Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, Aug. 24

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State won’t know if drivers go without insurance under new law

If the state’s no fault car insurance system is allowed to expire, companies will no longer have to notify state officials if drivers cancel their liability insurance, a state legal opinion released Friday said.

 

Crist decries ‘profiteering’ insurers

In a Central Florida speech to Realtors, the governor sought support for a tax-cut ballot question.

Gov. Charlie Crist urged real-estate agents Thursday to rally support for a January ballot measure that will cut property taxes.

 

Regulators grill title insurers

Florida rates are highest in the nation

TALLAHASSEE – A handful of industry giants monopolizes Florida’s title insurance business, and consumers are the ones who pay, a consumer advocate and independent agent told state regulators Thursday.

 

Insurer Bad Faith Ballot Question Heats Up Campaign

Insurers and trial lawyers in Washington State are ramping up their rival campaigns in the battle over a ballot initiative that would repeal a law making it easier to convict insurers of bad faith and impose triple damages.

 

Crist Says Cuts Will Spur Home Boom

LAKE BUENA VISTA – During a speech Thursday, Gov. Charlie Crist urged real estate agents to rally support for a ballot measure in January that will cut property taxes. He also repeatedly criticized the property insurance industry as tenacious and greedy.

 

Prominent Republican party consultant one of three men found dead

The Orlando Sentinel has confirmed that one of three men found dead in an east Orange County home in an apparent double murder-suicide is a prominent political consultant.

 

Democratic lawmakers risk fine for donations

Democratic state legislators appear to have committed more than 200 election-law violations, nearly all of them stemming from accepting campaign contributions above legal limits, according to the Florida Elections Commission.

 

Sen. Schumer Boosts Catastrophe Commission

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY, said he is pushing congressional legislation he hopes will improve the homeowners insurance market for residents of Long Island and other coastal areas of his state.

 

Personal Injury Protection reform can wait; renew law

It’s unlikely that warring special-interest groups in Florida will ever agree on the best “fix” for the law that requires motorists to carry $10,000 worth of personal injury protection insurance.

 

Lawmakers must take action on personal injury protection

ISSUE: Florida’s latest insurance crisis is here.

The state of Florida faces another insurance crisis, and once again confusion runs rampant while solutions seem scarce.

 

Ben Graber:  Reforms necessary to reduce corruption

The year 2007 may well be the year the average citizen has had enough of government inadequacy. The U.S. Congress hit an all time low of a 14 percent favorability rating. The president is now at 33 percent and considers that an improvement.

 

Doctors try new approach: admitting errors

Disclosure rules changing medical culture

CHICAGO The doctor walked into the hospital room with a discomforting mission. He was there to admit a medical mistake and apologize to his patient, a woman with breast cancer.

 

NCOIL To Govs: Don’t Back Federal Charter

Leadership of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators said it issued a letter today urging the National Governors Association (NGA) to continuing opposing optional federal charter (OFC) legislation for insurers.

 

Governors Urged to Back OFC Legislation

Two former governors urged the National Governors Association to back federal legislation that would implement an optional federal charter regulatory system in the insurance industry.

 

Scan cargo ships, but how?

A new law requires 100 percent screening, but the technology to make it happen doesn’t exist.

WASHINGTON – The specter of a nuclear bomb, hidden in a cargo container, detonating in an American port has prompted Congress to require 100 percent screening of U.S.-bound ships at their more than 600 foreign starting points.

 

Insurance inspector admits to lying about fraud charge

A Jupiter man who helped QBE Insurance determine that a Boca Raton condominium deserved nothing for the millions in damage residents claim it sustained in Hurricane Wilma admitted in court Thursday that he had been charged with insurance fraud and lied to state regulators about it.

 

All eyes still on No. 1, Iowa says

The presidential voting rush may only solidify the smaller states’ me-first power.

TAMA, Iowa — Sorry, all you political junkies in Florida, New York, California, Michigan and any other state maneuvering to have more say in picking the presidential nominees.

 

Gaming may be DOA in Capitol

Las Vegas-style games have some powerful foes.

A deal to allow Las Vegas-style gambling on tribal lands in Florida could face a major obstacle: the state Legislature.

 

State workers’ trivial pursuit: Editing Wikipedia entries

State-owned computers edit Wikipedia, silly to serious.

TALLAHASSEE — If you haven’t visited Wikipedia lately, you might be surprised to learn that Tampa native turned porn star Avy Scott does not have breast implants.