Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, March 11
Mar 11, 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
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.–Florida House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee meeting. Agenda includes consideration of the following bills and proposed committee substitutes:
- HB 785 relating to Workers’ Compensation by State Representative Ben Albritton
- HB 1007 relating to Workers’ Compensation by State Representative Charles Hood
- HB 7045 relating to Open Government Sunset Review/Florida Insurance Guaranty Association by the Government Operations Subcommittee; State Representative W. Travis Cummings
- PCS for HB 743 relating to Property Insurance
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.–U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Hearing: Finding the Right Capital Regulations for Insurers. For more information, click here.
Florida Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (“Citizens”) Committee meetings:
- Market Accountability and Advisory Committee; 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Teleconference: 866-361-7525; participant code: 7849939192#.
- Audit Committee; 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Teleconference: 866-361-7525; participant code: 3877541849#.
- Depopulation Committee; 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Teleconference: 855-312-8651; participant code: 4458606638#.
- Finance and Investment Committee; 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Teleconference: 866-361-7525; participant code: 2478401990#.
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.–Florida Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance meeting. Agenda includes consideration of the following bills:
- SPB 7062 relating to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Proposed Committee bill)
- CS/CS/CS SB 542 relating to Flood Insurance by Appropriations; Banking and Insurance; Senator Jeff Brandes
- SB 1262 relating to Public Records and Meetings/Insurance Flood Loss Model by Senator Jeff Brandes
- SM 1058 relating to Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act by Senator Jeff Brandes
- SB 870 relating to Insurance by Senator Chris Smith
- SB 1210 relating to Division of Insurance Agents and Agency Services by Senator Aaron Bean
- SB 952 relating to Workers’ Compensation by Senator Wilton Simpson
- SB 1300 relating to Public Records/Office of Insurance Regulation by Senator David Simmons
- SB 1308 relating to Insurer Solvency by Senator David Simmons
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Citizens audit clears $525 per hour lawyer deal
Skeptics are calling “not comforting” and “suspicious” an internal audit by state-run insurer Citizens that blesses the company’s $6.5 million contract awarded to a West Palm Beach law firm despite what it acknowledged were “subjective,” Charles Elmore reports for the Palm Beach Post.
Bill giving nurses right to initiate Baker Act passes first committee
A bill that would allow nurses and physician assistants to initiate involuntary psychiatric examinations under the Baker Act unanimously passed a House committee on Monday before a room full of nurses and educators, The Florida Current’s Arek Sarkissian reports.
After three years, bid protest dismissed over state pharmaceutical contract
A controversial conforming bill, a lengthy bid protest and three years later, state agencies might have a go-to vendor for pharmaceutical purchases again, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Florida Senate Committee Approves Arming Teachers in Schools
State lawmakers have a plan to keep kids safe at school: Allow teachers to pack heat. The Miami Herald’s Kathleen McGrory and Michael Van Sickler report.
Sink-Jolly Congressional Showdown: What to Watch
After almost $9 million in outside spending, a storm of attacks and counterattacks and endless speculation about its implications for the midterms, voters will cast their ballots in the Florida special congressional election today, Alex Isenstadt reports for Politico.com.
Latvala pushes to restrict absentee voting in Pinellas
A bill that takes aim at Pinellas County’s reliance on absentee mail voting and introduced online registration is moving ahead in the Florida Senate, the Miami Herald’s Michael Van Sickler blogs in “Naked Politics.”
Joe Saunders Looks Safe in November After Dramatic House Win in 2012
After surviving one of the most contested Florida House races in 2012, Joe Saunders can expect a much easier assignment in 2014, Jeff Henderson reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
Whoa – Brad Drake raises more than $111K for return bid to Florida House
Florida House District 5 GOP hopeful Brad Drake raised $111,635 in February for the seat containing Walton, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington Counties, as well as part of Bay County, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann reports.
After Nicaragua lockup, David Rivera’s gal pal kept in U.S. federal clink
Ana Alliegro, busted in Nicaragua after twice leaving U.S. authorities behind, appeared for the first time Monday in U.S. federal court, where prosecutors made sure she remained incarcerated amid an ongoing campaign-finance scandal tied to a former congressman, the Miami Herald’s Marc Caputo blogs on “Naked Politics.”
Arthur Postal’s Washington Report: Flood Bill Puts FEMA Before the Firing Squad
The U.S. Senate is likely to overcome procedural hurdles this week and pass and send to President Obama legislation revamping the National Flood Insurance Program rate scheme, Arthur Postal writes for National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.
Allianz Emerges as Lead Insurer for Malaysia Airlines
Germany’s Allianz has said it is the lead insurer covering the Malaysia Airlines jet that disappeared over the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, Reuters’ Jonathan Gould and Chris Vellacott report via National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.
West Virginia Private Flood Insurance Bill Awaits Governor’s OK
The West Virginia House last Friday in a 86-8 vote passed a bill authorizing private insurers to sell flood insurance and setting out guidelines for regulation of the policies, Insurance Journal reports.
Report Projects Los Angeles’ Vulnerability to Future Sea Level Rise
Los Angelenos may expect to experience sea level rise of as much as two feet by 2050 due to climate change, according to current projections, Insurance Journal reports.
Adjuster Claims Nationwide’s “On Your Side” Slogan Is Deceptive
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co.’s use of the slogan “On Your Side” constitutes false and deceptive advertising because the insurer does not represent insureds as the slogan implies, according to the Tennessee adjuster who is in a trademark battle with the giant insurer over the slogan, Andrew Simpson reports for Insurance Journal.
Tea Party challengers struggle to continue success
Four years after the tea party rocked the political world by ousting several prominent Republicans in Congress, the ultra-conservative movement finds itself with slimmer prospects as it moves into the new election season, Associated Press’ Thomas Beaumont reports via SaintPetersBlog.com.
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