Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Monday, December 27
Dec 27, 2010
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Paige St. John: Insurance rates weigh heavily on homeowners
Even before recent rate increases, parts of Florida had become the most expensive places in the world to insure a home.
Paige St. John: No hurricanes, just bigger insurance bills
More than 4 million Florida homeowners, battered by property insurance rate hikes and disappearing coverage, are about to get hit again.
Florida homeowners brace for insurance rate hikes
Many Florida homeowners expected relief from the higher property insurance bills that followed the busy 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons.
Barney Bishop: Property insurance reform should be priority for state
One area that Governor-elect Rick Scott and our new legislative leadership can start to work on immediately is to eliminate the unfair “hurricane tax” on businesses.
Four fires burn vehicles, boats in Okeechobee County
State officials say human carelessness is to blame for four separate wildfires that burned hundreds of acres and destroyed several vehicles and boats in Okeechobee County.
Martin woman sues her insurance company for tax on totaled vehicle
A Martin county woman has taken her insurance company to court, alleging it failed to comply with the terms of her auto policy by not paying sales tax on her totaled vehicle.
Blog: Florida Attorney General-elect Bondi taps Muniz as second in command
Attorney General-Elect Pam Bondi today announced that Carlos Muñiz will serve as her Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff. Muñiz is currently a shareholder in the Tallahassee office of the law firm GrayRobinson. He previously worked as deputy general counsel to now-Chief Justice Charles Canady.
Who’s in, who’s out in Rick Scott administration
Last week, Gov.-elect Rick Scott revoked the pink slips for at least six of Gov. Charlie Crist’s department heads and at least 400 other mid to upper-level managers while he takes his time to staff up his new administration, according to a list released by the Scott transition team Monday.
Big changes included in Scott transition teams’ ‘to-do’ lists
Governor-elect Rick Scott promises it won’t be business as usual when he takes the reins of the state’s highest office on Jan. 4, and if he adopts the giant to-do list from the six groups on his transition team, there may be no doubt he has kept his promise.
Scott getting rid of Florida drug control office
Governor-elect Rick Scott, who has promised to cut waste in state government, is getting rid of Florida’s drug control office.
A report released today by Governor-elect Rick Scott’s law and order transition team recommends combining the Department of Juvenile Justice with the Department of Children and Families.
Scott appointments could affect U.S. Sugar options, water district’s future
On the campaign trail this summer, Rick Scott stood outside the South Florida Water Management District offices in West Palm Beach at a tea party rally and protested the district’s plan to buy U.S. Sugar land for Everglades restoration.
Building permits increase, but still weak
Homebuilders have pulled more permits so far in 2010 than they did in all of the previous year, but construction activity remains well below pre-boom levels, government figures show.
Scott’s environment team says goal is to ‘help make … development happen’
They were told to be bold. They were told to come up with something dramatic to shrink state government and create jobs. They were given 20 days to do it.
Princeton Prof. Alan Krueger says Rick Scott’s transition team misused his work in a report
The transition team for Governor-elect Rick Scott wants to overhaul Florida’s unemployment system, but an economist cited in the team’s just-released report says his work has been misused and misinterpreted.
Population boost may help Senator Bennett
State Senator Mike Bennett may have found a new path to Congress.
Study shows immigrants, legal and otherwise, helped state win seats in Congress
This week’s announcement that Florida will pick up two congressional seats and a pair of electoral votes certainly enhances the state’s clout in Washington.
For-profit colleges face new rules in Florida
For-profit colleges are ending a tumultuous year with more regulation in Florida and more battles against critics in Washington, D.C.
Senate run next for Polk sheriff?
With Florida’s Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Nelson up for re-election in two years, eyes already are on potential GOP challengers for the post.
No sign Crist willing to work with Scott on appointments
With only two weeks to go before he leaves the governor’s mansion, Charlie Crist still hasn’t signaled whether he will work with incoming governor Rick Scott to fill four judicial vacancies.
Tallahassee expected to reap inaugural bonanza
Govenor-elect Rick Scott has an economic stimulus plan for Florida’s capital city – his inaugural.
It paid to know Florida’s pension fund boss; firm got deal despite red flags.
Ash Williams, executive director, State Board of Administration: “I categorically did not ‘intervene on Bayview’s behalf.’ “
This is the story of how he did.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Announces Transition Flood Policy Available January 1
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is making available a new flood insurance low-cost transitional program for properties that have been newly mapped into high-risk areas due to a flood map revision on or after October 1, 2008.
New York Agents Plan Court Appeal over Pay Disclosure Rules
Two New York agents’ groups said they have taken the first steps to appeal a decision by state court judge allowing state insurance regulators to force brokers to reveal their commissions.
Allstate Files Federal Lawsuit Against Alleged Vegas Fraud Ring
Allstate Insurance said it was the victim of fraud by a sophisticated group of doctors and lawyers, according to a federal lawsuit filed in Las Vegas.
New York Times: Insurance Rate Forecast – Cloudy, Chance of Rises
For many drivers, trying to figure out where auto insurance premiums are headed is like trying to catch butterflies: just when you get close, they fly off in another direction.
Southeast’s Top Stories: Disasters That Happened and One That Didn’t
The top insurance stories in the Southeast in 2010 included several disasters that caused considerable death and destruction in the region and one that didn’t do as much harm as feared.
Insurers’ Recent Success a Milestone in a Year of Chinese Drywall Litigation
A federal judge in Louisiana recently let 10 insurance companies being sued by Louisiana homeowners over property damage resulting from the installation of defective drywall from China off the hook for coverage from those claims.
Opinion: Insurance for the 21st century
Insurance regulation is in dire need of an overhaul.
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