Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, January 14
Jan 14, 2011
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Florida Lawmakers Seek Ways to Curb Sinkhole Losses
Florida lawmakers are trying to address the cost of sinkhole claims, which state officials and insurers say are driving up property insurance rates and could threaten the solvency of some domestic insurers if not brought under control.
Florida Leaders Keep Pounding United States Department of Agriculture for Disaster Declaration
State’s two senators and most of the congressional delegation send letter to Tom Vilsack asking for 36 counties to be covered
Florida’s political leaders are continuing to pressure the U.S. Department of Agriculture, hoping that more than half of the state will be declared as a disaster area due to the inclement weather.
Nail-biting time for Florida’s health programs
Memo to Florida’s health and human services programs: Don’t expect any crumbs from Senator Joe Negron.
Florida Governor Rick Scott has approved 71 transportation contracts worth nearly $90 million.
Governor Rick Scott approves some transportation projects
Governor Rick Scott is somewhere between his ‘Let’s get to work’ philosophy and not wanting to overspend on state contracts, as he moves certain projects ahead after careful review.
- Cabinet to Florida Governor Rick Scott: You can’t veto our regulations
- Florida Governor Scott’s self-inflicted bottleneck
Agriculture Commissioner Putnam: Florida can’t copy Arizona’s law
States’ immigration problems are different, agriculture commissioner says
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam, who promotes an industry heavily dependent on migrant workers, said Thursday that Florida can’t copy Arizona’s hotly controversial immigration law because the states’ immigration problems are different.
Florida House finance and tax committee gets marching orders
Property tax breaks, unemployment compensation, corporate incentives and a revenue cap proposal favored by the Senate president will be among a handful of high priority items to be addressed by the House Finance and Taxation Committee this session, its chairman said Thursday.
Firearms: Florida lawmaker says local officials should not be able to supersede state gun laws
State Senator Joe Negron has filed a bill that would further prohibit elected officials and public entities from unilaterally imposing their own firearm and ammunition regulations to supersede Florida’s gun laws.
State Senator Mike Haridopolos officially eyes 2012 Senate race
State Senate President Mike Haridopolos has made it official: He’s running for U.S. Senate. It’s not much of a surprise, but he’s already launched a website Mike2012.org, and he has a political committee called Friends of Mike Haridopolos.
Governor Scott names five new high-level staffers
Governor Rick Scott on Friday named five new high-level staffers — one of whom is a Charlie Crist holdover and one who was once fired by former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink.
Florida Representative Kriseman seeks longer terms for lawmakers
State Representative Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg, wants to lengthen the terms for lawmakers. Senators would get six years instead of four, and House members would get four years instead of two. Voters would decide in 2012.
League of Cities: Florida should pay for ‘good ideas’
Florida’s cities say the state should “pay for its own good ideas” instead of handing the bill to local taxpayers.
Feds make splash on Florida Everglades restoration
The Obama administration’s looking to improve on the federal government’s awful record restoring the Everglades, proposing a $700 million program to protect 150,000 acres north of Lake Okeechobee, now producing runoff that flows south to the River of Grass.
Water district rents Everglades land to Florida Crystals; rival says deal shortchanges taxpayers
Florida Crystals Corporation will be able to lease about 1,700 acres of sugar cane land in the Everglades for $61 per acre, two years after it blasted one of its rivals in the sugar industry for trying to lease land at a similar rate.
Charlie Crist, Attorney at Law
You may want to pick up one of those magnetic doohickeys and stick Charlie Crist’s new 800 number on the fridge door.
Florida Governor Scott, media adjusting to differing ideas on access
Governor Rick Scott’s public schedule on Wednesday left out the fact that he was holding a dinner for a group of seven lawmakers at the governor’s mansion that night.
Florida’s First Generation of African-American Political Leaders
When Jennifer Carroll was sworn in as Florida’s 18th lieutenant governor, she became the first African-American in the state’s history to hold that position.
Republicans seek more Latino outreach
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush says state leaders should seek to appoint Hispanics to judgeships and other posts.
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance seeks 9 percent rate increase for homeowners policies
The board that oversees the state-run insurer of last resort Thursday asked Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon’s office to approve an overall average 9 percent rate increase for homeowners policies starting July 1.
Underwriting, Expense Discipline Needed in 2011, Say Property/Casualty chief executive officers
The property/casualty insurance industry turned a corner and will show a profitable year for 2010, but underwriting discipline will be more important than ever in 2011, according to property/casualty chief executive officers.
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