Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Aug 19, 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
- 10:00 a.m.–Florida Board of Employee Leasing Companies teleconference meeting. (888) 670-3525; conference code: 2295006118#. To view the meeting notice, click here
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Florida Leads the Way in Boat Thefts
Florida leads the country in boat thefts with more than twice as many boats stolen than any other state. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, there were 1,310 boat Florida thefts in 2013. California was the second highest with 628. Tampa had 81. Clifton French reports for ABC Action News.
Palm Beach County Backtracks on New Uber Rules
The Palm Beach County Commission on Tuesday agreed to drop its proposed changes to new vehicle-for-hire rules and even to consider easing driver background checks for taxis and limos. The Sun-Sentinel’s Andy Reid reports.
Florida Port may sue insurer for $2M for Piney Point spill denial
Attorneys representing Manatee County Port Authority have filed a $2 million complaint against a Chicago insurance company they say failed to pay the port for losses sustained from a toxic spill in 2011. Matt Johnson reports for the Bradenton Herald.
CNN report on Florida hospital leads to heart surgery program closure
St. Mary’s Medical Center in Florida announced Monday that it would permanently close its pediatric cardiothoracic surgery program after a year-long CNN investigation found the facility had a 12.5 percent mortality rate for open heart surgeries–more than three times the national average.
Florida House Passes Base Congressional Maps
The Florida House on Tuesday approved new, Supreme Court-mandated maps of the state’s 27 congressional districts, solidifying a rift with the Senate. The Tampa Bay Times’ Jeremy Wallace reports via “The Buzz” blog.
Tom Lee says change in Congress map not meant for him
With three days left in a special legislative session to redraw Florida’s congressional districts, two different maps are now on a collision course, the Tampa Tribune’s James Rosica reports.
Prison population affecting Florida’s redistricting fight
Florida’s prison population is fast becoming a point of contention in the Legislature’s attempt to redraw the state’s congressional districts.
Florida House judiciary chair will consider state Supreme Court reforms
The chair of the Florida House Judiciary Committee will consider legislative reforms to how the state Supreme Court operates, but it’s too early to go into detail about what those changes might be, he said Tuesday. Jessica Bakeman reports for PoliticoFlorida.com.
Regulators Asked to Reject FPL Nuclear Request
Florida Power & Light received pushback Tuesday from South Florida officials and other critics as it requested $34.2 million from customers to continue planning a pair of nuclear reactors at its Turkey Point complex in Miami-Dade County. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
Hukill files bill to cut commercial rent tax
State Senator Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, has filed a bill with the Florida Legislature that would reduce the tax paid by commercial property tenants. Bob Koslow reports for the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Fracking Drives NAIC Earthquake Conversation
Fracking has caused an uptick in the number of earthquakes that are occurring across the nation. That was the conclusion of a panel of experts, including one associated with the natural-gas industry, during the Center for Insurance Policy Research session at this month’s meeting of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in Chicago, Right Street’s Ian Adams blogs via Insurance Journal.
California Earthquake Authority Prepares to Go into “Hyperspace”
The California Earthquake Authority – the state’s quasi-public earthquake insurance pool – long has had a problem with take-up. Only about 10 percent of homeowners in this most seismically active state actually buy coverage for the biggest catastrophic peril they face, Right Street’s Ian Adams blogs via Insurance Journal.
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