Express reports.
Blog: Florida House bill restricts texting and talking for interstate truckers
The Miami Herald’s Rochelle Koff reports that, while the texting while driving bill awaits action in Florida’s House, that chamber has passed legislation that would restrict drivers of commercial motor vehicles traveling interstate highways from talking or texting on hand-held phones while driving.
United Auto’s Dick Parillo: Why Florida Is Missing Out on PIP Savings
Florida legislators, drivers, and reporters want to know when the savings are coming from the Personal Injury Protection reform law enacted in 2012. So do we.
Florida Insurance Agent Busted For Selling Fraudulent Policies
An Escambia County insurance agent has been arrested on several felony charges for allegedly selling hundreds of fraudulent life insurance policies through a fake employment company, NorthEscambia.com reports
Tampa Bay Investigators bust glass companies pushing unnecessary windshield replacements
WTSP-TV’s Noah Pransky reports that the guarantee of a free, zero-deductible windshield replacement in Florida helps keep drivers safe behind the wheel, but unscrupulous glass companies — pushing unnecessary replacements to undamaged windshields — are taking advantage of the law and pushing up rates for all policyholders.
WCI360.com‘s Joan Collier writes in her column today, “I think most of us can agree that the repackaged drug bill that is slowly working its way through the Florida Legislature is pretty anemic.”
Two versions of health insurance proposals before Florida Legislature; Billions at stake
The governor wants to access billions of dollars of federal money to reduce the number of Floridians without even basic health insurance. The Senate has a plan. The House refuses to accept the money. Rep. Perry Thurston says, “It’s time for people to chime in.”
Blog: Medical malpractice bill stalled by worries over possible insurer gun registry
A Senate priority bill to limit the liability of Florida doctors ran into trouble in the House on Monday when opponents suggested that it could be used by insurance companies who represent the doctors to create a private registry of gun owners, The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports.
Florida’s budget ready for a vote later this week
The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports that Florida’s state budget was e-delivered to legislators early yesterday afternoon and is now in a 72-hour statutory “cooling-off period” for lawmakers’ examination of the spending plan before they can vote it up or down.
- $74.5 billion Florida budget has something for everyone
- Budget agreement disappoints land-buying supporters, pleases beach project backers
- Budget provides for teacher raises . . . in 2014
Florida House approves expedited show cause foreclosure bill
HB 87 to speed up the foreclosure process passed the Florida House of Representatives yesterday by a vote of 87-26, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports. A similar bill passed the House last year but didn’t make it through the Senate.
Heavier issues wait while House has light agenda
The Florida House on Monday breezed through a light agenda of more than 80 noncontroversial bills before recessing at 1:10 p.m. But some controversial bills were temporarily postponed or left waiting on the calendar, The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie reports.
Governor reaches deal on manufacturing tax cut
Florida Governor Rick Scott reported that he has reached an agreement with lawmakers to pass a measure eliminating the sales tax on manufacturing machinery and equipment, but legislative leaders said the announcement was premature, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Florida Senate approves taxpayer funded renovations for Dolphins stadium and pro teams
The Miami Dolphins and other professional sports teams in the state are moving closer to their goal of getting taxpayer help to pay for new stadiums and renovations, Associated Press’ Gary Fineout and Bruce Shreiner report.
Death row appeals expedite bill goes to Governor
Senator Joe Negron’s plan to cut down costly, lengthy appeals by death row inmates only needs the governor signature to become law, WPTV-TV’s Jonathan Matisse reports.
Walt Disney World helps kill firefighter contract negotiations bill
The Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Garcia reports that, although publicly neutral, Walt Disney World lobbied behind the scenes against a bill this session that would have given Reedy Creek Improvement District firefighters more leverage in future contract negotiations with the Disney-controlled government, according to a key lawmaker.
Florida Senate sets up charter school “parent trigger” bill for final vote
The Florida Senate is ready to cast a vote on a hotly contested bill to give parents a vote on turnaround options for failing public schools, the Associated Press reports.
Legislative tax break struggles likely to become more commonplace
A Senate push for the repeal of a 26-year-old tax credit was rebuffed by the House last week. That could become a theme in sessions to come, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports. Florida’s current tax base is poised to erode in other ways as human behavior adopts new technology and the state’s tax code struggles to keep up.
Florida Division of Motor Vehicles Evacuated in Anthrax Threat
A letter claiming to contain anthrax forced the evacuation Monday morning of more than 1,000 people at the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles headquarters in Tallahassee, Sunshine State News’ Dave Heller reports.
New Jersey Insurance Commissioner Reports No Post-Sandy Availability Issues
According to the latest data from the state Department of Banking and Insurance, 93 percent of the more than 448,000 claims the insurance industry received after the unprecedented late October storm last year have been closed, PropertyCasualty360.com‘s Chad Hemenway reports.
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