Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, April 5
Apr 5, 2011
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 2011 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
8:00 a.m.–Senate Committee on Rules
- CS/CS/SB 408 relating to Property and Casualty Insurance by the Senate Budget Subcommittee on General Government Appropriations, Committee on Banking and Insurance; Senator Garrett Richter
9:00 a.m.–Florida Cabinet meeting. To view the agenda, click here.
10:15 a.m.–Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance
- SB 1836 relating to Captive Insurance by Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla
- SB 1930 relating to Motor Vehicle Personal Injury Protection Insurance by Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff
- SB 1694 relating to Motor Vehicle Personal Injury Protection Insurance by Senator Garrett Richter
3:30 p.m.–Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability
- SB 1182 relating to the State Board of Administration by Senator Jeremy Ring
4:00 p.m.–House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee
- HB 803 relating Property and Casualty Insurance by State Representative John Wood
Arch Re Cleared To Post Reduced Collateral In Florida
Arch Reinsurance Ltd. has become the 12th foreign reinsurer to be approved in Florida to post reduced collateral.
Blog: Could Florida’s home insurance rates rise due to Japan disaster?
Hurricane insurance prices in Florida could stay flat or rise due to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
State of Emergency declared in Hillsborough County
Officials in Hillsborough County are declaring a state of emergency following last week’s storms, so $2.2 million for debris cleanup, rehabilitation of damaged homes and temporary housing assistance can become available to residents.
Sinkhole That Opened After Storms in Bartow to Be Filled In
Crews are filling in a sinkhole that opened in Bartow after storms pounded the city last Thursday.
Florida, Large States’ Avoidance of SLIMPACT May Doom Compact
In the wake of New York’s decision not to join a nationwide compact on sharing of surplus-lines taxes, industry officials believe such compacts may be doomed.
Florida Tax Watch: Don’t subsidize coastal dwellers
How will Florida taxpayers be able to afford the additional “hurricane tax” assessments if a storm makes landfall on our coast this hurricane season?
Retiring CEO: FCCI Has Expanded from Workers’ Comp Roots
Since taking the helm of FCCI Insurance Group 12 years ago, President and Chief Executive Officer G.W. Jacobs has worked to expand the company’s geographical reach and product mix.
Florida to roll out $1 billion in federal foreclosure aid
A $1 billion federal program now stretching statewide could keep 40,000 Floridians from losing homes to foreclosure.
Thousands could lose health care in Florida’s $1 billion budget cuts
Tens of thousands of uninsured, chronically ill, disabled and mentally challenged people would be directly touched by about $1 billion in cuts proposed for many health and social programs.
Senate moves to broaden state’s ethics laws
A Senate bill would broaden lawmakers’ disclosure of interests in any legislation.
Governor Scott and Cabinet to consider Department of Environmental Protection request
Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet will discuss streamlining the environmental approval process.
Budget battle, Cabinet, and Supreme Court are among highlights in coming week
State lawmakers this week will pass rival versions of the state budget, the Governor and Cabinet meet and the Supreme Court holds its monthly oral arguments.
Republicans Ram Immigration Bill Through Committee
The battle over auto insurance fraud continues to brew today as a Senate committee takes up measures to tighten requirements for doctors and lawyers that handle the cases.
Senate committee passes ultrasound abortion bill
Despite a “family disagreement” that led a pair of Tampa Bay area Republicans to buck the party line, a Senate committee on Monday advanced a bill that would require women seeking abortions to undergo an ultrasound and have the fetal imagery described to them.
Scott: No state business for Solantic
Governor Rick Scott answered critics who accuse him of a conflict of interest, saying that the state will not do business with Solantic, the urgent care clinic he co-founded in 2001.
Movers and Shakers: Shuffles at Agency for Workforce Innovation, DCF
RJ Myers, who previously worked in the legislative affairs department at the Agency for Workforce Innovation, joined former Weston Rep. Susan Goldstein’s consulting firm. Myers replaces Danielle Ochoa as an associate lobbyist at Susan Goldstein Consulting.
House, Senate may be on collision course again over PSC reform
Last year, the Senate and House could not agree on reform legislation.
Grass roots Florida Republicans fear massive convention snub over primary dispute
Imagine hosting a big, ritzy party and being told to sit in the basement as it kicked off.
Hundreds sign online petition calling for Governor Rick Scott’s impeachment, but it’s very unlikely
Impeach Governor Rick Scott?
Florida economic development experts tout regionalism
Economic development experts say cities and states in the same region should work together rather than compete with each other for new industries and jobs.
Federal Charter Off Docket in 112th Congress
Optional federal charter legislation will not come to a vote in the current Congress, according to the chairwoman of the U.S. House subcommittee that oversees insurance issues.
North Carolina workers’ comp gets hearing at Legislature
Trial lawyers, injured workers and others are trying to beat back potential changes to North Carolina’s workers’ compensation system they say could cap the amount of time someone receives benefits for lost wages.
NAIC OKs Model on Stranger-Originated Annuity Transactions
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has approved a model bulletin designed to help insurers implement safeguards against unnecessary exposure to potentially detrimental stranger-originated annuity transactions.
Louisiana Appeal Court Must Reconsider Malpractice Cap Suit
A state appeals court must reconsider its ruling that the Legislature acted unconstitutionally when it covered nurses who are certified to diagnose illness and prescribe medicine under Louisiana’s $500,000 cap on general malpractice awards, the Louisiana Supreme Court has ruled
Virginia Governor Vetoes $1 million Increase on MedMal Cap
Governor Bob McDonnell has vetoed bills that would have increased the maximum damage award for a medical malpractice lawsuit from $2 million to $3 million and would have stiffened penalties for environmental infractions.
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