Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Monday, April 27
Apr 27, 2009
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Florida House Approves Property Insurance Measure
The Florida House has approved property insurance legislation that promises to reduce the exposure of the state’s backup hurricane insurance fund and gradually raise rates for policyholders insured in state-backed Citizens Property Insurance.
Fla. Senate Gets Two Big Property Insurance Bills
The Florida House on Friday night approved and sent to the Senate a measure designed to beef up the finances of the state-created home insurer of last resort and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.
Insurers’ Taxes Could Back Florida Private School Voucher Program
A private school voucher program for children from low-income families in Florida would be strengthened by a bill the House passed last week, but critics say it would be another financial blow for public education.
McCarty: SB 2036 and HB 1171 Will Have Negative Consequences for Florida Domestic Insurers
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation released the comments below today from Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, regarding SB 2036 and HB 1171, in which Commissioner McCarty states his concern that the bills will have ” . . . unintended negative consequences on the competitive opportunities for our current domestic insurers – something that the Legislature and the Office of Insurance Regulation have worked very hard to cultivate.”
Insurance bill may draw the ‘V’ word
Just as the thick pollen begins to thin from Tallahassee’s springtime air, another natural malaise inevitably sets in every April.
Circuit Court judge orders Coral Insurance cancelled as of May 31
CFO Sink reminds policyholders Hurricane Season is approaching
Leon County Circuit Court Judge P. Kevin Davey has ordered that all policies of Coral Insurance Company, which is currently in receivership for the purpose of rehabilitation, will be cancelled as of 12:01 a.m. May 31, 2009, unless otherwise cancelled or terminated earlier than that date.
BLOG: Florida Insurance Commissioner defends rate regulation
Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty is back. After a quiet spell the past few months, he jumped back into the public debate about property insurance last week — days before the end of Florida’s annual legislative session — with an 8-page analysis of the market.
Tallahassee United Way President: Florida Catastrophe Fund Has Undesirable Side Effects for Society
Recent news that a loosening credit market will allow the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund to borrow an additional $5 billion is not entirely good news.
Florida Chamber of Commerce: State not ready for a hurricane
Florida is financially unprepared for a hurricane. In a state with $2 trillion in property exposure, state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has become Florida’s largest residential property insurer, charging its more than 1 million policyholders actuarially unsound rates.
Editorial: Caution in deregulation
Don’t give insurers a blank check to raise rates without concessions
So Florida lawmakers want to deregulate property insurance rates to attract big private insurers to “hurricane land” and hold onto the ones threatening to leave.
Letter: Solutions to Florida’s insurance crisis
There are really two solutions to the insurance crisis in Florida: First, there should be a federal windstorm policy, same as flood insurance; second, Florida must not let insurance companies form “Florida only” companies.
State must reduce hurricane liability
This 800-pound gorilla looms large over the Legislature: with hurricane season bearing down on us in mere weeks, lawmakers must complete an overhaul on the weighty issue of property insurance.
Florida House green lights red light camera bill
A bill that would set requirements for the use of automatic cameras to fine owners of vehicles that run red lights has gotten a green light in the Florida House.
Florida Senate OK’s $30.76M award in case against BSO
Two Broward compensation bills cleared the Senate on Friday in the cases of a paralyzed man and a slain sheriff’s deputy.
A record-setting $30.76 million compensation claim for a Broward man paralyzed more than a decade ago was overwhelmingly approved by the Florida Senate on Friday.
Insurance bill for kids in jeopardy
Measure would expand coverage for developmental disabilities
A bill to expand insurance coverage to children with developmental disabilities beyond autism is struggling in the Senate, with budget leaders concerned about costs.
Florida at center of fierce debate over vaccines, fear of autism link
Pediatricians and parents of children with autism are closely watching a controversial bill in the state Senate that seeks to ban vaccines containing mercury and support parents who question doctors about their children’s vaccinations.
Fla. House OKs Alonzo Mourning insurance bill
The Florida House has unanimously passed a kidney transplant bill named for former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning.
Volusia County Man Arrested for Defrauding Medicaid Program Out of More Than $95,000
Attorney General Bill McCollum announced today a Volusia County man has been taken into custody for defrauding the Florida Medicaid program out of more than $95,000.
Florida legislators leave big decisions for last
Gambling, insurance, tax still to be resolved
The state Legislature enters the final countdown to its 60-day regular legislative session with precious few of the big-dollar decisions – from taxes and fees to homeowner insurance – resolved.
Florida lawmakers returning to work as budget impasse continues
Will the House and Senate dig in further or will there be a miraculous agreement on the budget?
State Business Tangled in Budget
With lawmakers mired in money woes, many local bills are sitting idle.
Like late night in a maternity ward, a lot of pacing is going on in the Tallahassee, with state legislators fretting over expected legislation.
Decision time at state Capitol
The intramurals are finished; in the House and Senate chambers and hallways of the state Capitol, it’s decision time.
Crist’s agenda lags in Legislature
Gov. Charlie Crist lowered a spade into the ground to plant a red crape myrtle on the Capitol grounds Friday, and all was good.
Oil companies push Florida legislature for offshore drilling
Late in the legislative session, a group of mostly anonymous oil and gas companies have hired at least 20 lobbyists to push bills that would allow offshore drilling in Florida.
Dangling the promise of millions for the state’s dwindling budget, a group of mostly unidentified oil and gas companies are bankrolling a last-minute fight to bring offshore drilling to Florida’s coastline.
Dog track’s Rooney eyes starting gate for state run
Pat Rooney Jr. – dog track president, restaurateur, radio personality, attorney, South Florida Water Management District board member, Steelers scion and brother of Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney – is considering a state House run.
Baker’s pursuit of ag post spurs domino effect
When State Sen. Carey Baker said he was running for state agricultural commissioner, it set off a falling-domino effect across Lake County’s political landscape.
Obama’s Early decisions felt in Florida
Florida schools can forestall budget cuts. Cuban immigrants can visit relatives back home. Construction can start on a long-delayed Interstate 4 connector road. Some homeowners may avoid foreclosure.
FPL canals criticized as health risk
Environmentalists and national park managers plan to fight FPL’s push for rock mining approval at a county hearing, saying Turkey Point plans will put supplies of fresh water at risk.
The 168-mile-long loop of canals that cool the twin nuclear reactors at Turkey Point was dug in the 1970s to avoid pumping billions of gallons of damaging hot water into Biscayne Bay.
It is either Florida’s $212 million “bridge to nowhere” or a key step toward restoring the Everglades.
Report: Fla. ranks No. 3 for financially distressed projects
South Florida ranks third in nation for the volume of commercial real estate and condo projects now at some level of financial distress, according to a new report from Real Capital Analytics.
FDIC Head Favors Interagency Panel to Oversee Systemic Risk
The head of the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp said Friday that she favors a council of regulators over one entity to oversee systemic risk in the financial system.
Storm experts: Galveston mayor’s visit to Cuba taps the island nation’s hurricane evacuation skills
Galveston mayor Lyda Ann Thomas four-day visit to Cuba is a timely development for two different reasons, one thought out in advance and the other serendipitous.
Texas Agents Rate Companies on 2008 Hurricane Response
Insurance companies responding to last year’s hurricanes Dolly and Ike were given generally good marks by independent agents along the Texas coast in a recent member survey by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT), but agents were quick to point out communication flaws and delays that angered customers.
Has globalization made us more catastrophe-prone?
As the world grapples with the worst economic downturn in decades and the possibility of a flu pandemic, a growing body of research suggests the complexity of the modern global economy may make us more vulnerable than ever to catastrophe.
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