Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, March 6
Mar 6, 2013
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 2013 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.–House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee, 303 House Office Building, 402 South Monroe Street, Tallahassee, Florida.
- CS/HB 229 — Land Trusts
- HB 509 — Financial Guaranty Insurance Corporations
- HB 635 — Insurance
- HB 665 — Licensure by Office of Financial Regulation
- HB 675 — Health Insurance Marketing Materials
- Proposed Committee Substitute for HB 573 — Manufactured and Mobile Homes
- Proposed Committee Substitute for HB 835 — Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (“Citizens”)
- Proposed Committee Bill (“PCB”) IBS 13-01 — Citizens Clearinghouse Program
- Proposed Committee Bill IBS 13-02 — Public Records / Citizens Clearinghouse Program
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Citizens Property Insurance incentive loans program pops up in Senate bill
A controversial provision allowing state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. to use surplus money as loans to private companies that take over its policies is included in a Senate bill up for a vote Thursday.
Citizens Property Insurance Could Require Two On Board To Hail From South Florida
There are seven faces behind Florida’s largest home insurer. But there could be eight.
Scammers try to capitalize on sinkhole anxiety
For the first time since last Thursday night, the yellow police caution tape is gone.
Owner of Seffner home has sinkhole and homeowner’s insurance
As construction crews scraped away the final pieces of debris at 240 Faithway Drive, the Wicker family watched decades of memories turn to dust.
Tragic Sinkhole In Tampa Sheds Light On Florida’s Geological Predicament
The news last week of a Hillsborough County man who disappeared into a sinkhole that opened up beneath his bedroom has sparked a renewed national interest in the Florida sinkhole phenomenon.
- USF geologist says catastrophic sinkholes are rare
- Why Sinkholes Are Eating Florida
- USA Today: Deadly sinkhole is a sign of more to come in Florida
- BusinessWeek: In Florida, Sinkhole Risks Grow With Urban Expansion
For David Richardson, service in the Florida House of Representatives is more than just his full-time job; it’s recompense to the state and community which has given him so much.
New business, environmentalist group vs. Citizens Property Insurance
Some of the state’s largest business and environmental advocates have linked hands against what they view as the potential risks to all Florida property owners from an oversized yet “underfunded” Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.
Learn to save money on homeowners insurance at workshop
Learn how you can save money on your homeowner’s insurance and make your residence “storm-ready” at a free mitigation workshop on Wednesday, March 20 from 10 a.m. – noon at the St. Lucie County Hurricane House, 8350 Picos Rd.
Editorial: “I’ll keep voting to raise rates”
At first glance, it looks like an awfully coldhearted thing to say.
This session, the Federation of Manufactured Home Owners of Florida and the Florida Manufactured Housing Association are asking lawmakers to pass legislation that will make crucial changes to how Citizens values property insurance policies for mobile homeowners.
Letter to the Editor: Wind insurance too much for condominiums
I am writing you regarding Citizens Wind Insurance Program. During the past week we received through our insurance broker, BB&T-Oswald Trippe and Company, the cost of our wind insurance for 2013.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Medical Billing Issue Before Florida Supreme Court Today
The Florida Supreme Court will hear oral arguments at 9:50 a.m. today, March 6, 2013, in the case of GEICO General Insurance Co. v. Virtual Imaging Services, Inc.
Florida bill would suspend teen’s license for using cell phone while driving
Alex Vericella, a 15-year-old freshman at Port St. Lucie Centennial High School, uses her cell phone all the time. However, she is adamant that there is one time she will never use it: when she drives.
Clock starts on Medicaid maneuvering
House Speaker Will Weatherford says he looks forward to House debate on an issue that died in committee. It’s an indication that the House intends to use expansion to leverage concessions from the governor and Senate.
- Florida House a Firewall Against Medicaid Expansion?
- Legislator: Don Gaetz Wanted to Expand Medicaid, Will Weatherford Ruined It
Florida Governor Rick Scott sounds re-election themes as 2013 session opens
Governor Rick Scott previewed what sounded remarkably like a re-election campaign slogan — “It works!” — as he opened the 2013 legislative session by urging state lawmakers to give him a $2,500 teacher pay raise and tax breaks for job-producing industries.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: House Overwhelmingly Approves Voting Bill
The House passed an elections overhaul bill by an overwhelming margin Tuesday, tacitly admitting that lawmakers went too far in 2011 with a bill that had reduced early voting days and is now blamed for some of the snafus that plagued the 2012 elections.
Blog: Senate Backs Ethics Reform In First Vote Of Session
The Florida Senate wasted little time unanimously approving a sweeping series of ethics reforms for legislators.
Florida House looks to speed up death penalty
With more than 400 people on Florida’s Death Row, a House subcommittee Tuesday approved a proposed constitutional amendment that is part of a plan to try to reduce delays in carrying out the death penalty.
Representative Clay Ford, energy subcommittee chairman, misses meetings amid health concerns
Reresentative Clay Ford, R-Pensacola, missed the opening day of the Legislature and the third straight meeting of the House Energy & Utilities Subcommittee, which he chairs.
Carl Zimmermann might have gone down on the state electoral rolls as just another failed perennial candidate, but as his recent accession to the Florida House of Representatives proves, if at first you don’t succeed, try and try – and try and try – again: fourth time’s the charm.
Blog: Four House Incumbents Prep For 2014; Dwight Bullard Files For 2016
Four incumbent House members have filed documents recently to seek re-election in 2014, while Senator Dwight Bullard is preparing to run again in 2016, according to the state Division of Elections website.
Blog: Court Rules Against CFO Atwater In Taj Mahal Payment Dispute
Though the original dispute already had been settled, an appeals court Friday ruled against the state Department of Financial Services in a dispute about whether Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater could block payment for historical photographs at a controversial Tallahassee courthouse.
Of Florida’s 1,100 business advocacy organizations, the two largest and best-known are undoubtedly the Associated Industries of Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Each has released its legislative agenda for the 2013 session: Where do they agree, and where do they differ?
Bill Proposing Property Assigned Risk Plan Filed in Texas
A bill has been filed that would drastically change the structure and/or funding for Texas’ insurer of last resort for wind and hail along the coast.
California Insurance Commissioner, Mercury Tangle Over Rate Reduction
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones issued a decision providing for an 8.18 percent rate reduction in homeowners insurance by Mercury Casualty Co., and then slammed the carrier for filing suit challenging the decision.
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