Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, April 27
Apr 27, 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
10:00 a.m.–House Session
- CS/CS/CS/SB 408 relating to Property Insurance by the Senate Committee on Rules, Budget Subcommittee on General Government Appropriations, Committee on Banking and Insurance; Senators Garrett Richter and Alan Hays
Personal Injury Protection Bills Crash in Florida
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater was on board. So was Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, the newly formed Sunshine Alliance to Erase Fraud, every state insurance organization, and even some consumer groups were supporters.
Future Plans Unclear For Florida Last-Resort Insurer
A Florida bill meant to restore Citizens Property Insurance Corp. as the state’s last-resort insurer has stalled in the Senate Banking Committee.
Citizens Property Insurance rate hike bill in limbo
For the second day in a row, the Senate Budget committee on Tuesday failed to vote on SB 1714, the bill sponsored by Senator Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, that would increase rates for the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp., policies up to 25 percent a year and force some policy holders out of the program.
It looked like time had run out on a major Citizens Property Insurance Corp. rate hike when a Senate committee failed to bring it up on Monday, then Tuesday, but a meeting was set for Thursday, giving the Citizens bill another chance.
Bill to hike Citizens’ rates 25 percent still in play
It looked like time had run out on a major Citizens rate hike when a Senate committee failed to bring it up on Monday, then Tuesday, but an unscheduled meeting was set for Thursday, giving the Citizens bill another chance.
Governor: No Plans to Abolish Citizens Insurance
Governor Rick Scott said Tuesday he has no plan to abolish Citizens Property Insurance, but backed efforts to reduce the size and scope of the state-backed insurance company.
Editorial: Public distrust of private insurers complicates efforts to slim Citizens Insurance
THE ISSUE: Citizens still looms as major insurance player.
Does Governor Rick Scott want to close Citizens Property Insurance Corp. or just shrink it? Regardless of the goal, the path to getting there – and a functional private insurance market – is no less difficult than it’s been at any time since Citizens became the major player in Florida insurance.
Editorial: Citizens is for Floridians
The writer of a Tuesday letter referred to Citizens Property Insurance as “toxic … simply because Citizens is not funded to pay any significant amount of Florida hurricane losses.
Editorial: Get Citizens’ assessment off our backs
Summary: It’s time for the Florida Legislature to cut back the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to its original intent. It’s time for Citizens to become the state’s insurer of last resort for coastal homeowners and others who cannot get property insurance in the private market.
House passes bill limiting home inspections
A bill aimed at helping Keys homeowners keep their downstairs apartments by limiting home inspections is quickly making its way through the state House and Senate.
Sinkhole-Insurance Legislation: Focus on Water Levels
More and more Florida homeowners are filing sinkhole claims. So the Legislature wants to “fix” that by making it harder and more expensive to get sinkhole coverage, and more difficult to collect on claims.
Supplier of Chinese drywall agrees to settle some claims, including Florida’s
A Chinese drywall supplier’s insurers have agreed to pay up to $8 million to settle court claims against the company over damage to homes from the corrosive product, according to a proposed settlement filed Tuesday.
Florida Surplus Lines Association Gathers in Boca Raton
The 51st Annual Florida Surplus Lines Association convention will be held at the Boca Raton Resort and Club July 28-30.
Senate panel paves way for Florida family to collect millions against sheriff’s office
A Florida Senate panel Tuesday gave the go-ahead to a bill to help a 31-year-old Sunrise man collect the millions of dollars that a jury said he was owed after a Broward sheriff’s deputy crashed into him 13 years ago.
Blog: “Dangerous” dogs bill poised for Senate floor
A plan to change the state’s definition of “dangerous” dogs advanced out of its last committee in the Florida Senate Tuesday.
The House passed two measures supported by the powerful National Rifle Association on Tuesday, one that penalizes counties and cities that pass gun regulations that are stricter than state law and another that limits a doctor’s ability to ask questions about gun ownership.
Florida House, Senate leaders break budget deadlock
House and Senate budget negotiators have informally agreed that public employees will chip in 3 percent of their salaries for their pensions, as legislative budget talks get started today
Miami Judge: Let Environmental Protection Agency enforce cleanup rules
Aiming a legal shot directly across the bow of Governor Rick Scott ‘s anti-regulation agenda, a Miami federal judge on Tuesday cleared the way for the federal government to do something he contends the state has failed to do for decades: enforce water pollution standards tough enough to protect the Everglades.
People who test positive for illegal drugs would be prevented from collecting temporary financial assistance from the state under a measure approved Tuesday by the Florida House.
Blog: Renewables bill dies of its own weight — for the third consecutive year
Senate budget chief, J.D. Alexander, has surveyed the patient and declared the renewables bill finished for this legislative session.
House bills would limit reproductive rights
Reproductive-rights advocates warn that abortion clinics across the state would be shuttered and thousands of women seeking abortions would face sky-high medical bills under a series of bills poised to pass the House today.
Senate President Haridopolos flips stance on gulf drilling
Senate President Mike Haridopolos said in an interview broadcast Tuesday that new oil drilling is needed in the Gulf of Mexico, a reversal from last year, when, in the wake of the BP spill, he said Florida was going to “turn the page” away from drilling.
Greyhound tracks, which say they have been losing money on racing and can make more from poker rooms, would be allowed to continue to offer gambling without having to stage live dog racing under a bill that passed Tuesday in the House.
House passes “Good Samaritan” law on 911 calls
A bill that would prevent criminal charges against anyone who calls 911 to report a drug overdose has been unanimously approved by the Florida House.
Florida’s crime rate the lowest in 40 years
Florida’s crime rate is the lowest in 40 years, Governor Rick Scott and law enforcement leaders announced on Tuesday.
Orlando pushes ahead of Miami in economic growth
Orlando is leading Florida out of recession and expanding so briskly the city best known for theme parks is poised to push aside Miami as the state’s fastest growing metropolis for at least a generation.
Florida Hispanics outpace the rest of the nation in college degrees
President Obama’s goal of the United States achieving the world’s highest proportion of college graduates will be significantly boosted – or dragged down – by the fate of Hispanic students, according to a pair of education reports released this week
New York Times: Jeb Bush Leads Broad Push for Education Change with ‘Florida Formula’
With the dust settling on legislative sessions around the country, 2011 is shaping up as one of the most consequential years in memory for changes in the way schools are run.
Insurance Groups Stress Need For New York No-Fault Reform At Hearing
Insurance groups again made their case during a New York legislative hearing for reforms to the state’s no-fault system, which the groups say is riddled with fraud and costs citizens hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
Insurance firm ordered to halt Colorado operations
The Colorado Division of Insurance has ordered Minnesota Surety and Trust to halt operations in Colorado for what authorities characterize as “flagrant disregard of Colorado insurance law.”
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