Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, August 1

 

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Bill aims at offering hurricane relief

Coastal residents of states hard-hit by hurricanes — including Florida — would benefit from proposed tax credits for high insurance premiums and storm mitigation improvements.

Former police chief to head business agency

A former police official is the new permanent head of the state agency that regulates Florida’s businesses and professions.

Critics: Insurance Deal Bad for Fla.

Gov. Crist, CFO Sink approve plan to pay Berkshire Hathaway $224 million for promise of loan if storm strikes this year.

As many Floridians face job losses, foreclosures and exorbitant gas prices in a tumbling economy, Florida leaders this week struck a lucrative deal with the richest man in America.

Newly public insurer to move to Clearwater

Homeowners Choice Inc. raised $11.7-million Thursday in an initial public offering on the Nasdaq Global Market. The startup property insurance holding company is based in Port St. Lucie, but plans to move its headquarters to Clearwater in August. Units of one share and one warrant, which trade under the symbol HCIIU, were offered at $7 and closed at $6.62.

Florida-based Homeowners Choice Announces Initial Public Offering

Homeowners Choice Inc., based in Clearwater, Florida, announced that it has completed an initial public offering of 1,666,668 units, each consisting of one common share and one warrant, at a price of $7.00 per unit.

EDITORIAL:  Playing the odds, Florida style

The first Floridians to gamble, I imagine, were Apalachee or Calusa Indians or their forebears, when they took a chance that the alligators nearby weren’t hungry enough to make a meal of them when they were chest-deep in water, vulnerable to attack.

Posey Touts Passion for Accountability

State Sen. Bill Posey, 60, said his 50 years in Florida’s 15th Congressional District and more than 30 years in government have instilled him with a passion for government accountability.

Brown & Brown expands in Toledo

Brown & Brown Inc., the locally based national insurance agency, is expanding its Toledo, Ohio, operation, buying Great Lakes Risk Management Inc., company officials announced Thursday.

OPINION:   Wondering what Cover Florida’s ‘bare bones’ insurance will cover

The News-Journal is to be commended for the excellent editorial July 17, America uncovered. It was a compelling and accurate reality of the epidemic number of uninsured and underinsured people in America and Florida. This is yet another example of the many articles and editorials by the News-Journal in recent months regarding access to health care and the consequences of not being insured.

WellCare kept 50% of Medicaid mental-health money, records show

Florida’s two largest Medicaid HMOs kept 50 percent of the state money they received last year for mental health care, even though they were supposed to  spend at least 80 percent on patients, new state records show.

Proton cancer treatment may head to South Florida

Entrepreneur works to bring to Miami a proton center; therapy treats tumors with less damage — at a price

A former University of Miami medical professor wants to build a high-tech, $85 million cancer-treatment device at UM’s planned Life Science Park.

Crist stops at Grant Senate fundraiser

Over his year and a half in office, Gov. Charlie Crist has shown a willingness to break with precedent by using his personal influence on behalf of favored causes like energy reform.

Candidate Tom Rooney: Political inexperience an asset, not a liability

While the Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers editorial board cites political inexperience and my youth as reasons for endorsing another candidate, I respectfully disagree.

Orlando congressional hopefuls wage direct-mail blitz  

A mini-campaign battle is being waged in Central Florida mailboxes.

Two of the five Democrats running for the U.S. House seat now held by Republican Ric Keller are spending tens of thousands of dollars to boost their name recognition before the Aug. 26 primary.

St. Cloud man sues to oust Florida House hopeful from ballot

A St. Cloud man is trying to block a candidate for a state House seat from the Aug. 26 primary election ballot, alleging he failed to resign in time from his Osceola School Board post.

Democrats Look To Retake 5th District Seat

Six years ago, Florida Democrats lost a coveted seat in Congress after Republican challenger Ginny Brown-Waite narrowly defeated Democratic five-term incumbent Karen Thurman in the race for the 5th Congressional District.

Obama, McCain focusing on Florida economy

Barack Obama wants to help pull Florida out of its economic doldrums by sending $3 billion in rebate checks and providing an extra dose of housing relief.

Farm to Fuel event pushes Florida

Whether derived from sugar cane, switchgrass, algae, citrus peel or woody biomass, biofuels grown in the Sunshine State can spearhead the nation’s future energy policy, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer said Thursday.

TECO Seeks A Nuclear Partner

Tampa Electric Co. is shopping around for nuclear power, a source of carbon-free energy that will become increasingly valuable should regulators follow through with promises to limit carbon emissions.

Florida voters warm to offshore drilling

Poll finds gas prices have swayed opinion

Gas prices are getting to Floridians.

Florida’s tomato growers rip FDA

Florida agriculture officials took turns Thursday criticizing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for failing to clear the state sooner in the recent salmonella outbreak that has cost Florida tomato growers millions of dollars.

Hearing Underscores Insurance Industry Rift

The Senate hearing Tuesday on insurance regulation has once again spotlighted the divide within the insurance industry between supporters of continued state regulation and proponents of optional federal chartering of insurers.

Marsh:  Insurers Cautiously Entering Green Building Exposures

Insurers are cautiously offering coverage for green building projects, but many carriers remain reluctant to provide this specialized coverage as they continue to evaluate the risks involved, according to a report by insurance broker Marsh.

NAIC Commends Movement on H.R. 6308

National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) today praised U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank’s (D-MA) legislation, H.R. 6308 — The Municipal Bond Fairness Act.

Deloitte Charts Wide Impact Of IFRS On Insurers

Impacts on insurers from the coming move to International Financial Reporting Standards will involve every aspect of a company’s business and create increased transparency and possibly more mergers, according to a consulting firm report.