Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, August 14
Aug 14, 2009
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
Editorial: Discounts, or no deal for insurers
A few years ago, Florida lawmakers offered a fairly sweet deal to the state’s property and casualty insurers.
NY Fines Florida-based Health Insurer Over ‘Misleading’ TV Ads
A health insurer whose TV commercials promised “peace of mind” for just $5 a day must stop running the national ads and pay a fine of $700,000 after New York officials accused it of leaving patients only with huge hospital bills.
Storms cut United Insurance profit
United Insurance Holdings Corp. reported net income of $2.8 million, or 27 cents a share, for the second quarter ended June 30, compared to net income of $9.2 million, or 78 cents a share, for the same period last year.
Crist calls Hurricane Charley recovery ‘miraculous’
Gov. Charlie Crist held Charlotte County up as a ‘testament to the resilience of Floridians’ on Thursday, the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Charley.
Editorial: Hurricane research initiative an imperative
When the federal government doles out research money for the study of natural disasters, the imbalance is striking.
Firms without workers’ compensation coverage nabbed
Florida’s new workers’ compensation whistle-blower website has produced hundreds of new complaints of companies not carrying workers’ comp coverage and more than $500,000 in penalties since its launch in June, state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink said this week.
Fla. jury awards millions for smoking death
A jury in South Florida has awarded more than more than $5 million dollars in compensatory damages to a 92-year-old man whose wife died of lung cancer.
Florida Estimates Federal Health Care Plans Would Expand Coverage, and Costs
Proposed federal health care reforms might extend Medicaid coverage to 1.4 million uninsured residents, while costing taxpayers in Florida some $1.6 billion annually, according to an assessment by Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration.
Florida ranks No. 3 in percentage of uninsured people
Florida, where tempers flared at a town hall meeting on health care reform Thursday, has more at stake than most states in the debate over covering the uninsured.
Florida Officials push for KidCare boost
State and local officials are pushing to enroll more children in the state’s low-cost health-insurance program.
Editorial: Cover Florida’s no ‘model’ to tout
Gov. Charlie Crist doesn’t like the health-care reform proposal coming out of Washington. “We found a better way in Florida,” he says, “by wanting to include the private sector to participate more.”
$27.2 Million in Federal Recovery Act Funds to Pay for Transit Improvements in Florida
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced $27.2 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds for transit improvements in Florida.
State, Feds endorse new deal intended to jumpstart Everglades restoration
Heralding a new start to stalled Everglades restoration, South Florida water managers and federal officials today signed a deal intended to get money flowing to the suffering River of Grass.
Governor is intent on filling open seat
Gov. Charlie Crist offered few new insights on Thursday about whom he would appoint to replace U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, but made clear that he will not appoint someone who wants to run for the seat in 2010.
Crist reaches out to county GOP leaders in effort to quell conservative revolt
Facing perilous conservative revolts, Gov. Charlie Crist has been quietly reaching out to Republican county leaders throughout the state to gauge his political support, defend his policies — and to turn on the charm.
Blair says he’ll join House District 47 race
Former Hillsborough County Commissioner Brian Blair has made it official: He’s running for the state House seat in District 47 held by Rep. Kevin Ambler.
As Dorothy Hukill vies for a shot at being a first-time congresswoman, two other local women hope to take her place in the Florida House of Representatives.
State Rep. Evan Jenne’s challenger files financial disclosure complaint
How could Evan Jenne earn $60,000 last year from a company that didn’t exist until January of this year?
Want a Florida driver license? Be prepared to show passport, birth certificate, other documents
Floridians will need a slew of documents proving they are who they say they are to get a driver’s license or state-issued identification card beginning Jan. 1.
Fee hikes dent wallets of Florida motorists
Large increases take effect Sept. 1
More than $250 million in stimulus money slow to arrive in Treasure Coast
More than $250 million in federal stimulus dollars have been designated directly towards the Treasure Coast, highlighted by what is so far the economic recovery plans single largest job-creation project in Florida: the Indian Street Bridge in Martin County.
Florida’s population boom fades; state will mark first decline in residents in more than 60 years
For the first time in more than 60 years, Florida is losing residents.
Blog: 7 Tampa Bay, 27 Florida businesses make Inc. 500 ranks of fastest growing private companies
Florida can proudly lay claim to the No. 1 fastest-growing private company on the new Inc. 500 annual ranking, just out online and in the September issue of Inc. magazine.
FDIC: watch out for phony checks in N. Fla.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has issued an alert about counterfeit cashier’s checks from a North Florida bank that are circulating in the region.
Court Sets Standards for Whistleblower Lawsuits Under Sarbanes-Oxley
Whistleblowers must show only that they called attention to what they believed was fraud in order to sue their employers for wrongful termination under the Sarbanes Oxley Act, an appeals court ruled Thursday.
Federal Judge Dismisses Agents’ Lawsuit Against Brooke Corp.
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing bankrupt Brooke Corp. and its financing arm of racketeering and fraud, saying the claims are not specific enough.
Louisiana Citizens Insurance Fee to Dip
Louisiana property owners will see a reduced emergency assessment fee of 4.3 percent on their insurance policies in 2010, down from 5 percent, to pay for the debt service of the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state’s insurer of last resort.
North Carolina Residents May Qualify for Settlement
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin says a class-action settlement may benefit approximately 304,995 consumers statewide.
Alabama Opinion: Coast Needs Simple and Effective Reforms
According to this opinion piece, Alabama lawmakers should heed Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney’s advice and address the coastal insurance dilemma with caution.
Wrynn to Head New York State Insurance Department
New York Gov. David A. Paterson has tapped James J. Wrynn to be the next superintendent of the New York State Insurance Department.
Utah names new captive insurance regulator
Utah’s captive insurance director, Donnie Spann, has resigned effective Aug. 21 and will be replaced by Ross Elliott, former vp of operations for Irvine, Calif.-based Alta Holdings L.L.C., according to a statement by the Utah Captive Insurance Division.
Whose side of the road are you on?
For the first time in ages, a country is switching to driving on the left. Should we all drive on the same side?
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please e-mail CCochran@cftlaw.com