Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Feb 25, 2015
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Affordable property insurance: Still out of reach in Florida
Insurance is not likely to be high on the Legislature’s agenda when it convenes on March 3, but that could change for two reasons: Governor Rick Scott has picked a fight with his Cabinet colleagues in an attempt to replace Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty. Martha Musgrove reports for the Sun-Sentinel.
Pinellas lawmakers look to end of federal flood insurance
A bill filed in the Florida Legislature on Friday looks toward a future when coastal communities no longer can rely on the federal government for flood insurance coverage. Josh Boatwright reports for the Tampa Tribune.
Florida “SuperGerm” Outbreaks Kept Quiet
Lethal forms of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have struck hundreds of patients in a dozen health-care facilities in Florida since 2008, but state health officials have not required them to share their information and have not alerted the public, the Palm Beach Post reports via HealthNewsFlorida.com.
Budget, Conservation, Taxes and Education on Steve Crisafulli’s Legislative Agenda
With a week to go until the start of session, Florida House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, spoke to Sunshine State News Tuesday about his legislative priorities. Kevin Derby reports.
Lawmakers wade into Amendment 1 policy, funding
New rules for Florida waters will be one of the first bills the House takes up when the legislative session gets underway, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via SayfieReview.com.
Governor Scott suspends new 11th-grade language arts exam
Governor Rick Scott suspended Florida’s new 11th-grade language arts exam, calling the test “unnecessary.” Leslie Postal reports for the Sun-Sentinel.
Jim York replaces George Sheldon in lawsuit challenging Governor on finance disclosure
Former Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Jim York replaces former Florida Attorney General George Sheldon in a lawsuit against Governor Rick Scott for failing to disclose his finances. The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.
LeRoy Collins Institute seeks to go “beyond pensions” in new report
The LeRoy Collins Institute continued to take on the notoriously sticky wicket of local governmental pensions on Tuesday with the release of the seventh installment of the think tank’s Tough Choices series of policy papers, entitled “Beyond Pensions: Florida Local Governments and Retiree Health Benefits.” Ryan Ray reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.
Previewing the 2015 Florida Legislative Session with Senator Jeff Brandes
In anticipation of the 2015 Session of the Legislature, FloridaPolitics.com is asking state lawmakers about their goals and priorities — and whether they support certain controversial issues in the state. Janelle Irwin interviews Florida Senator Jeff Brandes.
Senate Confirms New Texas Insurance Commissioner
Austin attorney David Mattax was confirmed by the Senate Tuesday as the state’s insurance commissioner. Mattax was named commissioner by Governor Greg Abbott, who was Mattox’ boss as attorney general before he was sworn in as governor in January. Terrence Stutz reports for the Dallas Morning News.
Miller calls unclaimed life insurance benefits bill “wolf in sheep’s clothing”
It’s the fight to find lost insurance money and Oklahoma State Treasurer Ken Miller has his battle cry. Morgan Chesky reports for KOCO-TV.
U.S. GAO: States Need Help With Drugged Driving Awareness
Various state and national-level data sources—including surveys, arrest data, drug-testing results, and crash data—provide limited information on the extent of drugged and drug-impaired driving in the United States, the U.S. Government Accountability Office explains in a new report.
Insurer wins dispute over fire, pot growing in basement
Nationwide insurance company can recover more than $130,000 from a Michigan woman whose home burned down when her then-husband smoked marijuana oil in the basement, an appeals court said Tuesday. The Associated Press reports via Advisen.com.
Insurance Industry Needs Better Arguments for Price Optimization
If the insurance industry wants to fight for “price optimization,” it had better be prepared to show how it would benefit consumers broadly, Right Street’s Alan Smith writes for Insurance Journal.
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