Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, October 24
Oct 24, 2008
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Note: The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America has created a new, weekly feature entitled “Decision 2008,” which is designed to provide news and information about key political races that could affect the insurance industry. For your convenience, Capitol to Courthouse News will reprint the entire “Decision 2008” newsletter below.
Workers’ compensation ruling may affect lowered rates
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a lawyer representing an injured worker is entitled to “reasonable” fees, setting the stage for another bruising legislative battle over the Florida law that ensures the rights of injured workers.
State Justices Strike Down Caps On Injury Lawyers
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a cap on fees for lawyers of injured workers, saying the attorneys must receive reasonable pay.
EDITORIAL: Three years after Wilma, state’s rebuilding remains
Norma and Saul Rosenblum drove from Palm Beach to Dothan, Ala., as Hurricane Wilma approached.
United Insurance Holdings Corp. Announces Change in Ticker Symbol to “UIHC”
United Insurance Holdings Corp. (OTCBB: UIHC; UIHCW; UIHCU) (“United” or the “Company”), an underwriter of homeowners and selected small business insurance in the State of Florida, announced today that the Company’s common stock, warrants and units will begin trading on the OTC Bulletin Board under its new symbols UIHC, UIHCW, and UIHCU, respectively, on October 20, 2008.
Shifts in voter registration have created four competitive Congressional seats, 10 state House seats and three state Senate seats across Florida:
Sink predicts hard times for state
Don’t expect economic hard times to begin turning around in Florida for at least a year, the state’s chief financial officer said yesterday.
State: Mortgage scam wider than thought
After they arrested a husband-and-wife team for mortgage fraud last month, state investigators received dozens of calls from people who accuse the couple of a wider-ranging scam than suspected, Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink said Thursday.
IRS has $30-million for Floridians, but can’t find them
The IRS wants to return $30-million in tax refunds and economic stimulus checks to Floridians, but it doesn’t know where they live.
GOP incumbents suddenly in danger
A surge in Democratic turnout and an increase in Democratic registration has opened the door for upsets in once-safe Republican Congressional and legislative districts throughout Florida.
Democrats ask to extend early Florida voting
Nine in Congress want to keep the polls open through Nov. 4.
Baxter Troutman Sues Family Over Business Losses
State rep.’s suit claims cousin J.D. Alexander, uncle mismanaged Alico.
2 square off for Dist. 21 seat
Charles Van Zant, a minister, said he decided to run for the State House District 21 seat while he served on the Clay County School Board last year.
Mack is no-show in final debate before Nov. 4
Candidates stuck to the issues at Thursday night’s debate for the Congressional District 14 seat, largely ignoring the elephant in the room.
Election 2008: Business primer for Florida state amendments
Amendment 3 would give property tax breaks for renewable energy investments.
With dozens of local races and a presidential election at a critical time for the economy, it’s easy for the business community to forget about proposed state constitutional amendments on the Nov. 4 ballot. Here’s a rundown on the amendments that affect business, their potential impacts and the likelihood of each passing.
Early Voters in Fla. Find Long Lines, a Bit of Muddle
After standing for more than an hour outside his polling place earlier this week, Dick Rosenow finally gave up when it started raining. He returned the next day, but again the line snaked around the branch library in this town south of Palm Beach. He waited an hour before he could cast his ballot.
Another election nightmare in Florida?
The Obama campaign has inspired a wave of early voters — but the waits have been long and some fear havoc on Election Day.
Sure, Ted Ravelo likes Barack Obama. But two hours is a long time to stand in line to vote, especially considering that it’s still October.
Rating Agencies React To NAIC Rating Agency Plan
At least one rating agency was subdued in its response to a plan that had the membership of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners looking into developing its own rating agency.
Industry Associations Ask For Cooperation Among Regulators
A group of insurance industry associations from around the world has issued a statement to the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) calling for international regulatory cooperation that encourages competition, rather than overregulation.
Institute for Public Innovation: A Two-Pronged Approach to Insurance Regulation
Under the current system of bank regulation in the United States, banks may choose whether to be regulated by the states in which they operate or by the federal government. Until the recent banking and mortgage crisis, there was widespread consensus that the regulatory competition created by this system of optional bank chartering had well served both consumers and financial-services firms.
