Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Jan 28, 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


Looking Ahead–Interim Committee Meetings

  • Week of February 2, 2015
  • Week of February 9, 2015
  • Week of February 16, 2015

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related News

 

Longtime advocate:  Insurance chief from Louisiana could be bad news for consumers

Robert Hunter has spent decades in the insurance industry as a consumer advocate.  When he heard the name of the man being considered for the state’s insurance regulator job, he was “shocked.”   The Miami Herald’s Michael Austen reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.

 

CFO Atwater signals he’s not pushing out Florida insurance chief

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater isn’t ready to discuss a Louisiana official tabbed by Governor Rick Scott as a possible replacement for Florida’s longtime insurance commissioner.  THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via WUSF-TV.

 

Florida CFO:  Stress tests might instill confidence in insurers

Florida’s top financial officer said Tuesday that creating and publicizing a “stress test” will help instill public confidence in the smaller insurers that have come to dominate Florida’s property insurance market.  The Associated Press’ Mike Schneider reports via the Miami Herald.

 

Broward hosting sea level rise workshop in Hollywood

Broward County is hosting a free workshop on sea level rise this Thursday in Hollywood, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

 

Jeff Brandes says taking Uber and Lyft is short-term solution for impaired driving problem

Florida Senator Jeff Brandes has become ride-sharing companies’ leading supporter in Tallahassee, and was unsuccessful in attempting to pass legislation that would have paved the way for them to operate legally in Florida in 2014.  Though his proposal failed, it didn’t stop either company from going ahead and operating their services in various Florida jurisdictions in the past year, including in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, Mitch Perry reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.

 

Florida warns pension plans:  Fix your sinking ships

Three troubled Jacksonville pensions are among 19 statewide that received “call to action” letters Tuesday informing them their unfunded liabilities are unacceptable and need to be fixed now.  Tia Mitchell reports for the Florida Times-Union.

 

Chapple Insurance Group Sold to Florida’s AssuredPartners

Wichita-based Chapple Insurance Group has been acquired by AssuredPartners Inc., an independent insurance agency based in Lake Mary, Florida, the South Florida Business Journal reports.

 

Hutson, Stevenson and Renner Win Legislative Special Election Primaries

Republican voters went to the polls in special elections needed after former Senator John Thrasher accepted the presidency of Florida State University, setting off scrambles for his Florida Senate seat and two Florida House seats vacated in the aftermath of his resignation.  Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.

 

Rick Scott to release spending plan for 2015 today

Florida lawmakers will use the Governor’s proposed budget as a framework for a final one that must be passed during the annual session that starts in March.  The Associated Press reports via SaintPetersBlog.com.

 

Scott proposes $5 billion for Glades restoration

Governor Rick Scott announced a landmark commitment to the Everglades Tuesday, saying he would commit the state to paying $5 billion over the next 20 years to heal South Florida’s ailing wilderness.  The Sun-Sentinel’s David Fleshler reports.

 

Legislature fires back in court battle over redistricting

In documents filed with the Florida Supreme Court Monday, attorneys for the Legislature say groups suing the state over its congressional districts themselves submitted “politically corrupt” maps as part of the challenge.  Matt Dixon reports on Scripps’ “Political Fix Florida” blog.

 

New state GOP leadership asking local parties for money; longtime party official says he’s “never seen anything like this”

As top elected Republicans remove cash from state GOP coffers, new party leadership has taken the rare step of soliciting contributions from local county parties, Matt Dixon reports on Scripps’ “Political Fix Florida” blog.

 

Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance Meets February 10 

The Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance will convene in Washington D.C. on February 10, InsuranceNewsNet.com reports.

 

Report Shows South Carolina Paid $5 Million in Claims for Bad Roads

The Greenville News reported that South Carolina spent more than $5 million in legal claims by motorists and others whose cars were damaged or who were injured or killed.  Insurance Journal notes the story.

 

 

 

Click here to follow Colodny Fass on Twitter (@ColodnyFassLaw)

 

 

To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to colodnyfassnews@gmail.com.