Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Mar 3, 2015
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
The 2015 Florida Legislative Regular Session convenes today.
4:30 p.m.–Florida House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee meeting. To view the meeting packet, click here. The agenda includes consideration of the following bills:
- HB 507 relating to Property Insurance
- HB 557 relating to Florida Insurance Guaranty Association
- HB 639 relating to Commercial Insurance Rate Filing Procedures
- HB 677 relating to Reciprocal Insurers
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Florida CFO, Insurance Commissioner Highlight Consumer Protection Week
As part of National Consumer Protection Week, observed March 1-7, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, along with Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Commissioner Kevin McCarty and Florida Office of Financial Regulation Commissioner Drew Breakspear re-affirmed their commitment to advocating for Floridians. The Space Coast Daily reports.
Janet Cruz says Florida in “dire straits” with Low Income Pool funds now off the table
On Friday, the Rick Scott Administration recognized what had been reported weeks earlier: Florida is losing $1.3 billion of federal money that would otherwise go to help hospitals treat poor and uninsured patients, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Mitch Perry reports.
High Stakes for Rick Scott, Florida Cabinet as Legislative Session Begins
The chattering class might be talking about a relatively slow legislative session kicking off today, but the stakes are high for Rick Scott and the three officials in the Florida Cabinet. SunshineStateNews.com’s Jeff Henderson reports.
- Rick Scott challenges Legislature to help him keep his promises
- Excerpts from Rick Scott’s State of the State
Florida’s 2016 presidential primary likely to be March 15
With virtually no discussion, the House Rules, Calendar and Ethics Committee on Monday unanimously approved a measure backing up the date of the 2016 primary by two weeks. The bill would clear the way for all of the state’s Republican delegates to be awarded to the winner of the GOP presidential primary. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports via the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida House rolls out plan to bring resort casinos to Miami
South Florida could become an even bigger gambling haven with two new destination resort casinos and four dog tracks operating slot machines – instead of racing dogs – under a sweeping gaming rewrite filed Monday by House Republican Leader Dana Young, R-Tampa. The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports.
Florida Department of Transportation’s $39.6 billion work plan heads to Legislature
According to the Florida Transportation Commission, the nine-member board appointed by Governor Rick Scott that oversees the Department of Transportation, things will get better out there on the roads and highways. Michael Van Sickler reports via the Miami Herald’s “Naked Politics” blog.
400,000 fail to swap old SunPass transponder
Officials at Florida’s Turnpike say about 400,000 customers of 1.2 million contacted still haven’t swapped their old transponders for free upgraded models, the Sun-Sentinel’s Michael Turnbell reports.
New York Assemblyman proposes new flood insurance association
A New York Assemblyman introduced legislation yesterday that, if passed, would create the New York Flood Insurance Association, which would provide homeowners with an alternative policy to cover damage due to floods. Anthony O’Reilly reports for the Queens Chronicle.
Uber: Hackers May Have Stolen Data on 50,000 Drivers
Uber Technologies Inc. said its database was access by an unauthorized third party last year, resulting in the possible theft of information on 50,000 drivers. Bloomberg’s Serena Saitto reports via Insurance Journal.
Transportation Network Companies, State Flood Insurance Among Hot Topics at NCOIL Spring Meeting
For those whose travel plans weren’t interrupted by the inclement weather, the spring meeting of the tri-annually convened National Conference of Insurance Legislators – held in Charleston, South Carolina, just as February turned into March – offered intense discussion and debate on topics ranging from cyber-security, severe weather preparedness and transportation network companies. Right Street’s Ian Adams blogs on Insurance Journal.
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