Marsh Forms Agency to Serve Small U.S. Businesses
Large insurance broker Marsh has formed Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC, a new business dedicated to serving the insurance needs of small and emerging growth U.S. companies.
PCI’s Decision 2008
Pro Business/Insurance Agenda Includes Lower Taxes, Lawsuit Reform and Effective Regulation
While your vote is always important, world events and economic conditions have combined to create what many are calling the most important election in a generation.
“Fundamental issues such as strengthening our nation’s economy loom large,” said David Sampson, CEO and president of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI). “At stake for the business community and particularly the financial services sector, including the insurance industry, is the direction of our free enterprise system and maintaining open and competitive markets in the global economy.”
High on the business community’s agenda this election cycle is support for candidates who embrace policies that will keep taxes low, reduce unnecessary lawsuits, eliminate excessive regulations; and help Americans create jobs and prosperity. Key to our future is preserving a pro-business environment that will expand our economy. And a growing economy is good for insurers.
“However, our industry is facing a volatile combination of significant economic, regulatory and political headwinds,” said Sampson. “In Congress, the financial services sector, including the insurance industry, faces the prospect of a fundamental overhaul in the regulatory framework and unprecedented federal intrusion. Across the states we are prepared to fight threats to risk-based pricing as well as anti-insurance agendas sponsored by trial lawyers and auto body shop associations. This is why it is so important to be involved in the political process. There is significant political turnover on the horizon, and our industry must be engaged in the 2008 elections. I can’t stress enough the importance of insurance professionals’ involvement as Election Day approaches. Your voices are very important as the industry builds its collective voice on Capitol Hill and in our nation’s state capitals.”
Newspaper Editors Give Nod to Obama-Biden
For those who are keeping count, the Obama-Biden ticket has a commanding 121 – 42 lead over McCain-Palin in newspaper endorsements according to Editor and Publisher magazine, America’s oldest journal covering the newspaper industry. This weekend Obama picked up 50 more endorsements including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times, New York Daily News, Miami Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Oregonian, Denver Post, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Salt Lake Tribune, and the Kansas City Star. In addition Editor and Publisher notes that two solid Bush papers in 2004, the Houston Chronicle and Austin American-Statesman, also came out for Obama Sunday. This tally of newspaper endorsements contrasts with 2004 when John Kerry barely edged George W. Bush in endorsements by 213 to 205. Before you discard this as just another case of liberal media bias, Editor and Publisher noted that if you count the endorsements in the 2004 battleground states you found a pretty close match with the actual results.
Fact Checking U.S. Politics
Keeping up with the all the spin and hype surrounding U.S. politics is not an easy task. However, FactCheck.org, a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, helps you sort through the spin. FactCheck monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Read More…
Quick Takes on the States
PCI examines the political landscape in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Read More…
Quick Takes on Federal Races
PCI examines U.S. Senate races in Mississippi, Oregon and Virginia. Read More…
This Just in…PA State Senator Rhoades Died in Crash; His Name will Stay on the Ballot
The Associated Press is reporting that the name of state Sen. James Rhoades who died Saturday from injuries he suffered in a car accident will remain on the ballot in the three-way race for his Schuylkill County seat. Should Rhoades win, a special election would be held to pick a successor to fill out the remainder of the four-year term. Rhoades, 66, a Republican, had served in the state Senate since 1981 and was chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
Election 2008 Tool Box
Make sure your voice is heard in 2008. Register to vote, learn how to vote early and find information on candidates seeking office across the country.
Do you need to look up the elected officials that currently represent you? Click here to access a list of your federal and state legislators, including full biographies and contact information.
Election Day 2008 features the Presidential Election, 33 U.S. Senate Elections, and 435 U.S. Congressional Elections. There are also 11 state gubernatorial elections. This year’s state legislative elections will bring inevitable change with nearly 80 percent of all legislative seats scheduled for elections. Finally, there are insurance commissioner races in Delaware, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Washington State. Click here to access state and federal candidate information.
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