Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, February 8
Feb 8, 2008
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CFO Sink wants to lower Florida’s exposure.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink’s quest to shed some of the state’s hurricane risk has a new twist that will be heard today by a key legislative committee.
House panel looks for answers to insurance problem
Earlier this week, the Florida Senate put testy insurance executives under oath for a congressional style grilling about rising property insurance rates.
House to hold insurance hearing
A 73-year-old homeowner from Hobe Sound who has seen his property insurance premiums almost double in the past year will be one of the key witnesses at a congressional hearing Monday on Florida’s property insurance crisis.
Rubio wants Citizens customers to storm-proof
Florida homeowners could be forced to fix their roofs and install hurricane-proof windows as a condition for keeping their policies with the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. under a change being pushed by House Speaker Marco Rubio.
Firm starts alternative investment pool for local governments
Local governments disgruntled with the state-run pool that invests cash for cities and counties now have an alternative pool that promises to avoid some types of securities that were downgraded and caused a run last year on the state pool.
A state bill would let businesses choose property insurance without assessments.
Business owners in Florida could have the option of buying a commercial property insurance policy that does not carry the threat of an assessment from state-backed Citizens Property Insurance, according to a state bill being drafted by Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, and Rep. Garrett Richter, R-Naples.
Radical tax cut may not get on the ballot
A radical proposal promoted by House Speaker Marco Rubio to cap all
property taxes is going to get a hearing in both the House and Senate when the lawmaking session begins in March, but there is no guarantee it will make it to the November ballot.
More tax-cutting on Chamber’s, Crist’s agenda
Florida’s top business leaders told state officials today that voters are ready to limit revenue collections, as a means of reining in government spending.
Crist taps Democrat to lead Juvenile Justice
Gov. Charlie Crist on Friday will again give the reins of a troubled state agency to a Democrat, naming St. Petersburg Rep. Frank Peterman as the next secretary of the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Special election to fill House seat
In a special election Tuesday, voters in North Miami-Dade will choose between two local politicos, elevating the winner to the state House for the District 103 seat.
Dems blast Brown-Waite and rally for an apology
The choir of voices calling for an apology from U.S. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite got louder Thursday with a group of Central Florida Democratic leaders joining in.
But Brown-Waite, R-Brooksville, remains resolute in her refusal to say she is sorry for calling Puerto Ricans “foreign citizens” last week in a news release about President Bush’s economic stimulus package.
Brock pleased at backing of new auditing proposal before Legislature
The number of co-signers on a proposal before the Florida Legislature that involves Collier County commissioners’ longstanding dispute with Clerk of Courts Dwight Brock has Brock pleased.
GAO: Voting machines not to blame in ’06 race
It wasn’t flaws in electronic-voting machines that kept 18,000 voters in Sarasota County from casting ballots in the disputed 2006 election between Democrat Christine Jennings and U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a new study shows.
How Florida Governor Charlie Crist propelled John McCain to the top of the GOP field.
As John McCain consolidates his Super Tuesday wins to nail down the nomination, he can thank his big-name endorsers over the past week: Rudy Giuliani. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Texas Governor Rick Perry. Steve Forbes.
Florida Democrats still unsure whether delegates will be seated
While Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama slug it out in an unexpectedly tight national battle for their party’s presidential nomination, Florida Democrats remain in political limbo, not knowing whether their votes could tip the balance.
Water ruling a win for Florida
A federal court ruling denying Georgia and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the right to drain Lake Lanier for Atlanta’s lawns and car washes while ignoring water needs in Florida and Alabama was needed, and correct.
Higher FHA loan limits could boost region
Low-money-down FHA loans, which shrank in importance during the no-money-down era, could become a post-boom answer to housing and mortgage woes in Southwest Florida under legislation passed Thursday by the U.S. Senate.
Agents Concerned Over Spitzer Fine Hike Plan
Agent associations in New York are responding with mixed reactions to Governor Eliot Spitzer’s plan to increase the cost of penalties for certain insurance violations.
Former Broward sheriff loses $134,500-a-year pension
State officials have decided that former Broward Sheriff Ken Jenne should be deprived of his state pension because of his criminal convictions in a public corruption case.
Risk Management Solutions (RMS) Comments on this Week’s U.S. Tornado
An active storm system moving east across the U.S., triggered a severe weather outbreak in the Midwest on the night of Tuesday, 5 February.
S & P issues list of rating reforms
Standard & Poor’s unveiled an overhaul of its grading process in response to criticism that its ratings on mortgage bonds helped precipitate the sub-prime meltdown.
Insurers Applaud Legislators’ Restraint in Considering Proposed Ban on Use of Credit Information
Three insurance industry advocacy organizations today applauded the members of the House Committee on Insurance, Financial Services & Consumer Protection for showing restraint on a bill to ban insurer use of credit in rating.
Hood: Insurance Case May Be Dismissed
After a full day of testimony, and five hours of negotiations Wednesday evening, Attorney General Jim Hood said a lawsuit State Farm filed against him in U.S. District Court will be dismissed this morning.
North Carolina: GOP candidates for governor focus on private insurance
Four Republican candidates for governor preached personal responsibility and private insurance solutions Thursday night to reduce health care costs and put more North Carolina citizens on insurance rolls.
Strip-club tax to assist poor raises howls
You might not think there’s a link between the elderly poor, the mentally ill and the guy patronizing a local strip club.
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