Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, August 24
Aug 24, 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
There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.
State Senator Mike Fasano is working with Policyholders of Florida to coordinate bus service to the upcoming Citizens public hearing on September 13.
Tree Trimmers See Business Soar As Storm Nears
If hurricane-force winds come through northeast Florida, the last thing any homeowner wants is a tree coming down on his or her home.
To prepare for hurricanes, Florida turns to former Walmart executive
A Walmart executive from Arkansas wouldn’t seem the logical choice to lead Florida through a vicious hurricane, wildfire or terrorist attack.
Threat of storm puts area home sales temporarily on hold
Even if Hurricane Irene doesn’t hit the Florida coast, it’s already having an impact on area home sales — an industry that can ill-afford setbacks.
DeBary improves storm drainage, but flooding still worries residents
Despite upgrades, drainage systems couldn’t handle a storm like Fay
After Tropical Storm Fay flooded 130 homes in DeBary, the city spent almost $17 million on a new system of pipes and pumps to drain floodwaters during the next big storm.
Owner of Naples title company admits to fraudulent loans
The owner of a now-defunct North Naples title company pleaded guilty Tuesday, admitting she’d submitted fraudulent documents for at least seven federal housing loans that defaulted.
Milton backs off from providing insurance for rally after American Civil Liberties Union objects
The city will not provide insurance coverage for the Santa Rosa County God and Country Rally after an objection from the American Civil Liberties Union.
Anti-Castro agent awarded $2.8 billion by Miami court
A Florida judge ordered Cuba to pay $2.8 billion to a former CIA agent who helped hunt down revolutionary leader Che Guevara, an award lawyers called the biggest ever in a civil suit against the communist government.
Florida Supreme Court approves death drug
Florida’s new lethal injection drug poses no substantial risk of undue pain, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Tuesday, lifting a stay of execution for convicted cop-killer Manuel Valle.
Florida banks post first collective profit in three years
Financial institutions in Florida earned $76 million in the second quarter, their first collective profit in more than three years.
Investigators charge 13 doctors in pill mill crimes – and one with murder
For the first time in Florida’s war on prescription drug abuse, investigators are pursuing pill mills as organized crime enterprises – and corrupt doctors as murderers.
State tells jobs agencies to stop doing business with board members
Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards are now prohibited from awarding business contracts to companies controlled by or tied to agency board members.
Report: State in secret talks to hand off Tri-Rail to Florida East Coast Railroad
The state has been in secret talks to transfer the operations of the South Florida commuter rail line, Tri-Rail, to the Florida East Coast Railway, The Palm Beach Post has learned.
Blog: Former Governor Bob Graham courted to run against Governor Rick Scott but …
Bob Graham said he’s been encouraged by some fellow Democrats to run against Governor Rick Scott. But he will not.
Passing on Senate Race, Florida House Speaker Allan Bense Backs Adam Hasner in 2012
While there had been speculation that former Florida House Speaker Allan Bense would seek the Republican nomination to take on Democratic Senator Bill Nelson in 2012, the former state legislative leader endorsed a candidate already in the field — former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner.
State Representative Glorioso eyeing race for Hillsborough election supervisor
The election is more than a year away, but the race for the next Hillsborough County elections chief is already heating up.
Blog: Budget request excludes funding for public broadcasting
Lilly Rockwell of the News Service of Florida reports that the State Board of Education approved a legislative wish list Tuesday that excluded any money for public broadcasting, throwing the future of state-funded public broadcasting into question.
The City Commission gave its collective nod to the proposed expansion of the Dania Jai-Alai fronton — including a casino, hotel, restaurants, shops, a marina and fewer jai-alai seats.
Schools Flooded With New Charter Applications
Statewide, school districts have received 348 charter school applications, as opposed to 252 last year
Florida school districts are flooded with applications for new charter schools, motivated by several new laws that make it easier to start traditional and virtual charters.
U.S. Representative Deutch pitches $5 billion ‘infrastructure bank’ plan to cement firm in West Palm
Putting $5 billion in federal money into a “national infrastructure bank” would create jobs and reduce the deficit, U.S. Representative Ted Deutch, D-Boca Raton, told officials from the world’s largest cement company Tuesday afternoon.
Orange leaders want red-light camera blitz but will wait for now
Orange County leaders could add as many as 80 new red-light cameras over the next two years, but they do not plan to set up even one more until lawmakers decide whether to pull the plug on them next spring.
Florida prisons chief packs staff with Indiana hires
Governor Rick Scott’s choice to reform Florida’s prison system came from Indiana and quickly decided the agency needed new leadership.
Natural gas pipeline project in gulf forced to adapt to economic reality
The idea seems simple. Ships carrying liquefied natural gas will anchor in the Gulf of Mexico 28 miles southwest of Tampa Bay, in water 100 feet deep, at one of a pair of buoys permanently moored far enough from land that no one on the beach can see it.
East Coast Homeowners may have to pay for earthquake losses
Homeowners won’t be covered by standard property insurance policies if there’s any damage following today’s 5.8 magnitude earthquake centered near Richmond, Virginia.
Kentucky Surplus-Lines Compromise Gains Support
In a further sign of support for a compromise proposal to implement the federal surplus-lines reform and modernization law, several appointees to the SLIMPACT governing body have selected Kentucky Commissioner Sharon Clark as interim chair of the SLIMPACT commission.
Texas windstorm insurance to go up 5 percent
Rates will climb 5 percent next year for thousands of homeowners covered by the state’s storm insurer of last resort.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services approves 106 three-year mini-med health plan waivers
The Department of Health and Human Services said it has approved 106 three-year waivers from so-called mini-med and other limited health care plans from meeting a health reform law requirement that restricts annual dollar limits for essential benefits.
U.S. Labor Department approves Deutsche Bank unit funding LTD using captive insurer
The Labor Department has given final authorization to New York-based Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp. to use its Vermont captive to reinsure long-term disability benefits.
Former New Jersey Regulator Joins Board of Community Bank
A former New Jersey banking and insurance regulator has been named to the North Jersey Community Bancorp board of directors.
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