Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Sep 2, 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
No insurance-related events are scheduled today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Lawsuit Prompts Florida Lawmaker to Consider Claims Bill Reforms
Florida law limits local governments and other public bodies to paying no more than $200,000 per person in damages unless lawmakers pass a claim bill, also known as a relief act, for extra money, Scripps’ James Rosica explains via the Naples Daily News.
Low-Income Patients Face Hurdles To Care At Public Hospital In Miami
Demanding onerous paperwork from low-income applicants is just one way that Jackson Memorial Hospital has barred eligible Miami-Dade residents from accessing the charity care program, according to administrative complaints filed this week, the Miami Herald’s Daniel Chang reports via Kaiser Health News.
Rideshare companies and Hillsborough County fight over fares
A simmering feud between the agency that regulates cab and limousine services in Hillsborough County and a handful of upstart ride-sharing companies has escalated after a Lyft driver refused to take a plea on a misdemeanor of driving a taxi without a license and demanded a jury trial, Associated Press reports via the Tampa Tribune.
Stand-alone emergency rooms emerge in Central Florida
Orlando is at the forefront of a trend of full-service emergency medicine facilities rising miles from hospitals, Orlando Sentinel’s Scott Powers reports.
Jay Fant Holds Off Paul Renner by Two Votes in Jacksonville GOP Primary
On Friday, banker Jay Fant was declared the winner of the Republican primary to replace State Representative Daniel Davis (R-Jacksonville) in the Florida House by two votes: 5,962 to 5,960. Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
Coalition appeals ruling on new Congressional map
A coalition challenging Florida’s congressional districts is taking its legal challenge to an appeals court, the Associated Press reports via the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Governor Rick Scott promises $1 billion in tax cuts for second term
Governor Rick Scott is promising Florida voters a $1 billion package of tax and fee cuts in a second term, including new limits on property tax increases and another cut in auto tag fees, Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet and Michael Van Sickler report.
Florida legislative committee schedule released
Republican House Speaker-Designate Steve Crisafulli, in an effort to maximize time management, has released a tentative interim committee schedule for Florida’s 2015 Legislative Session, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Peter Schorsch reports.
Eric Eisnaugle has all but locked up 2020-2021 Florida House Speaker’s race
The race to be Speaker of the Florida House in 2020-21 is essentially over, writes Peter Schorsch in SaintPetersBlog.com.
Newly-elected Jennifer Sullivan goes from parents’ house to state House
A 23-year-old woman who admits she still quibbles with her siblings about who’s stuck with dish duty will soon represent more than 150,000 constituents in the Florida House of Representatives, Erin Dooley reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.
Florida voter turnout was worst in 16 years
Only 17.5 percent of Florida’s 11.8 million voters made it to the polls–the lowest turnout since 16.6 percent of voters participated in the 1998 primary election, Halifax’ Lloyd Dunkelburger writes for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
All Aboard Florida Foes Get Their Audience with Transportation Department, Governor’s Office
The next stop for a group of wealthy opponents of a proposed Miami-to-Orlando passenger rail service is a meeting with officials behind the private venture, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
Debate over North Florida homeless apartments sparking questions over fair-housing laws
The settlement of a federal lawsuit in New Orleans could impact a bitter fight over plans to open an apartment building for homeless people in Springfield, Steve Patterson reports for the Florida Times-Union.
Labor Day report: Florida wage gap widens
Wages are just inching up for most Florida workers, researchers found, and women are gradually catching up to the pay scale of men. But the gap between highly paid workers, such as computer programmers, and low-wage workers, such as food servers, is turning into a chasm, William Gibson reports for the Orlando Sentinel.
Florida ranchers and farmers: This man wants your land
What began for some builders as a way during the Great Recession to take advantage of discounted property prices and lenders’ willingness to shed foreclosed lots has morphed into a bolder, if not riskier strategy, Josh Salman reports for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Insurers on U.S. Financial Oversight Council Agenda for Next Week
The U.S. systemic risk council will meet on September 4 to discuss naming nonbank financial firms for tougher regulatory oversight, Reuters reports via Insurance Journal.
Is the goal finally in sight for NARAB?
As Congress prepares to return to work September 8 for an abbreviated session, a priority for the insurance industry will be ensuring that legislators keep on their radar enactment of a bill aimed at streamlining agent and broker licensing, National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports for PropertyCasualty360.com.
Louisiana’s Homeowners Market Stronger 9 Years After Katrina, Insurance Commissioner Donelon Reports
Louisiana’s property insurance market is vastly improved nine years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the state on Aug. 29, 2005, largely due to the implementation of statewide building codes and strategies that have helped create a more competitive marketplace, Insurance Journal notes Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon’s report.
Lloyd’s to underwrite medical marijuana liability insurance
The CEO of Creative Edge Nutrition Inc., Bill Chaaban, announced on Friday that the company will be one of the first to offer medical marijuana liability insurance via Lloyd’s of London and through The Wellness Medical Protection Group, Hannah Bender reports for National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.​
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